COmmunication by MFT-like proteins for SEED quality traits – COMFiSEED

MFT (MOTHER-OF-FT-AND-TFL1-like) proteins belong to the PhosphatidylEthanolamine-Binding Protein family and are excellent candidate regulators of molecular signaling within and between seed compartments, which is necessary for coherent seed function. The COMFiSEED project aims to explore that hypothesis that MFT proteins, through their capacity for cell-to-cell mobility, contribute to the coordination of the inter-tissue movement of resources and hormones which influence seed growth, seed nutritional composition, seed dormancy and germination vigor. The endosperms of eudicot (Arabidopsis thaliana) and monocot (Zea mays, maize) seeds follow divergent developmental trajectories, leading to very different final volume relationships between endosperm and embryo in the two seed types. In Arabidopsis, most of the endosperm is eliminated during development with nutrients taken by the embryo prior to seed maturation. In cereal, the endosperm is persistent and forms a nutrient reserve during seed germination. In Arabidopsis, the unique AtMFT protein acts as a strong promoter of seed dormancy and a repressor of seed germination. However, the mechanism underlying AtMFT-mediated dormancy, and other roles during Arabidopsis seed development, remains unexplored. The functions of the three MFT proteins in maize (ZmMFT1, ZmMFT2 and ZmMFT3), which are produced specifically in seeds, has not been previously addressed, providing a valuable opportunity to explore their roles in seed quality traits. Both, our published and preliminary data, support the potential role of ZmMFT proteins in transmitting the nutritional status of the embryo through the endosperm providing interfaces with maternal tissues. Using genetic and genomic approaches, we propose to in depth elucidate the molecular and cellular basis of MFT functions in Arabidopsis and maize, and provide interspecies comparisons, to better understand their implication in establishing seed quality traits in model and crop plants.