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Honari M, Ashnest JR, Sharbel TF. Sex- versus apomixis-specific polymorphisms in the 5'UTR of APOLLO from Boechera shift gene expression from somatic to reproductive tissues in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1308059. [PMID: 38476690 PMCID: PMC10929715 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1308059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Among candidate genes underlying the control components of apomixis, APOLLO is known for its strong linkage to apomeiosis in the genus Boechera. The gene has "apo alleles," which are characterized by a set of linked apomixis-specific polymorphisms, and "sex alleles." All apomictic Boechera genotypes are heterozygous for the apo/sex alleles, whereas all sexual genotypes are homozygous for sex alleles. Methods In this study, native and synthetic APOLLO promoters were characterized by detecting the expression level of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene in Arabidopsis. Results Comparing various flower developmental stages in transgenic lines containing different constructs with 2-kb native transgenic lines revealed that changes to the APOLLO promoter causes shifts in tissue and developmental stage specificity of GUS expression. Importantly, several apomixis-specific polymorphisms in the 5'UTR change the timing and location of GUS activity from somatic to reproductive tissues. Discussion These synthetic data simulate a plausible evolutionary process, whereby apomixis-specific gene activity can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Honari
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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2
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Brzezicka E, Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M. Callose deposition analysis with special emphasis on plasmodesmata ultrastructure during megasporogenesis in Sedum (Crassulaceae). PROTOPLASMA 2024; 261:31-41. [PMID: 37418158 PMCID: PMC10784368 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-023-01879-x] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the results of the first detection of callose within the ovules of the representatives of the family Crassulaceae are presented. This study was carried out on three species of the genus Sedum. Data analysis showed differences in the callose deposition pattern between Sedum hispanicum and Sedum ser. Rupestria species during megasporogenesis. Callose was present mostly in the transversal walls of dyads and tetrads in S. hispanicum. Furthermore, a complete loss of callose from the cell walls of the linear tetrad and a gradual and simultaneous deposition of callose within the nucellus of S. hispanicum were observed. The findings of this study showed the presence of hypostase with callose in the ovules of S. hispanicum, which is not common in other angiosperms. The remaining species tested in this study-Sedum sediforme and Sedum rupestre-showed a typical, well-known callose deposition pattern for plants with the monospore type of megasporogenesis and the Polygonum type of embryo sac. The functional megaspore (FM) in all studied species was located most chalazally. FM is a mononuclear cell, which wall is callose-free in the chalazal pole. The study presents the causes of different patterns of callose deposition within Sedum and their relationship with the systematic position of the study species. Moreover, embryological studies present an argument for excluding callose as a substance that forms an electron-dense material near the plasmodesmata in megaspores of S. hispanicum. This research expands the knowledge about the embryological processes of succulent plants from the family Crassulaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Brzezicka
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
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3
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Hay NM, Windham MD, Mandáková T, Lysak MA, Hendriks KP, Mummenhoff K, Lens F, Pryer KM, Bailey CD. A Hyb-Seq phylogeny of Boechera and related genera using a combination of Angiosperms353 and Brassicaceae-specific bait sets. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16226. [PMID: 37561651 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16226] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Although Boechera (Boechereae, Brassicaceae) has become a plant model system for both ecological genomics and evolutionary biology, all previous phylogenetic studies have had limited success in resolving species relationships within the genus. The recent effective application of sequence data from target enrichment approaches to resolve the evolutionary relationships of several other challenging plant groups prompted us to investigate their usefulness in Boechera and Boechereae. METHODS To resolve the phylogeny of Boechera and closely related genera, we utilized the Hybpiper pipeline to analyze two combined bait sets: Angiosperms353, with broad applicability across flowering plants; and a Brassicaceae-specific bait set designed for use in the mustard family. Relationships for 101 samples representing 81 currently recognized species were inferred from a total of 1114 low-copy nuclear genes using both supermatrix and species coalescence methods. RESULTS Our analyses resulted in a well-resolved and highly supported phylogeny of the tribe Boechereae. Boechereae is divided into two major clades, one comprising all western North American species of Boechera, the other encompassing the eight other genera of the tribe. Our understanding of relationships within Boechera is enhanced by the recognition of three core clades that are further subdivided into robust regional species complexes. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the first broadly sampled, well-resolved phylogeny for most known sexual diploid Boechera. This effort provides the foundation for a new phylogenetically informed taxonomy of Boechera that is crucial for its continued use as a model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai M Hay
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael D Windham
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - Terezie Mandáková
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin A Lysak
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research (NCBR), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Kasper P Hendriks
