Identification of Self-Incompatibility Genotypes of Apricot (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus armeniaca</Emphasis> L.) by S-Allele-Specific PCR Analysis

A cDNA of 417 bp encoding an S-RNase gene, named PA S3, was isolated from apricot, Prunus aremeniaca. Nine S-alleles, S₁–S₉, were recognized by S-allele-specific PCR and confirmed by Southern blot analysis using PA S3 as probe. The S-genotypes of the six cultivars were determined and the results of self- and cross-pollination tests among the six cultivars were consistent with the predicted S-haplotypes by PCR analysis.     

Plant self-incompatibility systems: a molecular evolutionary perspective

Incompatibility recognition systems preventing self-fertilization have evolved several times in independent lineages of Angiosperm plants, and three main model systems are well characterized at the molecular level [the gametophytic self-incompatibility (SI) systems of Solanaceae, Rosaceae and Anthirrhinum, the very different system of poppy, and the system in Brassicaceae with sporophytic control of pollen SI reactions]. In two of these systems, the genes encoding both components of pollen-pistil recognition are now known, showing clearly that these two proteins are distinct, that is, SI is a lock-and-key mechanism. Here, we review recent findings in the three well-studied systems in the light of these results and analyse their implications for understanding polymorphism and coevolution of the two SI genes, in the context of a tightly linked genome region.     

On the evolutionary costs of self-incompatibility: incomplete reproductive compensation due to pollen limitation

Pollen limitation affects plants with diverse reproductive systems and ecologies. In self-incompatible (SI) species, pollen limitation may preclude full reproductive compensation for prezygotic rejection of pollen. We present a model designed to explore the effects of incomplete reproductive compensation on evolutionary changes at a modifier locus that regulates the level of SI expression. Our results indicate that incomplete reproductive compensation greatly increases the evolutionary costs of SI, particularly in populations with low S-allele diversity. The evolutionary fate of modifiers of SI expression depends on the rate at which they are transmitted to future generations as well as the effects of SI on offspring number and quality. Partial SI expression can represent a stable condition rather than an evolutionarily transient state between full expression and full suppression. This unanticipated result provides the first theoretical support for the evolutionary stability of such mixed mating systems, the existence of which has recently been documented.     

Inbreeding depression and mixed mating in Leptosiphon jepsonii: a comparison of three populations

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inbreeding depression is thought to play a central role in the evolution and maintenance of cross-fertilization. Theory indicates that inbreeding depression can be purged with self-fertilization, resulting in positive feedback for the selection of selfing. Variation among populations of Leptosiphon jepsonii in the timing and rate of self-fertilization provides an opportunity to study the evolution of inbreeding depression and mating systems. In addition, the hypothesis that differences in inbreeding depression for male and female fitness can stabilize mixed mating in L. jepsonii is tested. METHODS: In a growth room experiment, inbreeding depression was measured in three populations with mean outcrossing rates ranging from 0.06 to 0.69. The performance of selfed and outcrossed progeny is compared at five life history stages. To distinguish between self-incompatibility and early inbreeding depression, aborted seeds and unfertilized ovules were counted in selfed and outcrossed fruits. In one population, pollen and ovule production was quantified to estimate inbreeding depression for male and female fitness. KEY RESULTS: Both prezygotic barriers and inbreeding depression limited self seed set in the most outcrossing population. Cumulative inbreeding depression ranged from 0.297 to 0.501, with the lowest value found in the most selfing population. Significant inbreeding depression for early life stages was found only in the more outcrossing populations. Inbreeding depression was not significant for pollen or ovule production. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide modest support for the hypothesized relationship between inbreeding depression and mating systems. The absence of early inbreeding depression in the more selfing populations is consistent with theory on purging. Differences in male and female expression of inbreeding depression do not appear to stabilize mixed mating in L. jepsonii. The current estimates of inbreeding depression for L. jepsonii differ from those of previous studies, underscoring the effects of environmental variation on its expression.     

