Functional Facultative Apomixis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Apomixis is associated with occurring in hybrid and polyploid plants. Here a model is tested wherein facultative apomixis might be achieved by impairing intracellular stress-signaling via a hybridization induced miss-regulation of ribosome biogenesis. The HDA6 gene knockout globally up-regulates ribosome biogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Embryological analysis revealed reduced meiocyte initiated stress-signaling and associated callose and tetrad formation, hallmarks of sexual reproduction in angiosperms. In its place various forms of unreduced embryo sac formation, hallmarks of apomixis, and the production of viable seed suggest that, based upon a dosage dependent effect, inhibited meiocyte initiated stress-signaling converts the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana into a fully functional facultative apomict. More work is needed for confirmation prior to publication.