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Westermann J, Srikant T, Gonzalo A, Tan HS, Bomblies K. Defective pollen tube tip growth induces neo-polyploid infertility. Science 2024; 383:eadh0755. [PMID: 38422152 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh0755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Genome duplication (generating polyploids) is an engine of novelty in eukaryotic evolution and a promising crop improvement tool. Yet newly formed polyploids often have low fertility. Here we report that a severe fertility-compromising defect in pollen tube tip growth arises in new polyploids of Arabidopsis arenosa. Pollen tubes of newly polyploid A. arenosa grow slowly, have aberrant anatomy and disrupted physiology, often burst prematurely, and have altered gene expression. These phenotypes recover in evolved polyploids. We also show that gametophytic (pollen tube) genotypes of two tip-growth genes under selection in natural tetraploid A. arenosa are strongly associated with pollen tube performance in the tetraploid. Our work establishes pollen tube tip growth as an important fertility challenge for neo-polyploid plants and provides insights into a naturally evolved multigenic solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Westermann
- Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thanvi Srikant
- Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adrián Gonzalo
- Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hui San Tan
- Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kirsten Bomblies
- Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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2
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Li L, Wu W, Lin H, Zhou L, Zhang D, Ishfaq M, Zhong Y, Li B, Peng Y, Wu X, Yu Y, Li X, Chen Q. Amino acid application inhibits root-to-shoot cadmium translocation in Chinese cabbage by modulating pectin methyl-esterification. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 207:108401. [PMID: 38301327 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The exogenous application of amino acids (AAs) generally alleviates cadmium (Cd) toxicity in plants by altering their subcellular distribution. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying AA-mediated cell wall (CW) sequestration of Cd in Chinese cabbage remain unclear. Using two genotypes of Chinses cabbage, Jingcui 60 (Cd-tolerant) and 16-7 (Cd-sensitive), we characterized the root structure, subcellular distribution of Cd, CW component, and related gene expression under the Cd stress. Cysteine (Cys) supplementation led to a reduction in the Cd concentration in the shoots of Jingcui 60 and 16-7 by 65.09 % and 64.03 %, respectively. Addition of Cys alleviated leaf chlorosis in both cultivars by increasing Cd chelation in the root CW and reducing its distribution in the cytoplasm and organelles. We further demonstrated that Cys supplementation mediated the downregulation of PMEI1 expression and improving the activity of pectin methyl-esterase (PME) by 17.98 % and 25.52 % in both cultivars, respectively, compared to the Cd treatment, resulting in an approximate 12.00 %-14.70 % increase in Cd retention in pectin. In contrast, threonine (Thr) application did not significantly alter Cd distribution in the shoots of either cultivar. Taken together, our results suggest that Cys application reduces Cd root-to-shoot translocation by increasing Cd sequestration in the root CW through the downregulation of pectin methyl-esterification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longcheng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wenliang Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Huiru Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Donghan Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Muhammad Ishfaq
- State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Yanting Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Bingcheng Li
- National Sugar Crop Improvement Centre, College of Advanced Agriculture and Ecological Environment, Heilongjiang University, 74 Xuefu Road, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Yutao Peng
- School of Agriculture, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 523758, China
| | - Xiuwen Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Yifa Yu
- Nanning Harworld Biological Technology, Inc, China
| | - Xuexian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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3
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Robinson R, Sprott D, Couroux P, Routly E, Labbé N, Xing T, Robert LS. The triticale mature pollen and stigma proteomes - assembling the proteins for a productive encounter. J Proteomics 2023; 278:104867. [PMID: 36870675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2023.104867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Triticeae crops are major contributors to global food production and ensuring their capacity to reproduce and generate seeds is critical. However, despite their importance our knowledge of the proteins underlying Triticeae reproduction is severely lacking and this is not only true of pollen and stigma development, but also of their pivotal interaction. When the pollen grain and stigma are brought together they have each accumulated the proteins required for their intended meeting and accordingly studying their mature proteomes is bound to reveal proteins involved in their diverse and complex interactions. Using triticale as a Triticeae representative, gel-free shotgun proteomics was used to identify 11,533 and 2977 mature stigma and pollen proteins respectively. These datasets, by far the largest to date, provide unprecedented insights into the proteins participating in Triticeae pollen and stigma development and interactions. The study of the Triticeae stigma has been particularly neglected. To begin filling this knowledge gap, a developmental iTRAQ analysis was performed revealing 647 proteins displaying differential abundance as the stigma matures in preparation for pollination. An in-depth comparison to an equivalent Brassicaceae analysis divulged both conservation and diversification in the makeup and function of proteins involved in the pollen and stigma encounter. SIGNIFICANCE: Successful pollination brings together the mature pollen and stigma thus initiating an intricate series of molecular processes vital to crop reproduction. In the Triticeae crops (e.g. wheat, barley, rye, triticale) there persists a vast deficit in our knowledge of the proteins involved which needs to be addressed if we are to face the many upcoming challenges to crop production such as those associated with climate change. At maturity, both the pollen and stigma have acquired the protein complement necessary for their forthcoming encounter and investigating their proteomes will inevitably provide unprecedented insights into the proteins enabling their interactions. By combining the analysis of the most comprehensive Triticeae pollen and stigma global proteome datasets to date with developmental iTRAQ investigations, proteins implicated in the different phases of pollen-stigma interaction enabling pollen adhesion, recognition, hydration, germination and tube growth, as well as those underlying stigma development were revealed. Extensive comparisons between equivalent Triticeae and Brassiceae datasets highlighted both the conservation of biological processes in line with the shared goal of activating the pollen grain and promoting pollen tube invasion of the pistil to effect fertilization, as well as the significant distinctions in their proteomes consistent with the considerable differences in their biochemistry, physiology and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reneé Robinson
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada; Carleton University, Department of Biology, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - David Sprott
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Philippe Couroux
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Routly
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Natalie Labbé
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada
| | - Tim Xing
- Carleton University, Department of Biology, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Laurian S Robert
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada.
