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Differential Gene Expression During Somatic Embryogenesis

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Book cover Somatic Embryogenesis

Part of the book series: Plant Cell Monographs ((CELLMONO,volume 2))

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis is a complex developmental program in which somatic cells are induced for a commitment towards forming totipotent embryogenic cells capable of becoming complete plants. Plant somatic embryogenesis has been the choice model system to explore the earliest regulatory and morphogenetic events in the life of the plant. Somatic embryos are similar to zygotic embryos and undergo almost the same developmental stages except for the acquisition of embryogenic competence. Common regulatory mechanisms probably operate in the early stages in both types of embryogenesis and hence it is possible to investigate somatic embryogenesis either by analysis of the expression of genes (isolated and characterized in zygotic embryos) in somatic embryos or by analyzing the differential expression of genes in embryogenic and nonembryogenic tissues. Studies have been conducted either to identify the genes expressed and gene products that accumulate specifically during different stages of embryogenesis or to analyze the expression of a variety of genes that probably have some role in the embryogenic pathway. More often this has involved the comparison of somatic embryos, embryogenic callus or cells and embryos at an early stage. This review will cover the aspects outlined above and discuss current information.

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A. Mujib Jozef Šamaj

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Suprasanna, P., Bapat, V.A. Differential Gene Expression During Somatic Embryogenesis. In: Mujib, A., Šamaj, J. (eds) Somatic Embryogenesis. Plant Cell Monographs, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7089_038

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