Unlocking fertility in the female gametophyte: a DEAD-box RNA helicase is essential for embryo sac development and seed setting

Reproductive success and seed production rely on normal development and function of male and female organs. Previous studies reported that reproductive organs are prone to degeneration due to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased programmed cell death (PCD), developmental defects, and abnormal cell division. An embryo sac is a structure present in an ovule and is essential for developing an egg. Huang et al. (2024) revealed that loss of the DEAD-box RNA helicase OsRH52A in rice leads to abnormal development of the embryo sac including the appearance of double-female gametophyte structures and, as a consequence, to low seed setting.