LECs go crazy in embryo development

Two fundamental aspects of plant development are the maturation phase of embryo development in seed plants and totipotency via somatic embryogenesis (SE). The LEAFY COTYLEDON (LEC) transcription factors (TFs) establish environments that promote cellular processes characteristic of the maturation phase and the initiation of somatic embryo formation. Based on recent studies, we and others propose that specific target genes activated by the LEC TFs underlie, in part, their roles in the maturation phase and SE. We also propose that the effect of LEC TFs on the balance of abscisic acid to gibberellic acid might link their roles in totipotency and the maturation phase.