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A galactosyltransferase acting on arabinogalactan protein glycans is essential for embryo development in A rabidopsis
Author(s) -
Geshi Naomi,
Johansen Jorunn N.,
Dilokpimol Adiphol,
Rolland Aurélia,
Belcram Katia,
Verger Stéphane,
Kotake Toshihisa,
Tsumuraya Yoichi,
Kaneko Satoshi,
Tryfona Theodora,
Dupree Paul,
Scheller Henrik V.,
Höfte Herman,
Mouille Gregory
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1111/tpj.12281
Subject(s) - arabinogalactan , biology , embryo , glycan , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , genetics , cell division , gene , embryogenesis , chimera (genetics) , glycoprotein , cell wall , cell
Summary Arabinogalactan proteins ( AGP s) are a complex family of cell‐wall proteoglycans that are thought to play major roles in plant growth and development. Genetic approaches to studying AGP function have met limited success so far, presumably due to redundancy within the large gene families encoding AGP backbones. Here we used an alternative approach for genetic dissection of the role of AGP s in development by modifying their glycan side chains. We have identified an Arabidopsis glycosyltransferase of CAZY family GT 31 ( A t GALT 31 A ) that galactosylates AGP side chains. A mutation in the A t GALT 31A gene caused the arrest of embryo development at the globular stage. The presence of the transcript in the suspensor of globular‐stage embryos is consistent with a role for A t GALT 31A in progression of embryo development beyond the globular stage. The first observable defect in the mutant is perturbation of the formative asymmetric division of the hypophysis, indicating an essential role for AGP proteoglycans in either specification of the hypophysis or orientation of the asymmetric division plane.