- Department of Biology/Botany, University of Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 11, Osnabrück, D-49076, Germany
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden, 2300 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus Mummenhoff
- Department of Biology/Botany, University of Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 11, Osnabrück, D-49076, Germany
| | - Frederic Lens
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden, 2300 RA, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Plant Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kathleen M Pryer
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - C Donovan Bailey
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
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4
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Rojek J, Ohad N. The phenomenon of autonomous endosperm in sexual and apomictic plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:4324-4348. [PMID: 37155961 PMCID: PMC10433939 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Endosperm is a key nutritive tissue that supports the developing embryo or seedling, and serves as a major nutritional source for human and livestock feed. In sexually-reproducing flowering plants, it generally develops after fertilization. However, autonomous endosperm (AE) formation (i.e. independent of fertilization) is also possible. Recent findings of AE loci/ genes and aberrant imprinting in native apomicts, together with a successful initiation of parthenogenesis in rice and lettuce, have enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms bridging sexual and apomictic seed formation. However, the mechanisms driving AE development are not well understood. This review presents novel aspects related to AE development in sexual and asexual plants underlying stress conditions as the primary trigger for AE. Both application of hormones to unfertilized ovules and mutations that impair epigenetic regulation lead to AE development in sexual Arabidopsis thaliana, which may point to a common pathway for both phenomena. Apomictic-like AE development under experimental conditions can take place due to auxin-dependent gene expression and/or DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Rojek
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Nir Ohad
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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5
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Cornaro L, Banfi C, Cucinotta M, Colombo L, van Dijk PJ. Asexual reproduction through seeds: the complex case of diplosporous apomixis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2462-2478. [PMID: 36794770 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad054] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is considered a potentially revolutionary tool to generate high-quality food at a lower cost and shorter developmental time due to clonal seed production through apomeiosis and parthenogenesis. In the diplosporous type of apomixis, meiotic recombination and reduction are circumvented either by avoiding or failing meiosis or by a mitotic-like division. Here, we review the literature on diplospory, from early cytological studies dating back to the late 19th century to recent genetic findings. We discuss diplosporous developmental mechanisms, including their inheritance. Furthermore, we compare the strategies adopted to isolate the genes controlling diplospory with those to produce mutants forming unreduced gametes. Nowadays, the dramatically improved technologies of long-read sequencing and targeted CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis justify the expectation that natural diplospory genes will soon be identified. Their identification will answer questions such as how the apomictic phenotype can be superimposed upon the sexual pathway and how diplospory genes have evolved. This knowledge will contribute to the application of apomixis in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Cornaro
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Banfi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Mara Cucinotta
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Peter J van Dijk
- KeyGene N.V., Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Janas AB, Marciniuk J, Szeląg Z, Musiał K. New facts about callose events in the young ovules of some sexual and apomictic species of the Asteraceae family. PROTOPLASMA 2022; 259:1553-1565. [PMID: 35304670 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-022-01755-0] [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: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Callose (β-1,3-glucan) is one of the cell wall polymers that plays an important role in many biological processes in plants, including reproductive development. In angiosperms, timely deposition and degradation of callose during sporogenesis accompanies the transition of cells from somatic to generative identity. However, knowledge on the regulation of callose biosynthesis at specific sites of the megasporocyte wall remains limited and the data on its distribution are not conclusive. Establishing the callose deposition pattern in a large number of species can contribute to full understanding of its function in reproductive development. Previous studies focused on callose events in sexual species and only a few concerned apomicts. The main goal of our research was to establish and compare the pattern of callose deposition during early sexual and diplosporous processes in the ovules of some Hieracium, Pilosella and Taraxacum (Asteraceae) species; aniline blue staining technique was used for this purpose. Our findings indicate that callose deposition accompanies both meiotic and diplosporous development of the megaspore mother cell. This suggests that it has similar regulatory functions in intercellular communication regardless of the mode of reproduction. Interestingly, callose deposition followed a different pattern in the studied sexual and diplosporous species compared to most angiosperms as it usually began at the micropylar pole of the megasporocyte. Here, it was only in sexually reproducing H. transylvanicum that callose first appeared at the chalazal pole of the megasporocyte. The present paper additionally discusses the occurrence of aposporous initial cells with callose-rich walls in the ovules of diploid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka B Janas
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Cracow, Poland.
