The distribution of cell wall polymers during antheridium development and spermatogenesis in the Charophycean green alga, Chara corallina

Background and Aims

The production of multicellular gametangia in green plants represents an early evolutionary development that is found today in all land plants and advanced clades of the Charophycean green algae. The processing of cell walls is an integral part of this morphogenesis yet very little is known about cell wall dynamics in early-divergent green plants such as the Charophycean green algae. This study represents a comprehensive analysis of antheridium development and spermatogenesis in the green alga, Chara corallina.

Methods

Microarrays of cell wall components and immunocytochemical methods were employed in order to analyse cell wall macromolecules during antheridium development.

Key Results

Cellulose and pectic homogalacturonan epitopes were detected throughout all cell types of the developing antheridium including the unique cell wall protuberances of the shield cells and the cell walls of sperm cell initials. Arabinogalactan protein epitopes were distributed only in the epidermal shield cell layers and anti-xyloglucan antibody binding was only observed in the capitulum region that initially yields the sperm filaments. During the terminal stage of sperm development, no cell wall polymers recognized by the probes employed were found on the scale-covered sperm cells.

Conclusions

Antheridium development in C. corallina is a rapid event that includes the production of cell walls that contain polymers similar to those found in land plants. While pectic and cellulosic epitopes are ubiquitous in the antheridium, the distribution of arabinogalactan protein and xyloglucan epitopes is restricted to specific zones. Spermatogenesis also includes a major switch in the production of extracellular matrix macromolecules from cell walls to scales, the latter being a primitive extracellular matrix characteristic of green plants.     

苎麻疫霉雄器侧生性状的遗传研究*

在来自江苏、江西棉花、芒麻和构树的12个些麻疫霉（PhytophthoraboehmeriaeSawada）菌株中均观察到侧生雄器,其比率为4．0％～16．5％。在以菌株JS－5和PM－8（雄器侧生比率分别为16．5％和9．5％）为亲本所建立的连续2～3代单游动孢子无性系后代中,雄器侧生性状可以遗传,但单孢株间雄器侧生比率有一定差异,其分布范围分别为9．0％～34．0％和2．5％～15．5％。进一步诱导菌株JS－5的单游动孢子株的卵孢子萌发,分别对具侧生雄器和具围生雄器的藏卵器（卵孢子）进行单孢分离,检测雄器位置性状在由上述不同来源卵孢子萌发所形成的单卵孢株后代的遗传与变异。结果表明,无论是由具侧生雄器的藏卵器中的卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株,还是由具围生雄器的藏卵器中卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株,其有性器官均具有雄器侧生与雄器围生两种类型,但侧生比率在各代菌株间有很大差异。S1代单卵孢株的雄器侧生比率分布范围为1．0％～79．0％,其中具侧生雄器的藏卵器中卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株雄器侧生比率较高（分布范围7．0％～79．0％,平均33．6％）,而来自具围生雄器的藏卵器中的卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株雄器侧生比率较低（分布范围1．0％～32．0％,平均11．52％）。S2代单卵孢株的雄器侧生比率为10％～9     

蕨类植物桂皮紫萁颈卵器和精子器形态和发育的研究

利用扫描电镜技术和树脂切片技术对蕨类植物桂皮紫萁（Osmunda cinnamomeaL.var.asiatica Fernald)的颈卵器和精子器的形态和发育进行了细致的研究。颈卵器发生于雌配子体的腹面,颈部由4列壁细胞构成,6-7个细胞高,内部含有颈沟细胞,腹沟细胞和卵细胞,卵细胞在整个发育过程中,造粉体和囊泡最为显著,颈卵器内的卵细胞成熟时产生卵膜和分离腔。精子器发生于雄配子体的边缘及腹面,由7-8个壁细胞螺旋状围绕而成,壁细胞内为产精组织,精子成熟时精子器盖细胞开裂释放出游动精子。     

球子蕨精子器多样性的新观察

利用人工培养和石蜡切片技术,在光学显微镜下对球子蕨精子器的形态结构和着生位置进行了多样性观察。首次报道了过熟配子体的颈卵器萎缩消失,只有精子器正常发育,且其中肋有突起、中空、分层等现象。精子器可着生在中肋的外表面或埋生在中肋内部,也可以着生在中空中肋的内表面,精子器的结构也各不相同。讨论了球子蕨精子器形态结构及着生位置多样性的系统学意义,为探讨相关类群的系统演化补充了全新的基础资料。     