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Wang D, Jin S, Chen Z, Shan Y, Li L. Genome-wide identification of the pectin methylesterase inhibitor genes in Brassica napus and expression analysis of selected members. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:940284. [PMID: 35937343 PMCID: PMC9354821 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.940284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pectin methylesterase inhibitors (PMEIs) modulate the status of pectin methylesterification by inhibiting the activity of pectin methylesterase (PME). Recent advances indicate PMEIs play an important role in regulating plant cell wall properties and defense responses. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of PMEI gene family in Brassica napus (B. napus) was conducted and the expression patterns of PMEI genes in response to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum) was investigated. A total of 190 PMEI proteins were identified from the genome of B. napus. Chromosomal location, gene structure and properties of the PMEI family were analyzed, and these features were compared with Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana). A total of 123 syntenic ortholog pairs were detected from BnPMEI family by synteny analysis. Results showed the expansion of BnPMEI genes was likely predominately from whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplications. Multiple cis-elements related to plant growth and development, environmental stress responses, hormone responses were detected in the promoters of BnPMEI genes, implying they were regulated by both internal and external factors. Furthermore, expression analysis of transcriptome data combined with quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) validation identified several candidates that were strongly responsive to S. sclerotiorum infection. These BnPMEI genes are candidates for manipulation to breed novel and improved genotypes that are more resistant to sclerotinia stem rot (SSR). Extensive interactions were detected among 30 BnPMEI proteins, forming complex protein-protein interaction networks. Besides, 48 BnPMEIs showed interactions with other proteins including a range of cell wall structure-related enzymes. This study provides new insights into the evolution and function of PMEIs in B. napus and lays a foundation for breeding novel genotypes for crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duoduo Wang
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Shunda Jin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Tree Biology of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Tree Biology of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Yue Shan
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Lei Li
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Çetinbaş-Genç A, Conti V, Cai G. Let's shape again: the concerted molecular action that builds the pollen tube. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2022; 35:77-103. [PMID: 35041045 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-022-00437-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The pollen tube is being subjected to control by a complex network of communication that regulates its shape and the misfunction of a single component causes specific deformations. In flowering plants, the pollen tube is a tubular extension of the pollen grain required for successful sexual reproduction. Indeed, maintaining the unique shape of the pollen tube is essential for the pollen tube to approach the embryo sac. Many processes and molecules (such as GTPase activity, phosphoinositides, Ca2+ gradient, distribution of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide, nonuniform pH values, organization of the cytoskeleton, balance between exocytosis and endocytosis, and cell wall structure) play key and coordinated roles in maintaining the cylindrical shape of pollen tubes. In addition, the above factors must also interact with each other so that the cell shape is maintained while the pollen tube follows chemical signals in the pistil that guide it to the embryo sac. Any intrinsic changes (such as erroneous signals) or extrinsic changes (such as environmental stresses) can affect the above factors and thus fertilization by altering the tube morphology. In this review, the processes and molecules that enable the development and maintenance of the unique shape of pollen tubes in angiosperms are presented emphasizing their interaction with specific tube shape. Thus, the purpose of the review is to investigate whether specific deformations in pollen tubes can help us to better understand the mechanism underlying pollen tube shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslıhan Çetinbaş-Genç
- Department of Biology, Marmara University, Göztepe Campus, 34722, Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Veronica Conti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Giampiero Cai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
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6
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Abstract
Plant architecture fundamentally differs from that of other multicellular organisms in that individual cells serve as osmotic bricks, defined by the equilibrium between the internal turgor pressure and the mechanical resistance of the surrounding cell wall, which constitutes the interface between plant cells and their environment. The state and integrity of the cell wall are constantly monitored by cell wall surveillance pathways, which relay information to the cell interior. A recent surge of discoveries has led to significant advances in both mechanistic and conceptual insights into a multitude of cell wall response pathways that play diverse roles in the development, defense, stress response, and maintenance of structural integrity of the cell. However, these advances have also revealed the complexity of cell wall sensing, and many more questions remain to be answered, for example, regarding the mechanisms of cell wall perception, the molecular players in this process, and how cell wall-related signals are transduced and integrated into cellular behavior. This review provides an overview of the mechanistic and conceptual insights obtained so far and highlights areas for future discoveries in this exciting area of plant biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wolf
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany;
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7
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Laggoun F, Ali N, Tourneur S, Prudent G, Gügi B, Kiefer-Meyer MC, Mareck A, Cruz F, Yvin JC, Nguema-Ona E, Mollet JC, Jamois F, Lehner A. Two Carbohydrate-Based Natural Extracts Stimulate in vitro Pollen Germination and Pollen Tube Growth of Tomato Under Cold Temperatures. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:552515. [PMID: 34691089 PMCID: PMC8529017 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.552515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To date, it is widely accepted by the scientific community that many agricultural regions will experience more extreme temperature fluctuations. These stresses will undoubtedly impact crop production, particularly fruit and seed yields. In fact, pollination is considered as one of the most temperature-sensitive phases of plant development and until now, except for the time-consuming and costly processes of genetic breeding, there is no immediate alternative to address this issue. In this work, we used a multidisciplinary approach using physiological, biochemical, and molecular techniques for studying the effects of two carbohydrate-based natural activators on in vitro tomato pollen germination and pollen tube growth cultured in vitro under cold conditions. Under mild and strong cold temperatures, these two carbohydrate-based compounds significantly enhanced pollen germination and pollen tube growth. The two biostimulants did not induce significant changes in the classical molecular markers implicated in pollen tube growth. Neither the number of callose plugs nor the CALLOSE SYNTHASE genes expression were significantly different between the control and the biostimulated pollen tubes when pollens were cultivated under cold conditions. PECTIN METHYLESTERASE (PME) activities were also similar but a basic PME isoform was not produced or inactive in pollen grown at 8°C. Nevertheless, NADPH oxidase (RBOH) gene expression was correlated with a higher number of viable pollen tubes in biostimulated pollen tubes compared to the control. Our results showed that the two carbohydrate-based products were able to reduce in vitro the effect of cold temperatures on tomato pollen tube growth and at least for one of them to modulate reactive oxygen species production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdousse Laggoun
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
- Sanofi Pasteur, Val-de-Reuil, France
| | - Nusrat Ali
- Centre Mondial de l’Innovation, Laboratoire Nutrition Végétale, Groupe Roullier, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Sabine Tourneur
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Pathologie Végétales, Université de Nantes, Université Bretagne Loire, Nantes, France
| | - Grégoire Prudent
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Bruno Gügi
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Marie-Christine Kiefer-Meyer
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Alain Mareck
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Florence Cruz
- Centre Mondial de l’Innovation, Laboratoire Nutrition Végétale, Groupe Roullier, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Jean-Claude Yvin
- Centre Mondial de l’Innovation, Laboratoire Nutrition Végétale, Groupe Roullier, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Eric Nguema-Ona
- Centre Mondial de l’Innovation, Laboratoire Nutrition Végétale, Groupe Roullier, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Jean-Claude Mollet
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Frank Jamois
- Centre Mondial de l’Innovation, Laboratoire Nutrition Végétale, Groupe Roullier, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Arnaud Lehner
- UNIROUEN, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, Carnot I2C, IRIB, Rouen, France
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8
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Abstract
Pollen-pistil interactions serve as important prezygotic reproductive barriers that play a critical role in mate selection in plants. Here, we highlight recent progress toward understanding the molecular basis of pollen-pistil interactions as reproductive isolating barriers. These barriers can be active systems of pollen rejection, or they can result from a mismatch of required male and female factors. In some cases, the barriers are mechanistically linked to self-incompatibility systems, while others represent completely independent processes. Pollen-pistil reproductive barriers can act as soon as pollen is deposited on a stigma, where penetration of heterospecific pollen tubes is blocked by the stigma papillae. As pollen tubes extend, the female transmitting tissue can selectively limit growth by producing cell wall-modifying enzymes and cytotoxins that interact with the growing pollen tube. At ovules, differential pollen tube attraction and inhibition of sperm cell release can act as barriers to heterospecific pollen tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K Broz
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1878, USA; ,
| | - Patricia A Bedinger
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1878, USA; ,
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9
