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Flores-Tornero M, Becker JD. 50 years of sperm cell isolations: from structural to omic studies. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023:erad117. [PMID: 37025026 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The fusion of male and female gametes is a fundamental process in the perpetuation and diversification of species. During the last 50 years, significant efforts have been made to isolate and characterize sperm cells from flowering plants, and to identify how these cells interact with female gametes to achieve double fertilization. The first techniques and analytical approaches not only provided structural and biochemical characterizations of plant sperm cells but also paved the way for in vitro fertilization studies. Further technological advances then led to unique insights into sperm biology at transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenetic level. Starting with a historical overview of sperm cell isolation techniques, we provide examples of how these contributed to create our current knowledge of sperm cell biology, and point out remaining challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Flores-Tornero
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, Oeiras, 2780-157 Portugal
| | - Jörg D Becker
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, Oeiras, 2780-157 Portugal
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2
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Wang Y, Wang T, Liu L. The rice VCS1 is identified as a molecular tool to mark and visualize the vegetative cell of pollen. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2021; 16:1924502. [PMID: 33982648 PMCID: PMC8244767 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.1924502] [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: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cell-type-specific markers are valuable tools to reveal developmental processes underlying cell differentiation during plant reproduction. Here we report the pollen vegetative cell marker gene VCS1 (Vegetative Cell Specific 1) of rice (Oryza sativa japonica). VCS1 was expressed specifically in late pollen and was predicted to encode a small FAF domain-containing protein of 205 amino acid residues (aa). The expression of reporter fusion proteins showed that VCS1 was exclusively targeted to the vegetative nucleus of pollen. Upon pollen germination, VCS1 lost vegetative nucleus localization, and appeared diffused in the vegetative cytoplasm of pollen grain but not in the pollen tube. T-DNA insertional mutation which disrupted the carboxyl-terminal 21 aa of VCS1 did not affect plant vegetative growth and pollen development, while destruction of VCS1 by CRISPR/Cas9 only moderately affect pollen viability. VCS1 is evolutionally conserved in monocots but appeared absent in dicotyledons. This study reveals a molecular tool for visualizing the vegetative cell of rice and possible other monocots, which has potential values in the genetic engineering of male-sterile lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lingtong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Lu Y, Song Y, Liu L, Wang T. DNA methylation dynamics of sperm cell lineage development in tomato. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:565-579. [PMID: 33249677 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
During the sexual reproduction of higher plants, DNA methylation and transcription are broadly changed to reshape a microspore into two sperm cells (SCs) and a vegetative cell (VC). However, when and how the DNA methylation of SCs is established remains not fully understood. Here we investigate the DNA methylation (5 mC) dynamics of SC lineage and the VC in tomato using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. We find the asymmetric division of the microspore gives its two daughter cells differential methylome. Compared with the generative cell (GC), the VC is hypomethylated at CG sites while hypermethylated at CHG and CHH sites, with the majority of differentially methylation regions targeted to transposable elements (TEs). SCs have a nearly identical DNA methylome to the GC, suggesting that the methylation landscape in SCs may be pre-established following the asymmetric division or inherited from the GC. The random forest classifier for predicting gene and TE expression shows that methylation within the gene body is a more powerful predictor for gene expression. Among all tested samples, gene and TE expression in the microspore may be more predictable by DNA methylation. Our results depict an intact DNA methylome landscape of SC lineage in higher plants, and reveal that the impact of DNA methylation on transcription is variant in different cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yunyun Song
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Lingtong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
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4
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Gorelick R, Carpinone J, Derraugh LJ. No universal differences between female and male eukaryotes: anisogamy and asymmetrical female meiosis. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Root Gorelick
- Department of Biology; Carleton University; 1125 Raven Road Ottawa Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada
- School of Mathematics & Statistics and Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies; Carleton University; 1125 Raven Road Ottawa Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada
| | - Jessica Carpinone
- Department of Biology; Carleton University; 1125 Raven Road Ottawa Ontario K1S 5B6 Canada
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5
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Zhang H, Wei Q, Li C, Jiang C, Zhang H. Comparative Proteomic Analysis Provides Insights into the Regulation of Flower Bud Differentiation in Crocus SativusL. J Food Biochem 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.12254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hengfeng Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry Universtiy, Longpan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China
