Seed coat-derived brassinosteroids non-cell autonomously regulate endosperm development

Abstract An angiosperm seed is formed by the embryo and endosperm, which are direct products of fertilization, and by the maternal seed coat. These tissues communicate with each other to ensure synchronized seed development. After fertilization, auxin produced in the endosperm is exported to the integuments where it drives seed coat formation. Here, we show that the seed coat signals back to the endosperm to promote its proliferation via the steroid hormones brassinosteroids (BR). We show that BR regulate cell wall-related processes in the seed coat, and that the biophysical properties of this maternal organ determine the proliferation rate of the endosperm in a manner independent from the timing of its cellularization. We thus propose that maternal BR signalling tunes endosperm proliferation to seed coat expansion.