Abstract <p>Angiosperm plants reproduce both sexually and asexually (by apomixis). In apomixis and gynogenesis (parthenogenesis), the haploid embryo and endosperm develop in the absence of pollination. This mini-review examines the genes and proteins associated with gynogenesis in haploid-inducing and parthenogenetic maize lines, gamete membrane interactions, and spontaneous embryogenesis and endospermogenesis. Changes in the three-dimensional (3D) conformation of proteins involved in embryogenesis and endospermogenesis in maize are presented in relation to spontaneous mutations in the nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding them.</p>