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Ma X, Wu Y, Zhang G. Formation pattern and regulatory mechanisms of pollen wall in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 260:153388. [PMID: 33706055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In angiosperms, mature pollen is wrapped by a pollen wall, which is important for maintaining pollen structure and function. Pollen walls provide protection from various environmental stresses and preserve pollen germination and pollen tube growth. The pollen wall structure has been described since pollen ultrastructure investigations began in the 1960s. Pollen walls, which are the most intricate cell walls in plants, are composed of two layers: the exine layer and intine layer. Pollen wall formation is a complex process that occurs via a series of biological events that involve a large number of genes. In recent years, many reports have described the molecular mechanisms of pollen exine development. The formation process includes the development of the callose wall, the wavy morphology of primexine, the biosynthesis and transport of sporopollenin in the tapetum, and the deposition of the pollen coat. The formation mechanism of the intine layer is different from that of the exine layer. However, few studies have focused on the regulatory mechanisms of intine development. The primary component of the intine layer is pectin, which plays an essential role in the polar growth of pollen tubes. Demethylesterified pectin is mainly distributed in the shank region of the pollen tube, which can maintain the hardness of the pollen tube wall. Methylesterified pectin is mainly located in the top region, which is beneficial for improving the plasticity of the pollen tube top. In this review, we summarize the developmental process of the anther, pollen and pollen wall in Arabidopsis; furthermore, we describe the research progress on the pollen wall formation pattern and its molecular mechanisms in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Genfa Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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10
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Wang Y, Ye H, Bai J, Ren F. The regulatory framework of developmentally programmed cell death in floral organs: A review. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 158:103-112. [PMID: 33307422 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Developmentally programmed cell death (dPCD) is a tightly controlled biological process. In recent years, vital roles of dPCD on regulating floral organ growth and development have been reported. It is well known that flower is an essential organ for reproduction and a turning point of plants' life cycle. Hence, uncovering the complex molecular networks which regulates dPCD processes in floral organs is utmost important. So far, our understanding of dPCD on floral organ growth and development is just starting. Herein, we summarize the important factors that involved in the tapetal degeneration, pollen tube rupture, receptive synergid cell death, nucellar degradation, and antipodal cell degradation. Meanwhile, the known factors that involved in transmitting tract formation and self-incompatibility-induced PCD were also introduced. Furthermore, the genes that associated with anther dehiscence and petal senescence and abscission were reviewed as well. The functions of various types of factors involved in floral dPCD processes are highlighted principally. The regulatory panorama described here can provide us some insights about flower-specific dPCD process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Wang
- Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Hong Ye
- Division of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Jianfang Bai
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for Hybrid Wheat, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, PR China
| | - Fei Ren
- School of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Shaoguan University, 288 Daxue Road, Shaoguan, 512000, PR China.
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11
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Lu Y, Moran Lauter AN, Makkena S, Scott MP, Evans MMS. Insights into the molecular control of cross-incompatibility in Zea mays. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2020; 33:117-128. [PMID: 32865620 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-020-00394-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gametophytic cross-incompatibility systems in corn have been the subject of genetic studies for more than a century. They have tremendous economic potential as a genetic mechanism for controlling fertilization without controlling pollination. Three major genetically distinct and functionally equivalent cross-incompatibility systems exist in Zea mays: Ga1, Tcb1, and Ga2. All three confer reproductive isolation between maize or teosinte varieties with different haplotypes at any one locus. These loci confer genetically separable functions to the silk and pollen: a female function that allows the silk to block fertilization by non-self-type pollen and a male function that overcomes the block of the female function from the same locus. Identification of some of these genes has shed light on the reproductive isolation they confer. The identification of both male and female factors as pectin methylesterases reveals the importance of pectin methylesterase activity in controlling the decision between pollen acceptance versus rejection, possibly by regulating the degree of methylesterification of the pollen tube cell wall. The appropriate level and spatial distribution of pectin methylesterification is critical for pollen tube growth and is affected by both pectin methylesterases and pectin methylesterase inhibitors. We present a molecular model that explains how cross-incompatibility systems may function that can be tested in Zea and uncharacterized cross-incompatibility systems. Molecular characterization of these loci in conjunction with further refinement of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms will allow researchers to bring new and powerful tools to bear on understanding reproductive isolation in Zea mays and related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxian Lu
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institute for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | | | - M Paul Scott
- Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, USDA ARS, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Matthew M S Evans
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institute for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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12
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Cascallares M, Setzes N, Marchetti F, López GA, Distéfano AM, Cainzos M, Zabaleta E, Pagnussat GC. A Complex Journey: Cell Wall Remodeling, Interactions, and Integrity During Pollen Tube Growth. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:599247. [PMID: 33329663 PMCID: PMC7733995 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.599247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants, pollen tubes undergo a journey that starts in the stigma and ends in the ovule with the delivery of the sperm cells to achieve double fertilization. The pollen cell wall plays an essential role to accomplish all the steps required for the successful delivery of the male gametes. This extended path involves female tissue recognition, rapid hydration and germination, polar growth, and a tight regulation of cell wall synthesis and modification, as its properties change not only along the pollen tube but also in response to guidance cues inside the pistil. In this review, we focus on the most recent advances in elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of cell wall synthesis and modification during pollen germination, pollen tube growth, and rupture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Gabriela Carolina Pagnussat
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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13
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Wang J, Ling L, Cai H, Guo C. Gene-wide identification and expression analysis of the PMEI family genes in soybean (Glycine max). 3 Biotech 2020; 10:335. [PMID: 32656068 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02328-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitors (PMEI) gene family is widely spread in plants and plays crucial roles in plant development as well as biotic and abiotic stress response. However, little information was known about the function of PMEI genes in soybean. Herein, we identified 170 PMEI genes in soybean. These PMEI genes were divided into four groups (I-IV) based on phylogenetic analysis, and they were unevenly distributed in 18 soybean chromosomes. Gene structures and motif pattern analyses revealed that the PMEI genes in the same group showed the same characteristics. For the GmPMEI genes, gene duplication events occurred broadly, 52 pairs tandem duplication events and 55 pairs segmental duplication events suggested that the GmPMEI genes had high homology. Besides, the PMEI genes presented different expression patterns in different tissues, while several of these genes were expressed only in flowers. Under the biotic and abiotic stresses, PMEI genes had significant positive impact on the tolerance ability of soybean, and the ABA-responsive elements and SA-responsive elements played vital roles in responding to a variety of stresses. This study provides insights into the evolution and potential functions of GmPMEIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025 China
- Heilongjiang Vocational College of Biology Science and Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Lei Ling
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025 China
| | - He Cai
- Mudanjiang Normal University, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Changhong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 of Shida Road, Limin Development Zone, Harbin, 150025 China
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14
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Kim YJ, Jeong HY, Kang SY, Silva J, Kim EJ, Park SK, Jung KH, Lee C. Physiological Importance of Pectin Modifying Genes During Rice Pollen Development. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4840. [PMID: 32650624 PMCID: PMC7402328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although cell wall dynamics, particularly modification of homogalacturonan (HGA, a major component of pectin) during pollen tube growth, have been extensively studied in dicot plants, little is known about how modification of the pollen tube cell wall regulates growth in monocot plants. In this study, we assessed the role of HGA modification during elongation of the rice pollen tube by adding a pectin methylesterase (PME) enzyme or a PME-inhibiting catechin extract (Polyphenon 60) to in vitro germination medium. Both treatments led to a severe decrease in the pollen germination rate and elongation. Furthermore, using monoclonal antibodies toward methyl-esterified and de-esterified HGA epitopes, it was found that exogenous treatment of PME and Polyphenon 60 resulted in the disruption of the distribution patterns of low- and high-methylesterified pectins upon pollen germination and during pollen tube elongation. Eleven PMEs and 13 PME inhibitors (PMEIs) were identified by publicly available transcriptome datasets and their specific expression was validated by qRT-PCR. Enzyme activity assays and subcellular localization using a heterologous expression system in tobacco leaves demonstrated that some of the pollen-specific PMEs and PMEIs possessed distinct enzymatic activities and targeted either the cell wall or other compartments. Taken together, our findings are the first line of evidence showing the essentiality of HGA methyl-esterification status during the germination and elongation of pollen tubes in rice, which is primarily governed by the fine-tuning of PME and PMEI activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; (Y.-J.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (J.S.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Ho Young Jeong
- Department of Plant & Environmental New Resources, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea;