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Cracow, Poland.
| | - Jolanta Marciniuk
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Science, Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 14, 08-110, Siedlce, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Szeląg
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Cracow, Poland
| | - Krystyna Musiał
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Cracow, Poland
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7
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Sliwinska E, Loureiro J, Leitch IJ, Šmarda P, Bainard J, Bureš P, Chumová Z, Horová L, Koutecký P, Lučanová M, Trávníček P, Galbraith DW. Application-based guidelines for best practices in plant flow cytometry. Cytometry A 2021; 101:749-781. [PMID: 34585818 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Flow cytometry (FCM) is currently the most widely-used method to establish nuclear DNA content in plants. Since simple, 1-3-parameter, flow cytometers, which are sufficient for most plant applications, are commercially available at a reasonable price, the number of laboratories equipped with these instruments, and consequently new FCM users, has greatly increased over the last decade. This paper meets an urgent need for comprehensive recommendations for best practices in FCM for different plant science applications. We discuss advantages and limitations of establishing plant ploidy, genome size, DNA base composition, cell cycle activity, and level of endoreduplication. Applications of such measurements in plant systematics, ecology, molecular biology research, reproduction biology, tissue cultures, plant breeding, and seed sciences are described. Advice is included on how to obtain accurate and reliable results, as well as how to manage troubleshooting that may occur during sample preparation, cytometric measurements, and data handling. Each section is followed by best practice recommendations; tips as to what specific information should be provided in FCM papers are also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elwira Sliwinska
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Cytometry, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, UTP University of Science and Technology, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - João Loureiro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ilia J Leitch
- Kew Science Directorate, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Petr Šmarda
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jillian Bainard
- Swift Current Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Petr Bureš
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Chumová
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Průhonice, Czech Republic.,Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Horová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Koutecký
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Magdalena Lučanová
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Průhonice, Czech Republic.,Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Trávníček
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - David W Galbraith
- School of Plant Sciences, BIO5 Institute, Arizona Cancer Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Henan University, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, Kaifeng, China
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8
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The Rab Geranylgeranyl Transferase Beta Subunit Is Essential for Embryo and Seed Development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157907. [PMID: 34360673 PMCID: PMC8347404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Auxin is a key regulator of plant development affecting the formation and maturation of reproductive structures. The apoplastic route of auxin transport engages influx and efflux facilitators from the PIN, AUX and ABCB families. The polar localization of these proteins and constant recycling from the plasma membrane to endosomes is dependent on Rab-mediated vesicular traffic. Rab proteins are anchored to membranes via posttranslational addition of two geranylgeranyl moieties by the Rab Geranylgeranyl Transferase enzyme (RGT), which consists of RGTA, RGTB and REP subunits. Here, we present data showing that seed development in the rgtb1 mutant, with decreased vesicular transport capacity, is disturbed. Both pre- and post-fertilization events are affected, leading to a decrease in seed yield. Pollen tube recognition at the stigma and its guidance to the micropyle is compromised and the seed coat forms incorrectly. Excess auxin in the sporophytic tissues of the ovule in the rgtb1 plants leads to an increased tendency of autonomous endosperm formation in unfertilized ovules and influences embryo development in a maternal sporophytic manner. The results show the importance of vesicular traffic for sexual reproduction in flowering plants, and highlight RGTB1 as a key component of sporophytic-filial signaling.
