Histone modifications are involved in the regulation of many processes in eukaryotic development. In this work, we provideevidence that AtHDA7, a HISTONE DEACETYLASE (HDAC) of the Reduced Potassium Dependency3 (RPD3) superfamily, iscrucial for female gametophyte development and embryogenesis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Silencing of AtHDA7 causesdegeneration of micropylar nuclei at the stage of four-nucleate embryo sac and delay in the progression of embryo development,thereby bringing the seed set down in the Athda7-2 mutant. Furthermore, AtHDA7 down- and up-regulation lead to a delay of growthin postgermination and later developmental stages. The Athda7-2 mutation that induces histone hyperacetylation significantly increasesthe transcription of other HDACs (AtHDA6 and AtHDA9). Moreover, silencing of AtHDA7 affects the expression of ARABIDOPSISHOMOLOG OF SEPARASE (AtAESP), previously demonstrated to be involved in female gametophyte and embryo development.However, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis with acetylated H3 antibody provided evidence that the acetylation levels of H3 atAtAESP and HDACs does not change in the mutant. Further investigations are essential to ascertain the mechanism by which AtHDA7affects female gametophyte and embryo development.