| | - Seung-Yeon Kang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; (Y.-J.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (J.S.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Jeniffer Silva
- Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; (Y.-J.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (J.S.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Eui-Jung Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; (Y.-J.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (J.S.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Soon Ki Park
- School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea;
| | - Ki-Hong Jung
- Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; (Y.-J.K.); (S.-Y.K.); (J.S.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Chanhui Lee
- Department of Plant & Environmental New Resources, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea;
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15
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Zhang P, Wang H, Qin X, Chen K, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Yue B. Genome-wide identification, phylogeny and expression analysis of the PME and PMEI gene families in maize. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19918. [PMID: 31882640 PMCID: PMC6934449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56254-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pectins, the major components of cell walls in plants, are synthesized and secreted to cell walls as highly methyl-esterified polymers and then demethyl-esterified by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). The PMEs are spatially regulated by pectin methylesterase inhibitors (PMEIs). In this study, 43 and 49 putative PME and PMEI genes were identified in maize, respectively. Gene structure and motif analysis revealed that members in the same paralogous pairs or in the same subgroup generally had common motif compositions and gene structure patterns, which indicates functional similarity between the closely related ZmPME/PMEI genes. Gene ontology annotation analysis showed that most of the ZmPME/PMEI genes are involved in cell wall modification and pectin catabolic process with molecular functions of pectinesterase or pectinesterase inhibitor activities. There are 35 ZmPME/PMEI genes expressed higher in anthers than in other tissues from the NimbleGen maize microarray data, and the semiq-RT-PCR assay revealed most of these ZmPME/PMEIs specially expressed in anthers and pollens, indicating they possibly had role in anther and pollen development. In addition, these ZmPME/PMEI genes were highly expressed in the fertile anthers, while lowly or no expressed in sterile anthers. This further indicated these genes might be involved in the development of anther and pollen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xiner Qin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Kuan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jiuran Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Yanxin Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Maize DNA Fingerprinting and Molecular Breeding, Maize Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China.
| | - Bing Yue
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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16
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Kim YJ, Zhang D, Jung KH. Molecular Basis of Pollen Germination in Cereals. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:1126-1136. [PMID: 31610991 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular basis of pollen germination in cereals holds great potential to improve yield. Pollen, a highly specialized haploid male gametophyte, transports sperm cells through a pollen tube to the female ovule for fertilization, directly determining grain yield in cereal crops. Although insights into the regulation of pollen germination and gamete interaction have advanced rapidly in the model Arabidopsis thaliana (arabidopsis), the molecular mechanisms in monocot cereals remain largely unknown. Recently, pollen-specific genome-wide and mutant analyses in rice and maize have extended our understanding of monocot regulatory components. We highlight conserved and diverse mechanisms underlying pollen hydration, germination, and tube growth in cereals that provide ideas for translating this research from arabidopsis. Recent developments in gene-editing systems may facilitate further functional genetic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jin Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea
| | - Dabing Zhang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea; Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-University of Adelaide Joint Centre for Agriculture and Health, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5064, Australia.
| | - Ki-Hong Jung
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea.
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17
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Lopes AL, Moreira D, Ferreira MJ, Pereira AM, Coimbra S. Insights into secrets along the pollen tube pathway in need to be discovered. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:2979-2992. [PMID: 30820535 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The process of plant fertilization provides an outstanding example of refined control of gene expression. During this elegant process, subtle communication occurs between neighboring cells, based on chemical signals, that induces cellular mechanisms of patterning and growth. Having faced an immediate issue of self-incompatibility responses, the pathway to fertilization starts once the stigmatic cells recognize a compatible pollen grain, and it continues with numerous players interacting to affect pollen tube growth and the puzzling process of navigation along the transmitting tract. The pollen tube goes through a guidance process that begins with a preovular stage (i.e. prior to the influence of the target ovule), with interactions with factors from the transmitting tissue. In the subsequent ovular-guidance stage a specific relationship develops between the pollen tube and its target ovule. This stage is divided into the funicular and micropylar guidance steps, with numerous receptors working in signalling cascades. Finally, just after the pollen tube has passed beyond the synergids, fusion of the gametes occurs and the developing seed-the ultimate aim of the process-will start to mature. In this paper, we review the existing knowledge of the crucial biological processes involved in pollen-pistil interactions that give rise to the new seed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lúcia Lopes
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute - BioISI, Porto, Portugal
- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre - GreenUPorto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Diana Moreira
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Ferreira
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Marta Pereira
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Sílvia Coimbra
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre - GreenUPorto, Vairão, Portugal
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18
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Shen X, Xu L, Liu Y, Dong H, Zhou D, Zhang Y, Lin S, Cao J, Huang L. Comparative transcriptome analysis and ChIP-sequencing reveals stage-specific gene expression and regulation profiles associated with pollen wall formation in Brassica rapa. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:264. [PMID: 30943898 PMCID: PMC6446297 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5637-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genic male sterility (GMS) line is an important approach to utilize heterosis in Brassica rapa, one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in Northeast Asia. However, the molecular genetic mechanisms of GMS remain to be largely unknown. Results Detailed phenotypic observation of ‘Bcajh97-01A/B’, a B. rapa genic male sterile AB line in this study revealed that the aberrant meiotic cytokinesis and premature tapetal programmed cell death occurring in the sterile line ultimately resulted in microspore degeneration and pollen wall defect. Further gene expression profile of the sterile and fertile floral buds of ‘Bcajh97-01A/B’ at five typical developmental stages during pollen development supported the result of phenotypic observation and identified stage-specific genes associated with the main events associated with pollen wall development, including tapetum development or functioning, callose metabolism, pollen exine formation and cell wall modification. Additionally, by using ChIP-sequencing, the genomic and gene-level distribution of trimethylated histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and H3K27 were mapped on the fertile floral buds, and a great deal of pollen development-associated genes that were covalently modified by H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 were identified. Conclusions Our study provids a deeper understanding into the gene expression and regulation network during pollen development and pollen wall formation in B. rapa, and enabled the identification of a set of candidate genes for further functional annotation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5637-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuping Shen
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Liai Xu
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanhong Liu
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Heng Dong
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Dong Zhou
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yuzhi Zhang
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Sue Lin
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Jiashu Cao
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Li Huang
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China. .,Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture / Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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19
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Global Transcriptional Insights of Pollen-Pistil Interactions Commencing Self-Incompatibility and Fertilization in Tea [ Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze]. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030539. [PMID: 30696008 PMCID: PMC6387076 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explicates molecular insights commencing Self-Incompatibility (SI) and CC (cross-compatibility/fertilization) in self (SP) and cross (CP) pollinated pistils of tea. The fluorescence microscopy analysis revealed ceased/deviated pollen tubes in SP, while successful fertilization occurred in CP at 48 HAP. Global transcriptome sequencing of SP and CP pistils generated 109.7 million reads with overall 77.9% mapping rate to draft tea genome. Furthermore, concatenated de novo assembly resulted into 48,163 transcripts. Functional annotations and enrichment analysis (KEGG & GO) resulted into 3793 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, de novo and reference-based expression analysis identified 195 DEGs involved in pollen-pistil interaction. Interestingly, the presence of 182 genes [PT germination & elongation (67), S-locus (11), fertilization (43), disease resistance protein (30) and abscission (31)] in a major hub of the protein-protein interactome network suggests a complex signaling cascade commencing SI/CC. Furthermore, tissue-specific qRT-PCR analysis affirmed the localized expression of 42 DE putative key candidates in stigma-style and ovary, and suggested that LSI initiated in style and was sustained up to ovary with the active involvement of csRNS, SRKs & SKIPs during SP. Nonetheless, COBL10, RALF, FERONIA-rlk, LLG and MAPKs were possibly facilitating fertilization. The current study comprehensively unravels molecular insights of phase-specific pollen-pistil interaction during SI and fertilization, which can be utilized to enhance breeding efficiency and genetic improvement in tea.