分离自蔬菜地的腐霉一新种及其rDNAITS序列分析(英文)

从广西南宁收集的蔬菜地土壤样本中,分离得到一个新的腐霉种,命名为广西腐霉Pythium guangxiense。不同于其近似种,广西腐霉的孢子囊球形或亚球形;藏卵器球形、亚球形、椭圆形或囊形;雄器同丝生或异丝生,柄常分枝且缠绕藏卵器。对构成广西腐霉rDNAITS区段的772个碱基进行扩增和测序。在根据ITS序列建立的分子系统发育树中,广西腐霉与禾生腐霉Pythium graminicola、周雄腐霉P.periilum和肿囊腐霉P.inflatum等产生瓣状孢子囊的腐霉种关系密切。对广西腐霉进行了分类描述和其与近似种的比较。     

苎麻疫霉雄器侧生性状的遗传研究

在来自江苏、江西棉花、芒麻和构树的12个些麻疫霉（PhytophthoraboehmeriaeSawada）菌株中均观察到侧生雄器,其比率为4．0％～16．5％。在以菌株JS－5和PM－8（雄器侧生比率分别为16．5％和9．5％）为亲本所建立的连续2～3代单游动孢子无性系后代中,雄器侧生性状可以遗传,但单孢株间雄器侧生比率有一定差异,其分布范围分别为9．0％～34．0％和2．5％～15．5％。进一步诱导菌株JS－5的单游动孢子株的卵孢子萌发,分别对具侧生雄器和具围生雄器的藏卵器（卵孢子）进行单孢分离,检测雄器位置性状在由上述不同来源卵孢子萌发所形成的单卵孢株后代的遗传与变异。结果表明,无论是由具侧生雄器的藏卵器中的卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株,还是由具围生雄器的藏卵器中卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株,其有性器官均具有雄器侧生与雄器围生两种类型,但侧生比率在各代菌株间有很大差异。S1代单卵孢株的雄器侧生比率分布范围为1．0％～79．0％,其中具侧生雄器的藏卵器中卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株雄器侧生比率较高（分布范围7．0％～79．0％,平均33．6％）,而来自具围生雄器的藏卵器中的卵孢子萌发形成的单卵孢株雄器侧生比率较低（分布范围1．0％～32．0％,平均11．52％）。S2代单卵孢株的雄器侧生比率为10％～9     

Characterization of sexual reproductive processes in Chara braunii (Charales,Charophyceae)

Chara braunii is distributed worldwide and is the most common charalean species in Japan. This species is monoecious and produces numerous sets of sex organs, each of which consists of one antheridium and one oogonium, under laboratory culture conditions. In this study, we report that light intensity strongly affected the vegetative phase and sexual reproductive phase of this species. Under high‐light conditions (70.0 μmol photons m^?2 s^?1), thalli grew but did not form reproductive organs. Under a low‐light intensity (10.0 μmol photons m^?2 s^?1), algal bodies formed many reproductive organs. In addition, antheridia without the corresponding oogonia (lone antheridia) were observed under low‐light conditions. The absence of oogonium primordia adjacent to the lone antheridium was confirmed by several microscopic approaches. The addition of liquid fertilizer increased the total number of sex organs and growth; however, the number of lone antheridia decreased with increasing fertilizer concentrations. Exogenously applied gibberellin did not affect the number of lone antheridia. These results suggest that regulatory mechanisms for the appropriate allocation of resources exist in this alga, similar to those reported in some land plants.     

Different Patterns of Intercellular Transport of Lucifer Yellow in Young and Mature Antheridia of Chara vulgaris L.

Intra- and intercellular movement of the fluorochrome Lucifer Yellow (LY), microinjected into the shield cells of male sex organs, was examined at different stages of spermatogenesis in Chara vulgaris L. Two distinct stage-associated types of probe movement were noted: (I) a fast and uniform spreading of fluorescence within the shield cell injected, followed by centripetal transport of LY into the adjoining manubrium and the capitular cells, and subsequent redistribution into the other manubria and shield cells in young antheridia (up to the stage of 4-cellular filaments), and (II) limited spreading of fluorescence, restricted to the triangle-shaped area of the impaled shield cell in more mature antheridia with multicellular filaments. These results confirm earlier electron microscopic observations on plasmodesmatal connections indicating an intensive solute movement between all cell types in young antheridia of Chara. Developmental changes appearing at later stages, during differentiation of sperm cells, strongly reduce the capacity for intercellular symplasmic transport.