Changing patterns of nucleic acids, basic and acidic proteins in generative nuclei during pollen germination and pollen tube growth in Hippeastrum belladona

Generative and vegetative nuclei of mature and germinated pollen grains from Hippeastrum belladonna were separated in a continuous Ficoll gradient. Less than 3% contamination was observed between the generative and vegetative nuclear fractions. The vegetative nuclei were composed of two populations; the larger population consisted of nuclei with 1C levels of DNA and the smaller with 2C levels. The generative nuclei consisted of a homogeneous population composed of nuclei possessing 2C levels of DNA. Histone synthesis did not occur in vegetative nuclei. Changes appeared in the gel-electrophoretic banding patterns of the F1 histones of vegetative nuclei during germination. Changes were not observed in the generative nuclei. A reduction of general proteins and RNA was observed in vegetative nuclei by 20 h of germination. The phenol-soluble nuclear proteins of vegetative nuclei revealed transitions in electrophoretic banding patterns during pollen germination that were greater than those shown by the histones. These changes in the PSNP primarily involved reduced concentrations of certain proteins rather than synthesis of new ones. However, a new band was observed in the electrophoretic pattern of the PSNP of vegetative nuclei after 12 h of pollen tube growth. No transition was seen in the PSNP of generative nuclei during pollen germination and tube growth. The regulatory role of the PSNP in cell differentiation is discussed in the light of these findings.     

AN AUTORADIOGRAPHIC STUDY OF RNA SYNTHESIS DURING POLLEN EMBRYOGENESIS IN HYOSCYAMUS NIGER (HENBANE)

RNA synthesis during pollen embryogenesis in cultured anther segments of Hyoscyamus niger (henbane) has been followed by autoradiography of ³H-uridine incorporation. Embryogenic divisions were initiated in binucleate pollen grains in which the generative nucleus or both generative and vegetative nuclei synthesized RNA. When the first haploid mitosis in culture resulted in pollen grains with two nearly identical nuclei, those in which both nuclei synthesized RNA became embryogenic. Binucleate pollen grains in which ³H-uridine incorporation was confined exclusively to the vegetative nucleus gradually became starch-filled and nonembryogenic. Based on the degree of involvement of the vegetative nucleus in embryoid formation, some differences were noted between the counts of autoradiographic silver grains over cells cut off by the generative and vegetative nuclei during progressive embryogenesis. The possible significance of RNA synthesis in the nuclei of binucleate pollen grains in determining the pathway of embryogenic divisions is discussed.     

Electron microscopic ammonical silver reaction forTradescantia pollen grain

Summary The postformalin ammonical silver reaction (ASR) for basic nuclear proteins was applied to both the generative and vegetative nuclei ofTradescantia pollen grains and examined with the electron microscope. The ASR deposit was usually observed mainly in the dense chromatic regions of both the generative and vegetative nuclei. Since a large amount of dense chromatic regions was observed in the generative nucleus than the vegetative ones in late or mature pollen grains, as a results, the increased amount of the ASR deposit was revealed in the generative nucleus.     

Microphotometric Determination of DNA Contents of Early Developmental Pollen Grains in Tobacco Anther Culture

The Feulgen-DNA contents of microspores, vegetative and generative nuclei of tobacco pollen grains in vivo and in anther culture have been determined by microphotometry. 1. The values of DNA content of vegetative and generative nuclei of the pollen grains selected at definite developmental stages vary between 1C and 2C levels, which coincide with the role of the dynamics of DNA in haploid cell cycle. This method applied in the study of androgenesis in anther culture is proved successful and valid. 2. By the cytomorphological investigation on androgenesis, the pollen embryoid in this experiment results from repeated divisions of the vegetative cell within the pollen grains. 3. In mature pollen grains of the same variety of tobacco in vivo, DNA replication has not occured in vegetative nuclei, in which the level of DNA remains in 1C. 4. In the cultured anthers after 8 days innoculation, 30% of the total pollen grains measured indicate that the vegetative nuclei have completed DNA replication and show 2C level. The pollen grains which have the potential to differentiate into the embryogenie pollen grains, may be distinguished from non-embryogenie ones by this method before any cytomorphological sign appears. The significance of this method in the study of the mechanism of androgenesis is discussed.     