芸苔属植物自交不亲和性S-受体激酶的内吞作用及信号传递网络

文章就芸苔属植物自交不亲和性反应中S-受体激酶的内吞作用以及下游信号传递网络的研究进展作一综述。     

Early F-actin disorganization may be signaling vacuole disruption in incompatible pollen tubes of Nicotiana alata

Self-incompatibility (SI) systems appeared early in plant evolution as an effective mechanism to promote outcrossing and avoid inbreeding depression. These systems prevent self-fertilization by the recognition and rejection of self-pollen and pollen from closely related individuals. The most widespread SI system is based on the action of a pistil ribonuclease, the S-RNase, which recognizes and rejects incompatible pollen. S-RNases are endocyted by pollen tubes and stored into vacuoles. By a mechanism that is still unknown, these vacuoles are selectively disrupted in incompatible pollen, releasing S-RNases into the cytoplasm and allowing degradation of pollen RNA. Recently, we have studied the timing of in vivo alterations of pollen F-actin cytoskeleton after incompatible pollinations. Besides being essential for pollen growth, F-actin cytoskeleton is a very dynamic cellular component. Changes in F-actin organization are known to be capable of transducing signaling events in many cellular processes. Early after pollination, F-actin showed a progressive disorganization in incompatible pollen tubes. However by the time the F-actin was almost completely disrupted, the large majority of vacuolar compartments were still intact. These results indicate that in incompatible pollen tubes F-actin disorganization precedes vacuolar disruption. They also suggest that F-actin may act as an early transducer of signals triggering the rejection of incompatible pollen.     

高等植物自花花粉的识别与拒绝

高等植物在长期的进化过程中,通过雌蕊识别并拒绝遗传上相近的花粉,防止近亲繁殖、保持遗传多样性,该机制被称为植物自交不亲和性。植物自交不亲和性已成为当今国内外研究的热点。近年来,芸薹属孢子体自交不亲和性、S-RNase调节的配子体自交不亲和性以及罂粟花科配子体自交不亲和性研究比较深入。最近的研究表明,泛素介导的蛋白酶体蛋白质降解途径参与芸薹属孢子体自交不亲和性和S-RNase调节的配子体自交不亲和性反应。另一种蛋白质降解途径,即半胱-天冬胺酸特异的蛋白酶介导的细胞程序化死亡似乎参与罂粟花科配子体自交不亲和性。本文回顾了3种自交不亲和性研究的最新进展,并就其自交不亲和性机制作进一步讨论。     

A study of the mating system in Dolichandra cynanchoides (Bignoniaceae): an Argentinian Chaco woodlands liane with a late-acting self-incompatibility

We estimated the outcrossing rate in a population of 14 individuals of Dolichandra cynanchoides (Bignoniaceae), a species with late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI), at a site in Chaco woodland in Santa Fe province, Argentina. A subsample of five arbitrarily chosen loci from a total of 16 allozyme loci gave mating system parameters of t_m=0.881 (SD 0.039) and t_s=0.749 (SD 0.048), thus indicating that although predominantly outcrossing, D. cynanchoides has a mixed mating system. We draw attention to the fact that mixed mating in species with LSI is a very likely scenario, given that previous studies with diverse LSI taxa have shown that mixed cross-self pollen loads on the stigma, which is probably a common occurrence with natural pollinators, result in fruits with a proportion of selfed seeds.     

Cryptic self-incompatibility in tristylous Decodon verticillatus (Lythraceae)

There is growing evidence that many self-compatible plants control the level of self-fertilization with postpollination processes that give a siring advantage to cross pollen over self pollen through "cryptic self-incompatibility" (CSI). Previous marker-gene experiments with self-compatible, tristylous Decodon verticillatus (Lythraceae) have demonstrated a siring advantage to cross pollen, though the extent to which this advantage results from prezygotic discrimination vs. early acting inbreeding depression is not clear. Here, we provide evidence that prezygotic mechanisms are involved in this siring advantage by comparing pollen tube numbers at various times following cross- and self-pollination conducted in a natural population. In the 24 h following pollination, cross pollen yielded almost twice as many pollen tubes at various positions in the style compared to self pollen. After 36 and 48 h, the difference between pollen types had disappeared, suggesting that the advantage to cross pollen results from differences in the rate of pollen germination and;clor tube growth rather than pollen tube attrition. Comparison of tube numbers after legitimate vs. illegitimate cross-pollination did not reveal any difference, suggesting that D. verticillatus possesses CSI unrelated to heteromorphic self- and intramorph-incompatibility found in other heterostylous members of the Lythraceae. CSI resulting from differential pollen tube growth may minimize geitonogamous selfing when cross pollen is abundant, while maximizing fecundity when cross pollen is scarce due to local clonal spread.