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20
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Zhou LZ, Dresselhaus T. Friend or foe: Signaling mechanisms during double fertilization in flowering seed plants. Curr Top Dev Biol 2018; 131:453-496. [PMID: 30612627 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Since the first description of double fertilization 120 years ago, the processes of pollen tube growth and guidance, sperm cell release inside the receptive synergid cell, as well as fusion of two sperm cells to the female gametes (egg and central cell) have been well documented in many flowering plants. Especially microscopic techniques, including live cell imaging, were used to visualize these processes. Molecular as well as genetic methods were applied to identify key players involved. However, compared to the first 11 decades since its discovery, the past decade has seen a tremendous advancement in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating angiosperm fertilization. Whole signaling networks were elucidated including secreted ligands, corresponding receptors, intracellular interaction partners, and further downstream signaling events involved in the cross-talk between pollen tubes and their cargo with female reproductive cells. Biochemical and structural biological approaches are now increasingly contributing to our understanding of the different signaling processes required to distinguish between compatible and incompatible interaction partners. Here, we review the current knowledge about signaling mechanisms during above processes with a focus on the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays (maize). The analogy that many of the identified "reproductive signaling mechanisms" also act partly or fully in defense responses and/or cell death is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Zi Zhou
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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21
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Liu T, Yu H, Xiong X, Yu Y, Yue X, Liu J, Cao J. Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitor Genes in Brassica oleracea. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19113338. [PMID: 30373125 PMCID: PMC6274938 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The activities of pectin methylesterases (PMEs) are regulated by pectin methylesterase inhibitors (PMEIs), which consequently control the pectin methylesterification status. However, the role of PMEI genes in Brassica oleracea, an economically important vegetable crop, is poorly understood. In this study, 95 B. oleracea PMEI (BoPMEI) genes were identified. A total of 77 syntenic ortholog pairs and 10 tandemly duplicated clusters were detected, suggesting that the expansion of BoPMEI genes was mainly attributed to whole-genome triplication (WGT) and tandem duplication (TD). During diploidization after WGT, BoPMEI genes were preferentially retained in accordance with the gene balance hypothesis. Most homologous gene pairs experienced purifying selection with ω (Ka/Ks) ratios lower than 1 in evolution. Five stamen-specific BoPMEI genes were identified by expression pattern analysis. By combining the analyses of expression and evolution, we speculated that nonfunctionalization, subfunctionalization, neofunctionalization, and functional conservation can occur in the long evolutionary process. This work provides insights into the characterization of PMEI genes in B. oleracea and contributes to the further functional studies of BoPMEI genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Liu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Hui Yu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Xingpeng Xiong
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Youjian Yu
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an 311300, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Yue
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Jinlong Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
| | - Jiashu Cao
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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22
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Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insight into the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying gametophyte factor 2-Mediated Cross-Incompatibility in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061757. [PMID: 29899298 PMCID: PMC6032218 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In maize (Zea mays L.), unilateral cross-incompatibility (UCI) is controlled by Gametophyte factors (Ga), including Ga1, Ga2, and Tcb1; however, the molecular mechanisms underpinning this process remain unexplored. Here, we report the pollination phenotype of an inbred line, 511L, which carries a near-dominant Ga2-S allele. We performed a high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the compatible and incompatible crosses between 511L and B73, to identify the transcriptomic differences associated with Ga2-mediated UCI. An in vivo kinetics analysis revealed that the growth of non-self pollen tubes was blocked at the early stages after pollination in 511L, maintaining the UCI barrier in Ga2. In total, 25,759 genes were expressed, of which, 2063 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were induced by pollination (G_GG, G_GB, B_BB, B_BG). A gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were specifically enriched in functions involved in cell wall strength and pectic product modification. Moreover, 1839, 4382, and 5041 genes were detected to differentially express under same pollination treatments, including B_G, BG_GG, and BB_GB, respectively. A total of 1467 DEGs were constitutively expressed between the two inbred lines following pollination treatments, which were enriched in metabolic processes, flavonoid biosynthesis, cysteine biosynthesis, and vacuole functions. Furthermore, we confirmed 14 DEGs related to cell wall modification and stress by qRT-PCR, which might be involved in Ga2-S-mediated UCI. Our results provide a comprehensive foundation for the molecular mechanisms involved in silks of UCI mediated by Ga2-S.
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23
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Genome-Wide Identification, Molecular Evolution, and Expression Profiling Analysis of Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitor Genes in Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19051338. [PMID: 29724020 PMCID: PMC5983585 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pectin methylesterase inhibitor genes (PMEIs) are a large multigene family and play crucial roles in cell wall modifications in plant growth and development. Here, a comprehensive analysis of the PMEI gene family in Brassicacampestris, an important leaf vegetable, was performed. We identified 100 BrassicacampestrisPMEI genes (BcPMEIs), among which 96 BcPMEIs were unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes and nine tandem arrays containing 20 BcPMEIs were found. We also detected 80 pairs of syntenic PMEI orthologs. These findings indicated that whole-genome triplication (WGT) and tandem duplication (TD) were the main mechanisms accounting for the current number of BcPMEIs. In evolution, BcPMEIs were retained preferentially and biasedly, consistent with the gene balance hypothesis and two-step theory, respectively. The molecular evolution analysis of BcPMEIs manifested that they evolved through purifying selection and the divergence time is in accordance with the WGT data of B. campestris. To obtain the functional information of BcPMEIs, the expression patterns in five tissues and the cis-elements distributed in promoter regions were investigated. This work can provide a better understanding of the molecular evolution and biological function of PMEIs in B. campestris.
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Li HJ, Meng JG, Yang WC. Multilayered signaling pathways for pollen tube growth and guidance. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2018; 31:31-41. [PMID: 29441420 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-018-0324-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproductive success is essential for the survival of all higher organisms. As the most prosperous and diverse group of land plants on earth, flowering plants evolved highly sophisticated fertilization mechanisms. To adapt to the terrestrial environment, a tubular structure pollen tube has been evolved to deliver the immobile sperm cells to the egg and central cell enclosed within the ovule. The pollen tube is generated from the vegetative cell of the pollen (male gametophyte), where two sperm cells are hosted. Pollen tube elongation in the maternal tissue and navigation to the ovule require intimate cell-cell interactions between the tube and female tissues. Questions on how the single-celled pollen tube accomplishes such task and how the female tissues accommodate the tube have attracted many plant biologists. Here, we review recent progresses and concepts in understanding the molecular mechanisms governing pollen tube growth and its interactions with the female tissues. We will also discuss the future perspective in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Ju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China.