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9
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Brzezicka E, Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M. Developmental, ultrastructural and cytochemical investigations of the female gametophyte in Sedum rupestre L. (Crassulaceae). PROTOPLASMA 2021; 258:529-546. [PMID: 33188606 PMCID: PMC8052249 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-020-01584-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This article describes the development of female gametophyte in Sedum rupestre L. New embryological information about the processes of megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis provided in this paper expand the current knowledge about the embryology of the studied species. S. rupestre is characterized by monosporic megasporogenesis and the formation of Polygonum-type embryo sac. The process of megasporogenesis is initiated by one megaspore mother cell, resulting in the formation of a triad of cells after meiosis and cytokinesis. The functional megaspore, which is located chalazally, is a mononuclear cell present next to the megaspore in the centre of the triad. Only one of the two non-functional cells of the triad is binucleate, which occur at the micropylar pole. In this paper, we explain the functional ultrastructure of the female gametophytic cells in S. rupestre. Initially, the cytoplasm of the gametophytic cells does not differ from each other; however, during differentiation, the cells reveal different morphologies. The antipodals and the synergids gradually become organelle-rich and metabolically active. The antipodal cells participate in the absorption and transport of nutrients from the nucellar cells towards the megagametophyte. Their ultrastructure shows the presence of plasmodesmata with electron-dense material, which is characteristic of Crassulaceae, and wall ingrowths in the outer walls. The ultrastructure of synergid cells is characterized by the presence of filiform apparatus and cytoplasm with active dictyosomes, abundant profiles of endoplasmic reticulum and numerous vesicles, which agrees with their main function-the secretion of pollen tube attractants. Reported data can be used to resolve the current taxonomic problems within the genus Sedum ser. Rupestria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Brzezicka
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
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10
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Soliman M, Podio M, Marconi G, Di Marsico M, Ortiz JPA, Albertini E, Delgado L. Differential Epigenetic Marks Are Associated with Apospory Expressivity in Diploid Hybrids of Paspalum rufum. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10040793. [PMID: 33920644 PMCID: PMC8072704 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis seems to emerge from the deregulation of preexisting genes involved in sexuality by genetic and/or epigenetic mechanisms. The trait is associated with polyploidy, but diploid individuals of Paspalum rufum can form aposporous embryo sacs and develop clonal seeds. Moreover, diploid hybrid families presented a wide apospory expressivity variation. To locate methylation changes associated with apomixis expressivity, we compare relative DNA methylation levels, at CG, CHG, and CHH contexts, between full-sib P. rufum diploid genotypes presenting differential apospory expressivity. The survey was performed using a methylation content-sensitive enzyme ddRAD (MCSeEd) strategy on samples at premeiosis/meiosis and postmeiosis stages. Based on the relative methylation level, principal component analysis and heatmaps, clearly discriminate samples with contrasting apospory expressivity. Differential methylated contigs (DMCs) showed 14% of homology to known transcripts of Paspalum notatum reproductive transcriptome, and almost half of them were also differentially expressed between apomictic and sexual samples. DMCs showed homologies to genes involved in flower growth, development, and apomixis. Moreover, a high proportion of DMCs aligned on genomic regions associated with apomixis in Setaria italica. Several stage-specific differential methylated sequences were identified as associated with apospory expressivity, which could guide future functional gene characterization in relation to apomixis success at diploid and tetraploid levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Soliman
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Maricel Podio
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Gianpiero Marconi
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Marco Di Marsico
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Juan Pablo A. Ortiz
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Emidio Albertini
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Luciana Delgado
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
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11
