EDE1 Is Essential for Seed Development.
(A) to (D) Confocal micrographs of Feulgen- stained seeds of the wild type (A) and ede1-1 mutant ([B] to [D]) at 6 DAP. Note the NCDs that invade the central vacuole (CV) of the endosperm. Only few enlarged NCDs are present in the ede1-1 mutant when compared with the wild type. The range of ede1-1 phenotypes is also shown: mild (B), moderate (C), and extreme (D). EM, embryo; CE, chalazal endosperm. Bars = 20 μm.
(E) Developmental stages of the wild type (top row) and of ede1-1 mutant endosperm (bottom row). Whole mounts of cleared seeds were observed at different developmental stages (0 to 8 DAP) using differential interference contrast optics. The enlarged nuclei in the mutant are marked by asterisks. Bar = 20 μm (0 to 2 DAP) and 50 μm (4 to 8 DAP).