- The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jiang-Guo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China
- The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei-Cai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, East Lincui Road, Beijing, 100101, China.
- The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
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25
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Mizuta Y, Higashiyama T. Chemical signaling for pollen tube guidance at a glance. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:131/2/jcs208447. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.208447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Pollen tube guidance is a unique navigating system that is required for the successful sexual reproduction of plants. As plant sperm cells are non-motile and egg cells are embedded deep inside the female tissues, a pollen tube delivers the two sperm cells that it contains by growing towards the ovule, in which the egg cell resides. Pollen tube growth towards the ovule is precisely controlled and divided into two stages, preovular and ovular guidance. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster, we provide a comprehensive overview of pollen tube guidance and highlight some of the attractant peptides used during ovular guidance. We further discuss the precise one-to-one guidance system that exists in multi-ovular plants. The pollen tube-blocking system, which is mediated by male–female crosstalk communication, to avoid attraction of multiple pollen tubes, is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Mizuta
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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26
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Pectin methylesterase inhibitor (PMEI) family can be related to male sterility in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis). Mol Genet Genomics 2017; 293:343-357. [DOI: 10.1007/s00438-017-1391-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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27
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Hamilton ES, Haswell ES. The Tension-sensitive Ion Transport Activity of MSL8 is Critical for its Function in Pollen Hydration and Germination. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 58:1222-1237. [PMID: 28339550 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcw230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
All cells respond to osmotic challenges, including those imposed during normal growth and development. Mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels provide a conserved mechanism for regulating osmotic forces by conducting ions in response to increased membrane tension. We previously demonstrated that the MS ion channel MscS-Like 8 (MSL8) is required for pollen to survive multiple osmotic challenges that occur during the normal process of fertilization, and that it can inhibit pollen germination. However, it remained unclear whether these physiological functions required ion flux through a mechanically gated channel provided by MSL8. We introduced two point mutations into the predicted pore-lining domain of MSL8 that disrupted normal channel function in different ways. The Ile711Ser mutation increased the tension threshold of the MSL8 channel while leaving conductance unchanged, and the Phe720Leu mutation severely disrupted the MSL8 channel. Both of these mutations impaired the ability of MSL8 to preserve pollen viability during hydration and to maintain the integrity of the pollen tube when expressed at endogenous levels. When overexpressed in an msl8-4 null background, MSL8I711S could partially rescue loss-of-function phenotypes, while MSL8F720L could not. When overexpressed in the wild-type Ler background, MSL8I711S suppressed pollen germination, similar to wild-type MSL8. In contrast, MSL8F720L failed to suppress pollen germination and increased pollen bursting, thereby phenocopying the msl8-4 mutant. Thus, an intact MSL8 channel is required for normal pollen function during hydration and germination. These data establish MSL8 as the first plant MS channel to fulfill previously established criteria for assignment as a mechanotransducer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Hamilton
- Department of Biology, Box 1137, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Haswell
- Department of Biology, Box 1137, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
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28
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Plant cell wall signalling and receptor-like kinases. Biochem J 2017; 474:471-492. [PMID: 28159895 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Communication between the extracellular matrix and the cell interior is essential for all organisms as intrinsic and extrinsic cues have to be integrated to co-ordinate development, growth, and behaviour. This applies in particular to plants, the growth and shape of which is governed by deposition and remodelling of the cell wall, a rigid, yet dynamic, extracellular network. It is thus generally assumed that cell wall surveillance pathways exist to monitor the state of the wall and, if needed, elicit compensatory responses such as altered expression of cell wall remodelling and biosynthesis genes. Here, I highlight recent advances in the field of cell wall signalling in plants, with emphasis on the role of plasma membrane receptor-like kinase complexes. In addition, possible roles for cell wall-mediated signalling beyond the maintenance of cell wall integrity are discussed.
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29
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Zhou LZ, Juranić M, Dresselhaus T. Germline Development and Fertilization Mechanisms in Maize. MOLECULAR PLANT 2017; 10:389-401. [PMID: 28267957 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2017.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2016] [Revised: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Maize is the most important agricultural crop used for food, feed, and biofuel as well as a raw material for industrial products such as packaging material. To increase yield and to overcome hybridization barriers, studies of maize gamete development, the pollen tube journey, and fertilization mechanisms were initiated more than a century ago. In this review, we summarize and discuss our current understanding of the regulatory components for germline development including sporogenesis and gametogenesis, the progamic phase of pollen germination and pollen tube growth and guidance, as well as fertilization mechanisms consisting of pollen tube arrival and reception, sperm cell release, fusion with the female gametes, and egg cell activation. Mechanisms of asexual seed development are not considered here. While only a few molecular players involved in these processes have been described to date and the underlying mechanisms are far from being understood, maize now represents a spearhead of reproductive research for all grass species. Recent development of essentially improved transformation and gene-editing systems may boost research in this area in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Zi Zhou
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martina Juranić
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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30
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Escamez S, Tuominen H. Contribution of cellular autolysis to tissular functions during plant development. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 35:124-130. [PMID: 27936412 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plant development requires specific cells to be eliminated in a predictable and genetically regulated manner referred to as programmed cell death (PCD). However, the target cells do not merely die but they also undergo autolysis to degrade their cellular corpses. Recent progress in understanding developmental cell elimination suggests that distinct proteins execute PCD sensu stricto and autolysis. In addition, cell death alone and cell dismantlement can fulfill different functions. Hence, it appears biologically meaningful to distinguish between the modules of PCD and autolysis during plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sacha Escamez
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hannele Tuominen
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
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31
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Abstract
Compared with the animal kingdom, fertilization is particularly complex in flowering plants (angiosperms). Sperm cells of angiosperms have lost their motility and require transportation as a passive cargo by the pollen tube cell to the egg apparatus (egg cell and accessory synergid cells). Sperm cell release from the pollen tube occurs after intensive communication between the pollen tube cell and the receptive synergid, culminating in the lysis of both interaction partners. Following release of the two sperm cells, they interact and fuse with two dimorphic female gametes (the egg and the central cell) forming the major seed components embryo and endosperm, respectively. This process is known as double fertilization. Here, we review the current understanding of the processes of sperm cell reception, gamete interaction, their pre-fertilization activation and fusion, as well as the mechanisms plants use to prevent the fusion of egg cells with multiple sperm cells. The role of Ca(2+) is highlighted in these various processes and comparisons are drawn between fertilization mechanisms in flowering plants and other eukaryotes, including mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Stefanie Sprunck
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gary M Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
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32