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Rojek J, Tucker MR, Pinto SC, Rychłowski M, Lichocka M, Soukupova H, Nowakowska J, Bohdanowicz J, Surmacz G, Gutkowska M. Rab-dependent vesicular traffic affects female gametophyte development in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:320-340. [PMID: 32939545 PMCID: PMC7853608 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells rely on the accuracy and efficiency of vesicular traffic. In plants, disturbances in vesicular trafficking are well studied in quickly dividing root meristem cells or polar growing root hairs and pollen tubes. The development of the female gametophyte, a unique haploid reproductive structure located in the ovule, has received far less attention in studies of vesicular transport. Key molecules providing the specificity of vesicle formation and its subsequent recognition and fusion with the acceptor membrane are Rab proteins. Rabs are anchored to membranes by covalently linked geranylgeranyl group(s) that are added by the Rab geranylgeranyl transferase (RGT) enzyme. Here we show that Arabidopsis plants carrying mutations in the gene encoding the β-subunit of RGT (rgtb1) exhibit severely disrupted female gametogenesis and this effect is of sporophytic origin. Mutations in rgtb1 lead to internalization of the PIN1 and PIN3 proteins from the basal membranes to vesicles in provascular cells of the funiculus. Decreased transport of auxin out of the ovule is accompanied by auxin accumulation in tissue surrounding the growing gametophyte. In addition, female gametophyte development arrests at the uni- or binuclear stage in a significant portion of the rgtb1 ovules. These observations suggest that communication between the sporophyte and the developing female gametophyte relies on Rab-dependent vesicular traffic of the PIN1 and PIN3 transporters and auxin efflux out of the ovule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Rojek
- Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Matthew R Tucker
- Waite Research Institute, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sara C Pinto
- Waite Research Institute, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia
- LAQV REQUIMTE, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, rua do Campo Alegre s/n Porto, Portugal
| | - Michał Rychłowski
- Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk, Abrahama 58, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Lichocka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hana Soukupova
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojova 263, Praha 6 Lysolaje, Czech Republic
| | - Julita Nowakowska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jerzy Bohdanowicz
- Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Gabriela Surmacz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Gutkowska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
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12
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Płachno BJ, Kapusta M, Świątek P, Stolarczyk P, Kocki J. Immunodetection of Pectic Epitopes, Arabinogalactan Proteins, and Extensins in Mucilage Cells from the Ovules of Pilosella officinarum Vaill. and Taraxacum officinale Agg. (Asteraceae). Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9642. [PMID: 33348898 PMCID: PMC7766254 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to compare the cytological difference between ovular mucilage cells in two Asteraceae species-Pilosella officinarum and Taraxacum officinale-in order to determine whether pectic epitopes, arabinogalactan proteins, or extensins are present. The immunocytochemical technique was used. Both the Taracacum and Pilosella genera have been used recently as models for understanding the mechanisms of apomixis. Knowledge of the presence of signal molecules (pectic epitopes, arabinogalactan proteins, and extensins) can help better understand the developmental processes in these plants during seed growth. The results showed that in Pilosella officinarum, there was an accumulation of pectins in the mucilage, including both weakly and highly esterified pectins, which was in contrast to the mucilage of Taraxacum officinale, which had low amounts of these pectins. However, Taraxacum protoplasts of mucilage cells were rich in weakly methyl-esterified pectins. While the mucilage contained arabinogalactan proteins in both of the studied species, the types of arabinogalactan proteins were different. In both of the studied species, extensins were recorded in the transmitting tissues. Arabinogalactan proteins as well as weakly and highly esterified pectins and extensins occurred in close proximity to calcium oxalate crystals in both Taraxacum and Pilosella cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz J. Płachno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, 9 Gronostajowa St., 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kapusta
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, University of Gdańsk, 59. Wita Stwosza St., 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Piotr Świątek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 9 Bankowa St., 40-007 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Piotr Stolarczyk
- Department of Botany, Physiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 29 Listopada 54 Ave., 31-425 Kraków, Poland;
| | - Janusz Kocki
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical University of Lublin, 11 Radziwiłowska St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland;
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Mandáková T, Hloušková P, Windham MD, Mitchell-Olds T, Ashby K, Price B, Carman J, Lysak MA. Chromosomal Evolution and Apomixis in the Cruciferous Tribe Boechereae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:514. [PMID: 32547569 PMCID: PMC7270200 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The mustard family (Brassicaceae) comprises several dozen monophyletic clades usually ranked as tribes. The tribe Boechereae plays a prominent role in plant research due to the incidence of apomixis and its close relationship to Arabidopsis. This tribe, largely confined to western North America, harbors nine genera and c. 130 species, with >90% of species belonging to the genus Boechera. Hundreds of apomictic diploid and triploid Boechera hybrids have spurred interest in this genus, but the remaining Boechereae genomes remain