- Department of Landscape and Horticulture, Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Fenghuang Road, Hailing District, Taizhou 225300, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingcui Wei
- Department of Landscape and Horticulture, Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Fenghuang Road, Hailing District, Taizhou 225300, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengzhong Li
- Department of Landscape and Horticulture, Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Fenghuang Road, Hailing District, Taizhou 225300, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunmao Jiang
- Department of Landscape and Horticulture, Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Fenghuang Road, Hailing District, Taizhou 225300, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanchao Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry Universtiy, Longpan Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China
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6
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Liu L, Zheng C, Kuang B, Wei L, Yan L, Wang T. Receptor-Like Kinase RUPO Interacts with Potassium Transporters to Regulate Pollen Tube Growth and Integrity in Rice. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006085. [PMID: 27447945 PMCID: PMC4957769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During sexual reproduction of flowering plants, the pollen tube grows fast and over a long distance within the pistil to deliver two sperms for double fertilization. Growing plant cells need to communicate constantly with external stimuli as well as monitor changes in surface tension of the cell wall and plasma membrane to coordinate these signals and internal growth machinery; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we show that the rice member of plant-specific receptor-like kinase CrRLK1Ls subfamily, Ruptured Pollen tube (RUPO), is specifically expressed in rice pollen. RUPO localizes to the apical plasma membrane and vesicle of pollen tubes and is required for male gamete transmission. K+ levels were greater in pollen of homozygous CRISPR-knockout lines than wild-type plants, and pollen tubes burst shortly after germination. We reveal the interaction of RUPO with high-affinity potassium transporters. Phosphorylation of RUPO established and dephosphorylation abolished the interaction. These results have revealed the receptor-like kinase as a regulator of high-affinity potassium transporters via phosphorylation-dependent interaction, and demonstrated a novel receptor-like kinase signaling pathway that mediates K+ homeostasis required for pollen tube growth and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingtong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Canhui Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baijan Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liqin Wei
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Longfeng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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7
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Yang H, Yang N, Wang T. Proteomic analysis reveals the differential histone programs between male germline cells and vegetative cells in Lilium davidii. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 85:660-674. [PMID: 26846354 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants, male germline fate is determined after asymmetric division of the haploid microspore. Daughter cells have distinct fates: the generative cell (GC) undergoes further mitosis to generate sperm cells (SCs), and the vegetative cell (VC) terminally differentiates. However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying germline development remains limited. Histone variants and modifications define chromatin states, and contribute to establishing and maintaining cell identities by affecting gene expression. Here, we constructed a lily protein database, then extracted and detailed histone entries into a comprehensive lily histone database. We isolated large amounts of nuclei from VCs, GCs and SCs from lily, and profiled histone variants of all five histone families in all three cell types using proteomics approaches. We revealed 92 identities representing 32 histone variants: six for H1, 11 for H2A, eight for H2B, five for H3 and two for H4. Nine variants, including five H1, two H2B, one H3 and one H4 variant, specifically accumulated in GCs and SCs. We also detected H3 modification patterns in the three cell types. GCs and SCs had almost identical histone profiles and similar H3 modification patterns, which were significantly different from those of VCs. Our study also revealed the presence of multiple isoforms, and differential expression patterns between isoforms of a variant. The results suggest that differential histone programs between the germline and companion VCs may be established following the asymmetric division, and are important for identity establishment and differentiation of the male germline as well as the VC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
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8
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Zhu Y, Li H, Bhatti S, Zhou S, Yang Y, Fish T, Thannhauser TW. Development of a laser capture microscope-based single-cell-type proteomics tool for studying proteomes of individual cell layers of plant roots. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2016; 3:16026. [PMID: 27280026 PMCID: PMC4888759 DOI: 10.1038/hortres.2016.