EAGER: Postzygotic hybrid incompatibility through centromere remodeling

This project explores a new discovery in plant genetics using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (related to mustard). Scientists found that changing a small part of a chromosome called the centromere can cause seeds to fail when two different types of Arabidopsis are crossed. This happens even though the plants are otherwise very similar and normally compatible with each other. The centromere is important because it helps chromosomes divide correctly during the formation of seeds. When a plant with modified centromeres was crossed with another type, the seeds often did not grow, showing a kind of genetic incompatibility. The research aims to understand exactly how these changes cause problems, whether the same phenomenon happens in other plants, and how this knowledge can be used. For example, it could help create new ways to breed crops, prevent unwanted cross-breeding, or even make seedless fruits. Overall, this work could lead to important advances in agriculture and in our understanding of how chromosomes work. This project will investigate the genetic, cellular, and molecular basis of a newly identified, heritable form of postzygotic incompatibility associated with altered centromere function. The research will determine the genetic factors responsible for this phenomenon, test competing mechanistic hypotheses governing chromosome segregation during early embryonic development, and evaluate whether similar processes occur in additional plant species. The investigators will integrate genetic mapping, genome sequencing, cytological analyses, chromatin studies, and comparative genomics to define the mechanisms responsible for incompatibility. The resulting knowledge will advance fundamental understanding of centromere biology, chromosome inheritance, and reproductive isolation, while laying the groundwork for future biotechnological applications in plant breeding and chromosome engineering. The project will also provide advanced training for students and researchers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.