Abstract
Seed development is sensitive to parental dosage, with excess maternal or paternal genomes creating reciprocal phenotypes. Paternal genomic excess results in extensive endosperm proliferation without cellularization and eventual seed abortion. We previously showed that loss of the RNA POL IV gene nrpd1 in tetraploid fathers represses seed abortion in paternal excess crosses. Here we show genetically that RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway activity in the paternal parent is sufficient to determine the viability of paternal excess seeds. The status of the RdDM pathway in paternal excess endosperm does not impact seed viability. Comparison of endosperm transcriptomes, DNA methylation, and small RNAs from balanced and paternal excess endosperm demonstrates that paternal excess seed abortion is unlikely to be dependent on either transposable element or imprinted gene mis-regulation. We suggest instead that loss of paternal RdDM modulates expression at a small subset of genes and desensitizes endosperm to paternal excess. Finally, using allele-specific transcription data, we present evidence of a transcriptional buffering system that up-regulates maternal alleles and represses paternal alleles in response to excess paternal genomic dosage. These findings prompt reconsideration of models for dosage sensitivity in endosperm.