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell-type proteomics provides the capability to revealing the genomic and proteomics information at cell-level resolution. However, the methodology for this type of research has not been well-developed. This paper reports developing a workflow of laser capture microdissection (LCM) followed by gel-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GeLC-MS/MS)-based proteomics analysis for the identification of proteomes contained in individual cell layers of tomato roots. Thin-sections (~10-μm thick, 10 sections per root tip) were prepared for root tips of tomato germinating seedlings. Epidermal and cortical cells (5000-7000 cells per tissue type) were isolated under a LCM microscope. Proteins were isolated and then separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by in-gel-tryptic digestion. The MS and MS/MS spectra generated using nanoLC-MS/MS analysis of the tryptic peptides were searched against ITAG2.4 tomato protein database to identify proteins contained in each single-cell-type sample. Based on the biological functions, proteins with proven functions in root hair development were identified in epidermal cells but not in the cortical cells. Several of these proteins were found in Al-treated roots only. The results demonstrated that the cell-type-specific proteome is relevant for tissue-specific functions in tomato roots. Increasing the coverage of proteomes and reducing the inevitable cross-contamination from adjacent cell layers, in both vertical and cross directions when cells are isolated from slides prepared using intact root tips, are the major challenges using the technology in proteomics analysis of plant roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingde Zhu
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
| | - Sarabjit Bhatti
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
| | - Suping Zhou
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
- ()
| | - Yong Yang
- R. W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, 538 Tower Road, New York, NY 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Tara Fish
- R. W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, 538 Tower Road, New York, NY 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Theodore W Thannhauser
- R. W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, 538 Tower Road, New York, NY 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA
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9
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Schmid MW, Schmidt A, Grossniklaus U. The female gametophyte: an emerging model for cell type-specific systems biology in plant development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:907. [PMID: 26579157 PMCID: PMC4630298 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Systems biology, a holistic approach describing a system emerging from the interactions of its molecular components, critically depends on accurate qualitative determination and quantitative measurements of these components. Development and improvement of large-scale profiling methods ("omics") now facilitates comprehensive measurements of many relevant molecules. For multicellular organisms, such as animals, fungi, algae, and plants, the complexity of the system is augmented by the presence of specialized cell types and organs, and a complex interplay within and between them. Cell type-specific analyses are therefore crucial for the understanding of developmental processes and environmental responses. This review first gives an overview of current methods used for large-scale profiling of specific cell types exemplified by recent advances in plant biology. The focus then lies on suitable model systems to study plant development and cell type specification. We introduce the female gametophyte of flowering plants as an ideal model to study fundamental developmental processes. Moreover, the female reproductive lineage is of importance for the emergence of evolutionary novelties such as an unequal parental contribution to the tissue nurturing the embryo or the clonal production of seeds by asexual reproduction (apomixis). Understanding these processes is not only interesting from a developmental or evolutionary perspective, but bears great potential for further crop improvement and the simplification of breeding efforts. We finally highlight novel methods, which are already available or which will likely soon facilitate large-scale profiling of the specific cell types of the female gametophyte in both model and non-model species. We conclude that it may take only few years until an evolutionary systems biology approach toward female gametogenesis may decipher some of its biologically most interesting and economically most valuable processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ueli Grossniklaus
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology and Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
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Shen J, Zhao J, Bartoszewski G, Malepszy S, Havey M, Chen J. Persistence and Protection of Mitochondrial DNA in the Generative Cell of Cucumber is Consistent with its Paternal Transmission. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 56:2271-82. [PMID: 26412781 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcv140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plants predominantly show maternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). One known exception is cucumber, in which the mtDNA is paternally inherited. However, the mechanisms regulating this unique mode of transmission are unclear. Here we monitored the amounts of mtDNA throughout the development of cucumber microspores into pollen and observed that mtDNA decreases in the vegetative cell, but persists in the generative cell that ultimately produces the sperm cells. We characterized the cucumber homolog (CsDPD1) of the Arabidopsis gene defective in pollen organelle DNA degradation 1 (AtDPD1), which plays a direct role in mtDNA degradation. CsDPD1 rescued an Arabidopsis AtDPD1 mutant, indicating the same function in both plants. Expression of CsDPD1 coincided with the decrease of mtDNA in pollen, except in the generative cell where both the expression of CsDPD1 and mtDNA levels remained high. Our cytological results confirmed that the persistence of mtDNA in the cucumber generative cell is consistent with its paternal transmission. Our molecular analyses suggest that protection of mtDNA in the generative cell may be the critical factor for paternal mtDNA transmission, rather than mtDNA degradation mediated by CsDPD1. Taken together, these findings indicate that a mechanism may protect paternal mtDNA from degradation and is likely to be the genetic basis of paternal mtDNA transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Juan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Grzegorz Bartoszewski
- Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Lands-ape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stefan Malepszy
- Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Lands-ape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michael Havey
- USDA-ARS and Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jinfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
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Lu Y, Wei L, Wang T. Methods to isolate a large amount of generative cells, sperm cells and vegetative nuclei from tomato pollen for "omics" analysis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:391. [PMID: 26082789 PMCID: PMC4451641 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The development of sperm cells (SCs) from microspores involves a set of finely regulated molecular and cellular events and the coordination of these events. The mechanisms underlying these events and their interconnections remain a major challenge. Systems analysis of genome-wide molecular networks and functional modules with high-throughput "omics" approaches is crucial for understanding the mechanisms; however, this study is hindered because of the difficulty in isolating a large amount of cells of different types, especially generative cells (GCs), from the pollen. Here, we optimized the conditions of tomato pollen germination and pollen tube growth to allow for long-term growth of pollen tubes in vitro with SCs generated in the tube. Using this culture system, we developed methods for isolating GCs, SCs and vegetative cell nuclei (VN) from just-germinated tomato pollen grains and growing pollen tubes and their purification by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The purity and viability of isolated GCs and SCs were confirmed by microscopy examination and fluorescein diacetate staining, respectively, and the integrity of VN was confirmed by propidium iodide staining. We could obtain about 1.5 million GCs and 2.0 million SCs each from 180 mg initiated pollen grains, and 10 million VN from 270 mg initiated pollen grains germinated in vitro in each experiment. These methods provide the necessary preconditions for systematic biology studies of SC development and differentiation in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Liqin Wei
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Tai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
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12
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Nagahara S, Takeuchi H, Higashiyama T. Generation of a homozygous fertilization-defective gcs1 mutant by heat-inducible removal of a rescue gene. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2015; 28:33-46. [PMID: 25673573 PMCID: PMC4333230 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-015-0256-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Key message: New gametic homozygous mutants. In angiosperms, a haploid male gamete (sperm cell) fuses with a haploid female gamete (egg cell) during fertilization to form a zygote carrying paternally and maternally derived chromosomes. Several fertilization-defective mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, including a generative cell-specific 1 (gcs1)/hapless 2 mutant, the sperm cells of which are unable to fuse with female gametes, can only be maintained as heterozygous lines due to the infertile male or female gametes. Here, we report successful generation of a gcs1 homozygous mutant by heat-inducible removal of the GCS1 transgene. Using the gcs1 homozygous mutant as male, the defect in gamete fusion was observed with great frequency; in our direct observation by semi-in vivo fertilization assay using ovules, 100 % of discharged sperm cells in culture failed to show gamete fusion. More than 70 % of ovules in the pistil received a second pollen tube as attempted fertilization recovery. Moreover, gcs1 mutant sperm cells could fertilize female gametes at a low frequency in the pistil. This strategy to generate homozygous fertilization-defective mutants will facilitate novel approaches in plant reproduction research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiori Nagahara
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Hidenori Takeuchi
- Division of Biological Science, 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
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Division of Biological Science, 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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Russell SD, Jones DS. The male germline of angiosperms: repertoire of an inconspicuous but important cell lineage. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:173. [PMID: 25852722 PMCID: PMC4367165 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The male germline of flowering plants constitutes a specialized lineage of diminutive cells initiated by an asymmetric division of the initial microspore cell that sequesters the generative cell from the pollen vegetative cell. The generative cell subsequently divides to form the two male gametes (non-motile sperm cells) that fuse with the two female gametophyte target cells (egg and central cells) to form the zygote and endosperm. Although these male gametes can be as little as 1/800th of the volume of their female counterpart, they encode a highly distinctive and rich transcriptome, translate proteins, and display a novel suite of gamete-distinctive control elements that create a unique chromatin environment in the male lineage. Sperm-expressed transcripts also include a high proportion of transposable element-related sequences that may be targets of non-coding RNA including miRNA and silencing elements from peripheral cells. The number of sperm-encoded transcripts is somewhat fewer than the number present in the egg cell, but are remarkably distinct compared to other cell types according to principal component and other analyses. The molecular role of the male germ lineage cells is just beginning to be understood and appears more complex than originally anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott D. Russell
- *Correspondence: Scott D. Russell, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, 770 Van Vleet Oval, OK 73019, USA
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