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Daneva A, Gao Z, Van Durme M, Nowack MK. Functions and Regulation of Programmed Cell Death in Plant Development. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2016; 32:441-468. [PMID: 27298090 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-111315-124915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Programmed cell death (PCD) is a collective term for diverse processes causing an actively induced, tightly controlled cellular suicide. PCD has a multitude of functions in the development and health of multicellular organisms. In comparison to intensively studied forms of animal PCD such as apoptosis, our knowledge of the regulation of PCD in plants remains limited. Despite the importance of PCD in plant development and as a response to biotic and abiotic stresses, the complex molecular networks controlling different forms of plant PCD are only just beginning to emerge. With this review, we provide an update on the considerable progress that has been made over the last decade in our understanding of PCD as an inherent part of plant development. We highlight both functions of developmental PCD and central aspects of its molecular regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Daneva
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; .,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Zhen Gao
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; .,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matthias Van Durme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; .,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Moritz K Nowack
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium; .,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
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33
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Kanaoka MM, Higashiyama T. Peptide signaling in pollen tube guidance. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 28:127-36. [PMID: 26580200 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2015.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization is an important life event for sexually reproductive plants. Part of this process involves precise regulation of a series of complicated cell-cell communications between male and female tissues. Through genetic and omics approaches, many genes and proteins involved in this process have been identified. Here we review our current understanding of signaling components during fertilization. We will especially focus on LURE peptides and related signaling events that are required for micropylar pollen tube guidance. We will also summarize signaling events required for termination of micropylar pollen tube guidance after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro M Kanaoka
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; JST, ERATO, Higashiyama Live-Holonics Project, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan; Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
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34
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Duan Q, Kita D, Johnson EA, Aggarwal M, Gates L, Wu HM, Cheung AY. Reactive oxygen species mediate pollen tube rupture to release sperm for fertilization in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2015; 5:3129. [PMID: 24451849 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In flowering plants, sperm are transported inside pollen tubes to the female gametophyte for fertilization. The female gametophyte induces rupture of the penetrating pollen tube, resulting in sperm release and rendering them available for fertilization. Here we utilize the Arabidopsis FERONIA (FER) receptor kinase mutants, whose female gametophytes fail to induce pollen tube rupture, to decipher the molecular mechanism of this critical male-female interactive step. We show that FER controls the production of high levels of reactive oxygen species at the entrance to the female gametophyte to induce pollen tube rupture and sperm release. Pollen tube growth assays in vitro and in the pistil demonstrate that hydroxyl free radicals are likely the most reactive oxygen molecules, and they induce pollen tube rupture in a Ca(2+)-dependent process involving Ca(2+) channel activation. Our results provide evidence for a RHO GTPase-based signalling mechanism to mediate sperm release for fertilization in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaohong Duan
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2]
| | - Daniel Kita
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2] Molecular Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [3] [4]
| | - Eric A Johnson
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2] Molecular Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Mini Aggarwal
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2] Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Laura Gates
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2]
| | - Hen-Ming Wu
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2] Molecular Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Alice Y Cheung
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [2] Molecular Cell Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA [3] Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, 710N. Pleasant Street, Lederle Graduate Research Tower, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
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35
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Woriedh M, Merkl R, Dresselhaus T. Maize EMBRYO SAC family peptides interact differentially with pollen tubes and fungal cells. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2015; 66:5205-16. [PMID: 26071527 PMCID: PMC4526917 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
EMBRYO SAC1-4 (ES1-4) peptides belong to the defensin subgroup of cysteine-rich peptides known to mediate pollen tube burst in Zea mays (maize). ES1-4 are reported here to also be capable of inhibiting germination and growth of the maize fungal pathogens Fusarium graminearum and Ustilago maydis at higher concentrations. Dividing the peptides into smaller pieces showed that a 15-amino-acid peptide located in a highly variable loop region lacking similarity to other defensins or defensin-like peptides binds to maize pollen tube surfaces, causing swelling prior to burst. This peptide fragment and a second conserved neighbouring fragment showed suppression of fungal germination and growth. The two peptides caused swelling of fungal cells, production of reactive oxygen species, and finally the formation of big vacuoles prior to burst at high peptide concentration. Furthermore, peptide fragments were found to bind differently to fungal cells. In necrotrophic F. graminearum, a peptide fragment named ES-d bound only at cell surfaces whereas the peptide ES-c bound at cell surfaces and also accumulated inside cells. Conversely, in biotrophic U. maydis, both peptide fragments accumulated inside cells, but, if applied at higher concentration, ES-c but not ES-d accumulated mainly in vacuoles. Mapping of peptide interaction sites identified amino acids differing in pollen tube burst and fungal response reactions. In summary, these findings indicate that residues targeting pollen tube burst in maize are specific to the ES family, while residues targeting fungal growth are conserved within defensins and defensin-like peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayada Woriedh
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Merkl
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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36
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Qu LJ, Li L, Lan Z, Dresselhaus T. Peptide signalling during the pollen tube journey and double fertilization. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2015; 66:5139-50. [PMID: 26068467 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Flowering seed plants (angiosperms) have evolved unique ways to protect their gametes from pathogen attack and from drying out. The female gametes (egg and central cell) are deeply embedded in the maternal tissues of the ovule inside the ovary, while the male gametes (sperm cells) are enclosed in the vegetative pollen tube cell. After germination of the pollen tube at the surface of papilla cells of the stigma the two immobile sperm cells are transported deep inside the sporophytic maternal tissues to be released inside the ovule for double fertilization. Angiosperms have evolved a number of hurdles along the pollen tube journey to prevent inbreeding and fertilization by alien sperm cells, and to maximize reproductive success. These pre-zygotic hybridization barriers require intensive communication between the male and female reproductive cells and the necessity to distinguish self from non-self interaction partners. General molecules such as nitric oxide (NO) or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) therefore appear to play only a minor role in these species-specific communication events. The past 20 years have shown that highly polymorphic peptides play a leading role in all communication steps along the pollen tube pathway and fertilization. Here we review our current understanding of the role of peptides during reproduction with a focus on peptide signalling during self-incompatibility, pollen tube growth and guidance as well as sperm reception and gamete activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zijun Lan
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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37
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Higashiyama T, Takeuchi H. The mechanism and key molecules involved in pollen tube guidance. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 66:393-413. [PMID: 25621518 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-043014-115635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
During sexual reproduction of flowering plants, pollen tube guidance by pistil tissue is critical for the delivery of nonmotile sperm cells to female gametes. Multistep controls of pollen tube guidance can be divided into two phases: preovular guidance and ovular guidance. During preovular guidance, various female molecules, including stimulants for pollen germination and pollen tube growth, are provided to support tube growth toward the ovary, where the ovules are located. After entering the ovary, pollen tubes receive directional cues from their respective target ovules, including attractant peptides for precise, species-preferential attraction. Successful pollen tube guidance in the pistil requires not only nutritional and directional controls but also competency controls to make pollen tubes responsive to guidance cues, regulation to terminate growth once a pollen tube arrives at the target, and strategies to stop ovular attraction depending on the fertilization of female gametes.