virtually unstudied. Here we report on comparative genome structure of six genera (Borodinia, Cusickiella, Phoenicaulis, Polyctenium, Nevada, and Sandbergia) and three Boechera species as revealed by comparative chromosome painting (CCP). All analyzed taxa shared the same seven-chromosome genome structure. Comparisons with the sister Halimolobeae tribe (n = 8) showed that the ancestral Boechereae genome (n = 7) was derived from an older n = 8 genome by descending dysploidy followed by the divergence of extant Boechereae taxa. As tribal divergence post-dated the origin of four tribe-specific chromosomes, it is proposed that these chromosomal rearrangements were a key evolutionary innovation underlaying the origin and diversification of the Boechereae in North America. Although most Boechereae genera exhibit genomic conservatism, intra-tribal cladogenesis has occasionally been accompanied by chromosomal rearrangements (particularly inversions). Recently, apomixis was reported in the Boechereae genera Borodinia and Phoenicaulis. Here, we report sexual reproduction in diploid Nevada, diploid Sandbergia, and tetraploid Cusickiella and aposporous apomixis in tetraploids of Polyctenium and Sandbergia. In sum, apomixis is now known to occur in five of the nine Boechereae genera.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kaylynn Ashby
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Bo Price
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - John Carman
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
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Zühl L, Volkert C, Ibberson D, Schmidt A. Differential activity of F-box genes and E3 ligases distinguishes sexual versus apomictic germline specification in Boechera. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:5643-5657. [PMID: 31294816 PMCID: PMC6812705 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Germline specification is the first step during sexual and apomictic plant reproduction, and takes place in the nucellus of the ovule, a specialized domain of the reproductive flower tissues. In each case, a sporophytic cell is determined to form the sexual megaspore mother cell (MMC) or an apomictic initial cell (AIC). These differ in their developmental fates: while the MMC undergoes meiosis, the AIC modifies or omits meiosis to form the female gametophyte. Despite great interest in these distinct developmental processes, little is known about their gene regulatory basis. To elucidate the gene regulatory networks underlying germline specification, we conducted tissue-specific transcriptional profiling using laser-assisted microdissection and RNA sequencing to compare the transcriptomes of nucellar tissues between different sexual and apomictic Boechera accessions representing four species and two ploidy levels. This allowed us to distinguish between expression differences caused by genetic background or reproductive mode. Statistical data analysis revealed 45 genes that were significantly differentially expressed, and which potentially play a role for determination of the reproductive mode. Based on annotations, these included F-box genes and E3 ligases that most likely relate to genes previously described as regulators important for germline development. Our findings provide novel insights into the transcriptional basis of sexual and apomictic reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Zühl
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg
- Present address: Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Comparative Development and Genetics, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne
| | - Christopher Volkert
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg
| | - David Ibberson
- Deep Sequencing Core Facility, CellNetworks Excellence Cluster, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg
| | - Anja Schmidt
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg
- Correspondence:
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Carman JG, Mateo de Arias M, Gao L, Zhao X, Kowallis BM, Sherwood DA, Srivastava MK, Dwivedi KK, Price BJ, Watts L, Windham MD. Apospory and Diplospory in Diploid Boechera (Brassicaceae) May Facilitate Speciation by Recombination-Driven Apomixis-to-Sex Reversals. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:724. [PMID: 31214233 PMCID: PMC6555261 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis (asexual seed formation) in angiosperms occurs either sporophytically, through adventitious embryony, or gametophytically, where an unreduced female gametophyte (embryo sac) forms and produces an unreduced egg that develops into an embryo parthenogenetically. Multiple types of gametophytic apomixis occur, and these are differentiated based on where and when the unreduced gametophyte forms, a process referred to as apomeiosis. Apomeiotic gametophytes form directly from ameiotic megasporocytes, as in Antennaria-type diplospory, from unreduced spores derived from 1st division meiotic restitutions, as in Taraxacum-type diplospory, or from cells of the ovule wall, as in Hieracium-type apospory. Multiple types of apomeiosis occasionally occur in the same plant, which suggests that the different types occur in response to temporal and/or spatial shifts in termination of sexual processes and onset timing of apomeiosis processes. To better understand the origins and evolutionary implications of apomixis in Boechera (Brassicaceae), we determined apomeiosis type for 64 accessions representing 44 taxonomic units. Plants expressing apospory and diplospory were equally common, and these generally produced reduced and unreduced pollen, respectively. Apospory and diplospory occurred simultaneously in individual plants of seven taxa. In Boechera, apomixis perpetuates otherwise sterile or semisterile interspecific hybrids (allodiploids) through multiple generations. Accordingly, ample time, in these multigenerational clones, is available for rare meioses to produce haploid, intergenomically recombined male and female gametes. The fusion of such gametes could then produce segmentally autoploidized progeny. If sex re-emerges among such progeny, then new and genomically unique sexual species could evolve. Herein, we present evidence that such apomixis-facilitated speciation is occurring in Boechera, and we hypothesize that it might also be occurring in facultatively apomictic allodiploids of other angiospermous taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G. Carman
