Scientists Discover Regulatory Pathway to Transform Plant Cells

A biologist Prof. Dr Thomas Laux has recently found a formula that can turn plants' ordinary somatic cells into germ cells for sexual reproduction. As per the scientist, plants do not set aside a particular cell lineage (germline) for the future production of gametes during early embryogenesis. In fact, the germ cells of plants are established de novo from somatic cells in the floral reproductive organs, the stamens and carpels.

The scientists also stated that the selected cells switch their cell division mode from mitosis, cell proliferation maintaining the chromosome number, to meiosis.

The division reduces the number of chromosomes and where genetic recombination occurs, found the researchers.

Additionally, due to the reasons, the plants have evolved strategies to enable somatic cells to switch to germline fate and to do so in the right place and at the right time.

The research was led by Laux and colleagues. Through the research, the scientists recognized multiple genes in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana that gave the start signal for switching from Mitose to meiosis.

Content: www.sciencedaily.com