RADIOAUTOGRAPHIC LOCALIZATION OF DEOXYTHYMIDINE TRIPHOSPHATE IN TRADESCANTIA POLLEN GRAINS DURING DNA SYNTHESIS

Tradescantia pollen grains, isolated during the period of DNA synthesis in the generative cell, accumulate deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP)-³H after incubation with thymidine-³H in the presence of millimolar deoxyadenosine. Most of this dTTP-³H was found to resist extraction by the fixative, cold ethanol-acetic acid, and its location was investigated by radioautography with thin, dry emulsion. Substantial binding of dTTP-³H occurred as an artifact; but when nuclei were isolated from the fixed pollen grains by sonication, it was found that they were differentially labeled: generative nuclei contained dTTP-³H, vegetative nuclei did not. This observation is discussed and is interpreted as evidence supporting the idea that thymidine is phosphorylated only in the generative cell of the pollen grain.     

The isolation and culture of lily pollen protoplasts

Methods for the enzymatic isolation of lily protoplasts and their successful culture are described. When pre-anthesis binucleate pollen (immature pollen grains) was treated in enzyme solution containing macerozyme and cellulase, up to 80% lost their exine and gave rise to intact protoplasts within 1 h. These pollen protoplasts were uniform in size and densely cytoplasmic with two prominent generative and vegetative nuclei. The isolated pollen protoplasts regenerated a cell wall within 1 day of culture and produced a structure resembling a pollen tube after 10–12 days of culture. During this culture period, dividing generative nuclei or 2 sperm nuclei were observed in many protoplasts with regenerated cell walls.     

The basic proteins of male gametic nuclei isolated from pollen grains of Lilium longiflorum

A method has been developed for the efficient isolation of generative and vegetative nuclei from the generative and vegetative cells, respectively, of pollen grains of Lilium longiflorum Thunb. First, large numbers of pollen protoplasts were isolated enzymatically from nearly mature pollen grains. After the protoplasts had been gently disrupted by a mechanical method, the generative cells could be separated from the other pollen contents, which included vegetative nuclei. The generative nuclei were isolated by suspending the purified generative cells in a buffer that contained a non-ionic deter gent. The isolated generative nuclei, like those within pollen grains, had highly condensed chromatin and the isolated material was without contamination by vegetative nuclei. When basic proteins, extracted from the preparation of generative nuclei by treatment with 0.4 N H₂SO₄, were compared with those from preparations of somatic and vegetative nuclei by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, it was revealed that at least five proteins with apparent molecular masses of 35, 33, 22.5, 21 and 18.5 kDa (p35, p33, p22.5, p21 and p18.5), respectively, were specific for, or highly concentrated in, the generative nuclei. An examination of solubility in 5% perchloric acid and the mobility during electrophoresis indicated that two of these proteins (p35 and p33) resembled H1 histones while the three other proteins (p22.5, p21 and p18.5) resembled core histones. It is likely that these basic nuclear proteins are related to the condensation of chromatin or to the differentiation of male gametes in flowering plants, as is the case for analogous proteins present during spermatogenesis in animals.Abbreviations DAPI 4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole - NIB nuclear isolation buffer This work was supported in part by Grant-inAid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan.     