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38
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Dumont M, Lehner A, Bouton S, Kiefer-Meyer MC, Voxeur A, Pelloux J, Lerouge P, Mollet JC. The cell wall pectic polymer rhamnogalacturonan-II is required for proper pollen tube elongation: implications of a putative sialyltransferase-like protein. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2014; 114:1177-88. [PMID: 24825296 PMCID: PMC4195553 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcu093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II) is one of the pectin motifs found in the cell wall of all land plants. It contains sugars such as 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-lyxo-heptulosaric acid (Dha) and 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo), and within the wall RG-II is mostly found as a dimer via a borate diester cross-link. To date, little is known regarding the biosynthesis of this motif. Here, after a brief review of our current knowledge on RG-II structure, biosynthesis and function in plants, this study explores the implications of the presence of a Golgi-localized sialyltransferase-like 2 (SIA2) protein that is possibly involved in the transfer of Dha or Kdo in the RG-II of Arabidopsis thaliana pollen tubes, a fast-growing cell type used as a model for the study of cell elongation. METHODS Two heterozygous mutant lines of arabidopsis (sia2-1+/- and qrt1 × sia2-2+/-) were investigated. sia2-2+/- was in a quartet1 background and the inserted T-DNA contained the reporter gene β-glucuronidase (GUS) under the pollen-specific promoter LAT52. Pollen germination and pollen tube phenotype and growth were analysed both in vitro and in vivo by microscopy. KEY RESULTS Self-pollination of heterozygous lines produced no homozygous plants in the progeny, which may suggest that the mutation could be lethal. Heterozygous mutants displayed a much lower germination rate overall and exhibited a substantial delay in germination (20 h of delay to reach 30 % of pollen grain germination compared with the wild type). In both lines, mutant pollen grains that were able to produce a tube had tubes that were either bursting, abnormal (swollen or dichotomous branching tip) or much shorter compared with wild-type pollen tubes. In vivo, mutant pollen tubes were restricted to the style, whereas the wild-type pollen tubes were detected at the base of the ovary. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights that the mutation in arabidopsis SIA2 encoding a sialyltransferase-like protein that may transfer Dha or Kdo on the RG-II motif has a dramatic effect on the stability of the pollen tube cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Dumont
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Arnaud Lehner
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Sophie Bouton
- Laboratoire Biologie des Plantes & Innovation (BIOPI) EA3900, University of Picardie Jules Verne, 80039 Amiens, France
| | - Marie Christine Kiefer-Meyer
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Aline Voxeur
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin UMR1318 INRA-AgroParisTech, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France
| | - Jérôme Pelloux
- Laboratoire Biologie des Plantes & Innovation (BIOPI) EA3900, University of Picardie Jules Verne, 80039 Amiens, France
| | - Patrice Lerouge
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Jean-Claude Mollet
- Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale (Glyco-MEV) EA4358, Normandy University, University of Rouen, Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation Biomédicale, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
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Male-female communication triggers calcium signatures during fertilization in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4645. [PMID: 25145880 PMCID: PMC4143946 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell communication and interaction is critical during fertilization and triggers free cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]cyto) as a key signal for egg activation and a polyspermy block in animal oocytes. Fertilization in flowering plants is more complex, involving interaction of a pollen tube with egg adjoining synergid cells, culminating in release of two sperm cells and their fusion with the egg and central cell, respectively. Here, we report the occurrence and role of [Ca2+]cyto signals during the entire double fertilization process in Arabidopsis. [Ca2+]cyto oscillations are initiated in synergid cells after physical contact with the pollen tube apex. In egg and central cells, a short [Ca2+]cyto transient is associated with pollen tube burst and sperm cell arrival. A second extended [Ca2+]cyto transient solely in the egg cell is correlated with successful fertilization. Thus, each female cell type involved in double fertilization displays a characteristic [Ca2+]cyto signature differing by timing and behaviour from [Ca2+]cyto waves reported in mammals.
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Identification of a pollen-specific gene, SlCRK1 (RFK2) in tomato. Genes Genomics 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-013-0168-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Heydlauff J, Groß-Hardt R. Love is a battlefield: programmed cell death during fertilization. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2014; 65:1323-30. [PMID: 24567492 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eru030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Plant development and growth is sustained by the constant generation of tremendous amounts of cells, which become integrated into various types of tissues and organs. What is all too often overlooked is that this thriving life also requires the targeted degeneration of selected cells, which undergo cell death according to genetically encoded programmes or environmental stimuli. The side-by-side existence of generation and demise is particularly evident in the haploid phase of the flowering plants cycle. Here, the lifespan of terminally differentiated accessory cells contrasts with that of germ cells, which by definition live on to form the next generation. In fact, with research in recent years it is becoming increasingly clear that the gametophytes of flowering plants constitute an attractive and powerful system for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying selective cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Heydlauff
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Bleckmann A, Alter S, Dresselhaus T. The beginning of a seed: regulatory mechanisms of double fertilization. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:452. [PMID: 25309552 PMCID: PMC4160995 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
THE LAUNCH OF SEED DEVELOPMENT IN FLOWERING PLANTS (ANGIOSPERMS) IS INITIATED BY THE PROCESS OF DOUBLE FERTILIZATION: two male gametes (sperm cells) fuse with two female gametes (egg and central cell) to form the precursor cells of the two major seed components, the embryo and endosperm, respectively. The immobile sperm cells are delivered by the pollen tube toward the ovule harboring the female gametophyte by species-specific pollen tube guidance and attraction mechanisms. After pollen tube burst inside the female gametophyte, the two sperm cells fuse with the egg and central cell initiating seed development. The fertilized central cell forms the endosperm while the fertilized egg cell, the zygote, will form the actual embryo and suspensor. The latter structure connects the embryo with the sporophytic maternal tissues of the developing seed. The underlying mechanisms of double fertilization are tightly regulated to ensure delivery of functional sperm cells and the formation of both, a functional zygote and endosperm. In this review we will discuss the current state of knowledge about the processes of directed pollen tube growth and its communication with the synergid cells resulting in pollen tube burst, the interaction of the four gametes leading to cell fusion and finally discuss mechanisms how flowering plants prevent multiple sperm cell entry (polyspermy) to maximize their reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bleckmann
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Svenja Alter
- Plant Breeding, Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität MünchenFreising, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Thomas Dresselhaus, Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 18, 93053 Regensburg, Germany e-mail:
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Dresselhaus T, Albertini E. Harnessing plant reproduction for crop improvement: an introduction to the special issue. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2013; 26:139-141. [PMID: 23887708 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-013-0232-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
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Gómez MD, Renau-Morata B, Roque E, Polaina J, Beltrán JP, Cañas LA. PsPMEP, a pollen-specific pectin methylesterase of pea (Pisum sativum L.). PLANT REPRODUCTION 2013; 26:245-54. [PMID: 23839307 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-013-0220-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) are a family of enzymes involved in plant reproductive processes such as pollen development and pollen tube growth. We have isolated and characterized PsPMEP, a pea (Pisum sativum L.) pollen-specific gene that encodes a protein with homology to PMEs. Sequence analysis showed that PsPMEP belongs to group 2 PMEs, which are characterized by the presence of a processable amino-terminal PME inhibitor domain followed by the catalytic PME domain. Moreover, PsPMEP contains several motifs highly conserved among PMEs with the essential amino acid residues involved in enzyme substrate binding and catalysis. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses showed that PsPMEP is expressed in pollen grains from 4 days before anthesis till anther dehiscence and in pollinated carpels. In the PsPMEP promoter region, we have identified several conserved cis-regulatory elements that have been associated with gene pollen-specific expression. Expression analysis of PsPMEP promoter fused to the uidA reporter gene in Arabidopsis thaliana plants showed a similar expression pattern when compared with pea, indicating that this promoter is also functional in a non-leguminous plant. GUS expression was detected in mature pollen grains, during pollen germination, during pollen tube elongation along the transmitting tract, and when the pollen tube reaches the embryo sac in the ovule.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Dolores Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (CSIC-UPV), Ciudad Politécnica de la Innovación, Edf. 8E. C/, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46011, Valencia, Spain
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