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Mayelyn Mateo de Arias
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Lei Gao
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Xinghua Zhao
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | | | - David A. Sherwood
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Manoj K. Srivastava
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- Crop Improvement Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, India
| | - Krishna K. Dwivedi
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT, United States
- Crop Improvement Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, India
| | - Bo J. Price
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Landon Watts
- Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
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Brzezicka E, Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M. Female gametophyte development in Sedum sediforme (Jacq.) Pau (Crassulaceae): an anatomical, cytochemical and ultrastructural analysis. PROTOPLASMA 2019; 256:537-553. [PMID: 30324403 PMCID: PMC6514081 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-018-1319-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Available documentation about the development of the female gametophyte of Crassulaceae is very limited. The aim of this study was to extend the embryological knowledge of Crassulaceae by analysing the development of the embryo sac in Sedum sediforme. Transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy including Nomarski optics (DIC) were used to observe individual stages of female gametophyte development. Cytochemical staining enabled detection of lipids, insoluble polysaccharides and proteins in gametophyte cells during their formation. Their increased accumulation was observed during nucellar cell and unfunctional cell degeneration in the embryo sac at the coenocytic and cellular stages (megagametogenesis). The female gametophyte develops in anatropous, bitegmic and crassinucellate ovules. The mature embryo sac is built of seven cells but after antipodes degeneration it is formed by the egg apparatus and a central cell. The monosporic Polygonum type was observed. One megaspore mother cell (MMC) formed three cells after meiosis. A triad was formed from a functional megaspore (placed chalazally), one uninucleate megaspore and a binucleate cell located at the micropylar end. Plasmodesmata with adhering electron-dense dome were noticed in walls of the coenocytic embryo sac and in the outer walls of ephemeral antipodes. Moreover, similar to synergids, antipodes form wall ingrowths. Here, we report new structural features of the antipodal cells (the presence of plasmodesmata with an electron-dense dome) which have not been described before. This new structural observation indicates that these cells participate in substance transport and that this process can probably be additionally regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Brzezicka
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59 Wita Stwosza St., 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
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Leszczuk A, Szczuka E, Zdunek A. Arabinogalactan proteins: Distribution during the development of male and female gametophytes. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 135:9-18. [PMID: 30496891 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2018.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), i.e. a subfamily of hydroxyproline-rich proteins (HRGPs), are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. For many years, AGPs have been connected with the multiple phases of plant reproduction and developmental processes. Currently, extensive knowledge is available about their various functions, i.e. involvement in pollen grain formation, initiation of pollen grain germination, pollen tube guidance in the transmission tissue of pistil and ovule nucellus, and function as a signaling molecule during cell-cell communication. Although many studies have been performed, the mechanism of action, the heterogeneous molecule structure, and the connection with other extracellular matrix components have not been sufficiently explained. The aim of this work was to gather and describe the most important information on the distribution of AGPs in gametophyte development. The present review provides a summary of the first reports about AGPs and the most recent knowledge about their functions during male and female gametophyte formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Leszczuk
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290, Lublin, Poland.
| | - E Szczuka
- Department of Plant Anatomy and Cytology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.
| | - A Zdunek
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290, Lublin, Poland.
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