Diplospory and obligate apomixis in Miconia albicans (Miconieae, Melastomataceae) and an embryological comparison with its sexual congener M. chamissois |
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Authors: | Ana Paula Souza Caetano Daniela Guimarães Simão Renata Carmo-Oliveira Paulo Eugênio Oliveira |
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Institution: | 1. Programa de Pós-Gradua??o em Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, S?o Paulo, CEP 13083-970, Brazil 2. Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, CEP 38400-902, Brazil
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Abstract: | Apomixis, or asexual reproduction through seeds, has been reported for species of the tribe Miconieae, Melastomataceae, but details of the process have yet to be described. We analyzed and compared sporogenesis and gametogenesis in the apomictic Miconia albicans and the sexual M. chamissois. The results point to some differences between species, which were related to the apomictic process. In M. albicans microsporogenesis, problems during meiosis and degeneration of its products led to total pollen sterility, while M. chamissois presented normal bicellular pollen grains in the mature anther. The absence or abnormality of meiosis in M. albicans megasporogenesis led to the formation of an unreduced embryo sac and also to egg cell parthenogenesis, which gave rise to the apomictic embryo. Embryo and endosperm development were autonomous, resulting in seeds and fruits independent of pollination and fertilization. Thus, in this species, apomixis can be classified as diplosporic and obligate. In contrast, meiosis was as expected in the sexual M. chamissois, and led to the development of a reduced embryo sac. Despite the divergent pathways, many embryological characteristics were similar between the studied species and other Melastomataceae and they seem to be conservative character states for the family. |
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