土麦冬离体萌发花粉管中生殖细胞与营养核的动态变化

主要报道了土麦冬人工培养萌发花粉管中生殖细胞与营养核的动态变化。多数花粉管中,生殖细胞与营养核贴合后,开始进行有丝分裂,贴合时,营养核略呈弥散状态。在分裂早中期,生殖细胞与营养核分开,从贴合到分开大约经历３－５ｈ,精子形成后,不与营养核连接。ＤＡＰＩ对生殖细胞的有丝分裂有抑制作用。少数花粉管中,生殖细胞核进行无丝分裂,有缢裂和劈裂两种方式。生殖细胞核发生缢裂的花粉管中,未观察到生殖细胞与营养核的贴     

Nuclear DNA content and separation of Nicotiana sylvestris vegetative and generative nuclei at various stages of male gametogenesis

At all stages of male gametogenesis, generative and vegetative pollen nuclei of Nicotiana sylvestris can be distinguished without ambiguity after Feulgen or ethidium bromide staining. They differ by their morphology and their apparent DNA content, always lower in vegetative nuclei. These differences provide a basis for their separation by sedimentation and fluorometry. After elimination of the another somatic cells and after crushing the pollen, vegetative and generative nuclei are separated by two successive Percoll gradients (purity 80–90%). Analysis of the gradient fractions and final purification can be done with a cell sorter. DNAs of both types are isolated by a cetyltrimethylammonium method, followed by a RNase treatment. Yields are lower for vegetative than for generative nuclei, and decrease with the age of pollen. Molecular weights and digestibility by restriction enzymes are compatible with molecular analyses.     

Pollen Dimorphism--Origin and Significance in Pollen Plant Formation by Anther Culture

Pollen dimorphism during the ripening of Nicotiana tabacum antherstakes the form of differentiation at the binucleate pollen stageinto normal (N) grains, characterized by their high frequency,larger size, densely–staining cytoplasm and high starchcontent and into smaller (S) grains characterized by their variableand low frequency and weakly–staining cytoplasm. Mostof the S grains show distinctive vegetative and generative nuclei(A grains); a small number have two vegetative–type nuclei(B grains). Evidence is presented that when excised anthersare cultured, pollen plants arise only from S grains. It issuggested that the differentiation into N and S grains arisesby an abnormal second meiotic division in the pollen mothercells. Nicotiana tabacum, tobacco, pollen dimorphism, anther culture     

Behavior of organelle nuclei (nucleoids) in generative and vegetative cells during maturation of pollen inLilium longiflorum andPelargonium zonale

Summary The behavior of organelle nuclei during maturation of the male gametes ofLilium longiflorum andPelargonium zonale was examined by fluorescence microscopy after staining with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and Southern hybridization. The organelle nuclei in both generative and vegetative cells inL. longiflorum were preferentially degraded during the maturation of the male gametes. In the mature pollen grains ofL. longiflorum, there were absolutely no organelle nuclei visible in the cytoplasm of the generative cells. In the vegetative cells, almost all the organelle nuclei were degraded. However, in contrast to the situation in generative cells, the last vestiges of organelle nuclei in vegetative cells did not disappear completely. They remained in evidence in the vegetative cells during germination of the pollen tubes. InP. zonale, however, no evidence of degradation of organelle nuclei was ever observed. As a result, a very large number of organelle nuclei remained in the sperm cells during maturation of the pollen grains. When the total DNA isolated from the pollen or pollen tubes was analyzed by Southern hybridization with a probe that contained therbc L gene, for detection of the plastid DNA and a probe that contained thecox I gene, for detection of the mitochondrial DNA, the same results were obtained. Therefore, the maternal inheritance of the organelle genes inL. longiflorum is caused by the degradation of the organelle DNA in the generative cells while the biparental inheritance of the organelle genes inP. zonale is the result of the preservation of the organelle DNA in the generative and sperm cells. To characterize the degradation of the organelle nuclei, nucleolytic activities in mature pollen were analyzed by an in situ assay on an SDS-DNA-gel after electrophoresis. The results revealed that a 40kDa Ca²⁺-dependent nuclease and a 23 kDa Zn²⁺ -dependent nuclease were present specifically among the pollen proteins ofL. longiflorum. By contrast, no nucleolytic activity was detected in a similar analysis of pollen proteins ofP. zonale.     

Pollen ultrastructure in anther cultures of Datura innoxia. III. Incomplete microspore division.

