主要研究：We compared embryo proper and suspensor transcriptomes of four plants that vary in embryo morphology within the suspensor region.

结果1-大红菜豆和普通大豆胚柄：We determined that genes encoding enzymes in several metabolic pathways leading to the formation of hormones, such as gibberellic acid, and other metabolites are up-regulated in giant scarlet runner bean and common bean suspensors. Genes involved in transport and Golgi body organization are up-regulated within the suspensors of these plants as well, strengthening the view that giant specialized suspensors serve as a hormone factory and a conduit for transferring substances to the developing embryo proper.

结果2-大红菜豆和普通大豆胚头：By contrast, genes controlling transcriptional regulation, development, and cell division are up-regulated primarily within the embryo proper.

结果3-大豆和拟南芥胚柄：Transcriptomes from less specialized soybean and Arabidopsis suspensors demonstrated that fewer genes encoding metabolic enzymes and hormones are up-regulated.

结果4-大豆和拟南芥胚头：Genes active in the embryo proper, however, are functionally similar to those active in scarlet runner bean and common bean embryo proper regions.

结果5-胚头和胚柄特异表达基因：We uncovered a set of suspensor- and embryo proper–specific transcription factors (TFs) that are shared by all embryos irrespective of morphology, suggesting that they are involved in early differentiation processescommon to all plants.

结果6-WOX9免疫共沉淀：Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) experiments with scarlet runner bean and soybean WOX9, an up-regulated suspensor TF, gained entry into a regulatory network important for suspensor development irrespective of morphology.

在受精之后，合子分裂，随后是哪些基因赋予了植物胚胎分化形成胚柄和胚头是一个非常重要的问题。作者比较了四个植物的胚头和胚柄转录组，这四个植物在胚柄区域存在不同的形态变异。作者发现一些植物激素，如赤霉素和其它代谢物等代谢通路上的基因在大红菜豆和普通大豆的胚柄中上调表达。同时，这些植物胚柄中参与转运和高尔基体组织的基因也上调表达，进一步说明了巨大的特化胚柄作为“激素工厂”发挥作用，另外作为一个管道，将物质转移到正在发育中的胚头组织。相反，控制转录调控、发育和细胞分裂相关的基因主要在胚头组织中上调表达。来自大豆和拟南芥特化程度不高的胚柄转录组显示，相对较少的代谢物合酶和激素合成相关基因上调表达。而大豆和拟南芥胚头中高表达的基因与大红菜豆和普通大豆胚头中高表达的基因具有功能上的相似性。尽管这些植物胚头或胚柄具有形态上变异，作者还是鉴定了所有植物共享的胚柄和胚头特异性表达转录因子，说明这些转录因子可能在所有植物中都参与了早期的分化进程。WOX9在胚柄中上调表达，对于大红菜豆和大豆WOX9的染色质免疫沉淀测序，鉴定了一个对于各种形态胚柄的发育都至关重要的调控网络。