Unveiling the molecular basis of embryonic identity acquisition in plant somatic embryogenesis

• Applicant: Dr. Omid Karami
• Subject Area: Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566521051

In plants, embryogenesis usually takes place in the seed after egg and sperm fusion. However, it can also be induced from differentiated somatic cells through a process called somatic embryogenesis (SE). There is considerable interest in SE, both as a clonal propagation tool for the green sector and as a model system for understanding reprogramming differentiated somatic cells into embryonic cells. While previous research has identified genes and factors involved in SE induction, the molecular framework underlying the acquisition of embryonic identity remains unclear. Treatment with exogenousauxin has been demonstrated as a potent inducer of embryonic identity in SE in plants. However, the precise mechanisms through which auxin induces the formation of embryonic cells from somatic cells remain unclear. In this project, we aim to uncover molecular mechanisms by which auxin promotes the acquisition of embryonic identity in Arabidopsis thaliana. We have previously shown that the AHL15 gene is required for auxin-induced SE, therefore, we also aim to uncover the association between auxin and the function of AHL15 in inducing SE. The outcomes of this project will reveal a deeper comprehension of the function of auxin in SE.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants