2026年9月3日，英国东安格利亚大学Jack Rhodes等科学家在《科学》发表研究，揭示了胚胎来源的PIPL7肽信号通过IKU2受体激酶调控拟南芥胚乳极性建立的分子机制。

被子植物种子形成需要双受精产物——胚和胚乳——的协调发育。胚乳介导从周围母体组织向发育中胚的高效营养转运。这一功能需要极性的组织架构，表现为早期极性基因表达和极性细胞化动力学。研究人员表明，受体激酶HAIKU2（IKU2）与转录因子WRKY10/MINISEED3（MINI3）协同作用，通过同源域转录因子WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 8（WOX8）和WOX9的活性，确保胚乳极性的稳健建立。这一过程依赖于卵细胞受精，并由肽信号PATHOGEN-INDUCED PEPTIDE–LIKE 7（PIPL7）介导，PIPL7作为IKU2的潜在配体发挥作用。研究结果揭示了胚与胚乳之间的分子旁分泌对话如何确保种子发育的最佳协调。

附：英文原文

Title: An embryo-derived peptide signal directs endosperm polarity in Arabidopsis

Author: Audrey Creff, Jack Rhodes, Camille Salaün, Julien Larive, Vincent Bayle, Maialen Garmendia-Calvo, Emma Turley, Tatsuya Nobori, Duarte D. Figueiredo, Benoit Landrein, Cyril Zipfel, Gwyneth Ingram

Issue&Volume: 2026-09-03

Abstract: Angiosperm seed formation requires the coordinated development of the products of double fertilization—the embryo and the endosperm. The endosperm mediates efficient nutrient transfer from surrounding maternal tissues to the developing embryo. This function requires a polarized tissue organization, which manifests as early polar gene expression and polar cellularization dynamics. We show that the receptor kinase HAIKU2 (IKU2) acts in coordination with the transcription factor WRKY10/MINISEED3 (MINI3) to ensure robust endosperm polarity establishment through the activity of the homeodomain transcription factors WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 8 (WOX8) and WOX9. This process depends on egg cell fertilization and is mediated through the peptide PATHOGEN-INDUCED PEPTIDE–LIKE 7 (PIPL7), which acts as a potential IKU2 ligand. Our results reveal how a molecular paracrine dialog between the embryo and endosperm ensures optimal seed developmental coordination.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aed6035

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aed6035