During the microspore division in Datura innoxia, the mitotic spindle is oriented in planes both perpendicular (PE) and oblique (OB) to the spore wall against which the nucleus is situated. However, irrespective of polarity, the usual type of hemispherical wall is laid down at cytokinesis and isolates the generative cell from the rest of the pollen grain (type A). In PE spores the vegetative nucleus initially occupies a central position in the pollen grain, whereas in OB spores the vegetative nucleus lies at the periphery of the grain close to the generative cell. In anther cultures initiated just before the microspore division is due to take place, no marked change can be observed in either orientation or symmetry of the mitotic spindle when the spores divide. In some, however, cytokinesis is disrupted and deposition of the hemispherical wall arrested. In the absence of a complete wall, differentiation of the generative cell cannot take place and binucleate pollen grains are formed having 2 vegetative-type nuclei (type B). The 2 nuclei in the B pollens are always situated against the pollen-grain wall, suggesting that the disruption phenomenon is related to the OB spores. The incomplete wall always makes contact with the intine on the intine-side of the spindle. Wall material may be represented merely as short stubs projecting out from the intine into the cytoplasm, in which event the 2 nuclei lie close to each other and are separated by only a narrow zone of cytoplasm. In other grains the wall is partially developed between the nuclei and terminates at varying distances from the tonoplast; in these, the nuclei are separated by a wider zone of cytoplasm. The significance of these binucleate grains in pollen embryogenesis is discussed.     

Comparison of density of nuclear pores on vegetative and generative nuclei in pollen of Tradescantia

The freeze-etch technique has been used to expose surface views of vegetative and generative nuclear envelopes in both ungerminated and germinated pollen of Tradescantia paludosa. A comparison of the density and total numbers of nuclear pores on the two nuclei indicates that vegetative nuclei have at least twice as many pores as generative nuclei. These findings are compatible with the concept that the vegetative nucleus plays a more active role in pollen tube development than the generative nucleus.     

A lily pollen ASR protein localizes to both cytoplasm and nuclei requiring a nuclear localization signal

LLA23, an abscisic acid-, stress- and ripening-induced (ASR) protein, was isolated previously from lily ( Lilium longiflorum ) pollen. Close examination of the C-terminus of this ASR protein revealed the presence of basic regions reminiscent of a nuclear localization signal (NLS). Fluorescence microscopy studies using green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins indicated that the bipartite NLS in LLA23 exhibited nuclear localization properties. Accordingly, mutations in the NLS motifs of LLA23 defined two regions, either of which was necessary for partial nuclear targeting and both of which were required for complete nuclear localization. In addition, oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis identified lysine residues within the NLS necessary for nuclear localization. Immunogold localization confirmed that the protein was located to both the cytoplasm and nucleus of generative and vegetative cells of pollen grains; the generative nuclei showed the highest number of LLA23 labelling. The possible function of ASR proteins in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of pollen grains is discussed.     

Ultrastructure and Germination Percentage of Crocus biflorus Miller subsp. biflorus (Iridaceae) Pollen

Pollen of Crocus biflorus Miller subsp. biflorus from natural habitats of Tusculum (Frascati, near Rome, Italy) has been studied in order to compare its structure and physiology to pollen of other Crocus species belonging to the Crocus sativus group. Mature pollen grains are rounded, 60 μm in diameter, in-aperturate (but with surface incisions where exine is lacking). DAPI staining reveals a spindle-shaped generative nucleus which is intensely fluorescent, and vegetative nucleus which is less fluorescent, and is elongated with numerous lobes. At anthesis the pollen is bicellular, but about 2% of tricellular grains occur among the pollen grains released from the anthers as well as on both naturally or handpollinated stigmas. Pollen germination is low in vitro, but higher in vivo. The pollen tubes are of normal shape. An electron-dense surface coat is sometimes visible on the exine, which in many cases, is detached from the exine. The vegetative cytoplasm is very rich in glycolipid bodies surrounded by endoplasmic reticulum. The generative cell has a lobed cell wall and is surrounded by the vegetative nucleus.