The Arabidopsis MALE STERILITY 2 protein shares similarity with reductases in elongation/condensation complexes

The Arabidopsis thaliana MALE STERILITY 2 ( MS2 ) gene product is involved in male gametogenesis. The first abnormalities in pollen development of ms2 mutants are seen at the stage in microsporogenesis when microspores are released from tetrads. Expression of the MS2 gene is observed in tapetum of wild-type flowers at, and shortly after, the release of microspores from tetrads. The MS2 promoter controls GUS expression at a comparable stage in the tapetum of transgenic tobacco containing an MS2 promoter–GUS fusion. The occasional pollen grains produced by mutant ms2 plants have very thin pollen walls. They are also sensitive to acetolysis treatment, which is a test for the presence of an exine layer. The MS2 gene product shows sequence similarity to a jojoba protein that converts wax fatty acids to fatty alcohols. A possible function of the MS2 protein as a fatty acyl reductase in the formation of pollen wall substances is discussed.     

A novel MYB-related gene from Arabidopsis thaliana expressed in developing anthers.

A novel MYB-like gene (AtMYB103) was isolated from a genomic library of Arabidopsis. Plants transgenic for chimeric AtMYB103 promoter/GUS genes expressed the enzyme in early anthers. In situ hybridization of flower sections showed a high level of AtMYB103 mRNA in the tapetum and middle layer of developing anthers.     

Genetics and cytology of a new genic male-sterile soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]

 Genetic and cytological studies were conducted with a new male-sterile, female-fertile soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] mutant. This mutant was completely male sterile and was inherited as a single-recessive gene. No differences in female or male gamete transmission of the recessive allele were observed between reciprocal cross-pollinations in the F₁ or F₂ generations. This mutant was not allelic to any previously identified soybean genic male-sterile mutants: ms1, ms2, ms3, ms4, ms5, or ms6. No linkage was detected between sterility and flower color (W1 locus), or between sterility and pubescence color (T1 locus). Light microscopic and cytological observations of microsporogenesis in fertile and sterile anthers were conducted. The structure of microspore mother cells (MMC) in male-sterile plants was identical to the MMCs in male-fertile plants. Enzyme extraction analyses showed that there was no callase activity in male-sterile anthers, and this suggests that sterility was caused by retention of the callose walls, which normally are degraded around tetrads at the late tetrad stage. The tapetum from male-sterile anthers also showed abnormalities at the tetrad stage and later stages, which were expressed by an unusual formation of vacuoles, and by accumulation of densely staining material. At maturity, anthers from sterile plants were devoid of pollen grains. Received: 13 May 1996 / Revision accepted: 19 August 1996     

Wax-deficient anther1 is involved in cuticle and wax production in rice anther walls and is required for pollen development

In vegetative leaf tissues, cuticles including cuticular waxes are important for protection against nonstomatal water loss and pathogen infection as well as for adaptations to environmental stress. However, their roles in the anther wall are rarely studied. The innermost layer of the anther wall (the tapetum) is essential for generating male gametes. Here, we report the characterization of a T-DNA insertional mutant in the Wax-deficient anther1 (Wda1) gene of rice (Oryza sativa), which shows significant defects in the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids in both layers. This gene is strongly expressed in the epidermal cells of anthers. Scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that epicuticular wax crystals were absent in the outer layer of the anther and that microspore development was severely retarded and finally disrupted as a result of defective pollen exine formation in the mutant anthers. These biochemical and developmental defects in tapetum found in wda1 mutants are earlier events than those in other male-sterile mutants, which showed defects of lipidic molecules in exine. Our findings provide new insights into the biochemical and developmental aspects of the role of waxes in microspore exine development in the tapetum as well as the role of epicuticular waxes in anther expansion.     

MS32-regulated timing of callose degradation during microsporogenesisin Arabidopsis is associated with the accumulation of stacked rough ER in tapetal cells

  In the male sterile32(ms32)mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana, pollen development is affected during meiosis of pollen mother cells (PMCs). In normal wild-type (WT) anthers, callose is deposited around PMCs before and during meiosis, and after meiosis the tetrads have a complete callose wall. In ms32, PMCs showed initial signs of some callose deposition before meiosis, but it was degraded soon after, as was part of the cellulosic wall around the PMCs. The early dissolution of callose in ms32 was associated with the occurrence of extensive stacks of rough ER (RER) in tapetal cells. The stacks of RER were also observed in the WT tapetum, but at a later stage, i.e., after the tetrads were formed and when callose is normally broken down for release of microspores. Based on these observations it is suggested that: (1) callose degradation around developing microspores is linked to the formation of RER in tapetal cells, which presumably synthesize and/or secrete callase into the anther locule, and (2) mutation in MS32 disrupts the timing of these events. Received: 27 April 1999 / Revision accepted: 21 June 1999     

Fine mapping of an Arabidopsis thaliana male sterile mutant EC2-157

An Arabidopsis thaliana male sterile mutant EC2-157 has been isolated using an EMS mutagenesis strategy.Genetic analysis indicated that it was controlled by a single recessive gene called ms157.No pollen grains have been observed in mutant anthers.ms157 Has been mapped to a region of 74 kb located in BAC clone T6K22 on chromosome Ⅳ using a map-based cloning strategy.As no male sterile genes have been reported in this region.ms157 could be a novel gene related to fertility.The further molecular cloning and functional analysis on this gene should facilitate our understanding of A.thaliana anther development.     

MS1521是拟南芥花药发育的必需基因

通过对3个拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）雄性不育突变体（ms1521,st350,st454）的分析,研究了MS1521基因在花药发育过程中的功能。ms1521是通过EMS诱变野生型拟南芥得到的一株突变体,遗传分析表明ms1521是隐性单核基因控制的。利用图位克隆的方法对不育基因MS1521进行了定位,结果将MS1521定位于拟南芥第一条染色体上26kb的区间内,该定位区间内有一个影响花器官形态建成的基因UFO。测序结果表明在ms1521突变体中UFO基因编码区的958bp处发生了单碱基突变,导致MS1521该位点的氨基酸由天冬酰胺变成了天冬氨酸。另外两个表型与ms1521相似的突变体st350和st454来自T-DNA插入突变体群体。测序结果表明突变体st350和st454分别在UFO基因编码区发生了提前终止突变。等位分析表明它们与MS1521基因是等位的。3个突变体营养生长期发育正常,但生殖生长发育出现异常：有的雄蕊只有花丝没有花药;或者有花药但花丝变短;或者雄蕊有正常的花丝和花药,花药中有可育的花粉,但药室不能开裂;最终导致突变体不育的表型。进一步细胞学观察发现药室不能开裂是由于药室内壁细胞纤维化和木质化增厚不明显造成的。以上这些结果表明MS1521基因在花药发育过程中起重要作用。     

拟南芥雄性不育突变体ms1142的遗传定位与功能分析

经EMS诱变野生型拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）群体筛选得到一株雄性不育突变体ms1142,突变体的果荚短小,不含种子。细胞学观察和扫描电镜结果表明,突变体花药发育过程中,花药中小孢子外壁异常、破裂,最后没有花粉形成。遗传分析表明,该突变体为隐性单核基因突变所致;利用图位克隆的方法将MS1142基因定位于第1条染色体的BAC克隆F16P17上44kb区间内,目前尚未见该区间内有雄性不育基因的报道。以上结果结合生物信息学分析表明,MS1142是一个新的调控花药发育的关键基因。该工作为花药发育关键基因MS1142的克隆及功能分析奠定了基础。