Apomixis Unravelled: the induction of parthenogenesis in dandelion and beyond

Most seeds contain embryos that developed after the fusion of sperm and egg cell. However, there are also plants that reproduce asexually via apomixis, where the embryo is a clone of the mother plant. Apomixis does not naturally occur in crops, while it can be very beneficial, allowing much faster breeding and yield increase. Achieving apomixis in different crops requires a better understanding of the apomixis process. Here, we will therefore examine in dandelion, a natural apomict, how the PAR protein, which is essential for apomixis in dandelion, interacts with other proteins to initiate embryo development without fertilization.