从柱头到胚囊—花粉管发育研究进展

花粉管的生长和发育是植物有性生殖过程中重要环节。本文首先介绍了花粉管的结构及其脉冲生长方式。     

被子植物花粉管的生长方向

被子植物通过花粉管实现精细胞的传递，因此花粉管生长的方向决定了精细胞传递的成功。根据花粉管的生长路径介绍了目前利用模式植物进行花粉管导向研究的结果，着重讨论了参与花粉管导向的一系列信号分子和相关基因。     

G蛋白对花粉管生长的调控作用

花粉萌发和花粉管生长是花粉与雌蕊相互作用过程中受到高度调控的发育过程,它涉及花粉与雌蕊的识别作用、细胞间及细胞内信息传递等生理反应。近年的研究表明G蛋白作为一类重要的信号分子在调控花粉管生长中起重要作用。着重介绍G蛋白对花粉管生长的调控作用以及此过程中G蛋白与其它信号组分的协同作用。     

梨花柱S-RNase对花粉管超微结构的影响

采用光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜研究了离体条件下不同品种梨花柱S—RNase对异花(亲和)及自花(不亲和)花粉萌发和花粉管生长及其超微结构的影响。结果表明,花柱S—RNase抑制不亲和花粉的萌发和花粉管的生长,对亲和花粉的萌发和花粉管的生长基本没有影响。花粉生长初期,亲和及不亲和花粉管超微结构相似;但培养24h以后,亲和花粉管中充满细胞质和细胞器,而不亲和花粉管中只有靠近花粉管前端有少量细胞质,细胞壁增厚,细胞壁与细胞质之间有一层胼胝质和电子透明区间隔。     

微丝骨架的构成及其对花粉管极性生长的调控作用

微丝骨架是细胞骨架的重要组成部分,它由肌动蛋白和肌动蛋白结合蛋白组成,广泛存在于真核细胞中。近年来,大量研究表明植物花粉及花粉管中存在丰富的微丝骨架。目前,在微丝骨架作为信号转导途径的靶标参与对花粉管极性生长的调控、微丝骨架在花粉和花粉管中的分布及其在花粉管生长过程中与其他信号分子之间的相互作用等方面取得了一系列突破性进展。     

花粉管引导机制的研究进展

花粉管引导是指显花植物在受精过程中,雌蕊组织与花粉管相互作用使花粉管定向生长并最终到达胚囊的过程,其机制颇为复杂。该文基于调控花粉管生长的孢子体引导和配子体细胞引导两个主要过程,阐述雌蕊中不同蛋白分子和其它小分子物质的浓度梯度在花粉管的孢子体组织引导中的作用,以及胚囊中不同类型的细胞及其相关基因与蛋白在花粉管的配子体细胞引导中的作用。同时,该文也对精细胞在花粉管引导中的作用进行了阐述。     

花粉粒和花粉管中的微丝骨架

自从1972年Franke等第一次报道大君子兰和麝香百合花粉管中存在直经6nmn的肌动蛋白微丝以来,近十几年来这方面的研究工作已迅速展开,积累了丰富的研究资科。借助于荧光探针、免疫荧光标记、透射电镜等技术手段,已先后对三十几种植物的花粉粒和(或)花粉管的微丝做过观察,揭示了花粉萌发和花粉管生长过程中肌动蛋白微丝的三维结构及其在时间和空间上变化的规律,并对微丝在花粉萌发和花粉管生长的生理活动中的重要作用获得了比较一致的认识。     

花粉管钙信号特性及其调控研究进展

花粉管在花柱中生长受多个信号分子的协同调控,钙离子在其中发挥着重要作用.钙是一种重要的第二信使,它将外界的多种生物或非生物信息转化为对细胞内基因表达以及细胞生理反应的调控.钙信号表达方式是胞内自由钙浓度的特异性变化.该文对国内外近年来有关花粉管生长中钙信号特性及其调控的研究进展,如花粉管尖端自由钙离子浓度梯度与胞内钙振荡、花粉管质膜钙转运体的鉴定及其调控特性、花粉管钙信号与微丝和ROP蛋白的关系以及花粉管钙信号与植物自交不亲和性反应的关系等进行综述,为深入开展相关研究提供参考.     

植物亲和受精过程中花粉管的粘附和定向生长

亲和受精过程中,粘附和向化作用贯穿始终.从花粉自花药中释放到花粉管穿过珠孔过程中,花粉管在雌蕊中的粘附和定向生长是多位点发生的,涉及到一系列的信号转导事件的发生;在雌蕊中糖原、果胶、Ca2*等多种物质通过不同的作用机制参与调控花粉管的粘附和定向生长.该文就这方面的研究进展作介绍.     

花粉-雌蕊的相互作用机制

就近年来有关被子植物有性生殖过程中,雌蕊对花粉萌发、花粉管生长以及生长方向的作用和传粉对雌蕊发育的影响的研究进展作了介绍。     

Evaluation of pollen tube growth ability in Petunia species having different style lengths

Pollen tube growth is essential for the fertilization process in angiosperms. When pollen grains arrive on the stigma, they germinate, and the pollen tubes elongate through the styles of the pistils to deliver sperm cells into the ovules to produce the seeds. The relationship between the growth rate and style length remains unclear. In previous studies, we developed a liquid pollen germination medium for observing pollen tube growth. In this study, using this medium, we examined the pollen tube growth ability in Petunia axillaris subsp. axillaris, P. axillaris subsp. parodii, P. integrifolia, and P. occidentalis, which have different style lengths. Petunia occidentalis had the longest pollen tubes after 6 h of culture but had a relatively shorter style. Conversely, the pollination experiments revealed that P. axillaris subsp. parodii, which had the longest style, produced the longest pollen tubes in vivo. The results revealed no clear relationship between the style lengths and the growth rate of pollen tubes in vitro. Interspecific pollinations indicated that the styles affected pollen tube growth. We concluded that, in vitro, the pollen tubes grow without being affected by the styles, whereas, in vivo, the styles significantly affected pollen tube growth. Furthermore, interspecific pollination experiments implied that the pollen tube growth tended to be suppressed in the styles of self-incompatibility species. Finally, we discussed the pollen tube growth ability in relation to style lengths.     

高等植物受精过程中雌-雄相互作用的分子调控机制

从广义上讲,被子植物的受精过程是指花粉粒落到柱头上萌发形成花粉管,花粉管穿过柱头沿着引导组织生长进入子房内,最终在胚囊中实现精细胞与卵细胞以及中央细胞分别融合从而起始胚胎和胚乳的发育．被子植物的精细胞由于不具有鞭毛而无法自由移动,因此在受精过程中需要借助于花粉管来将精细胞运送到胚囊中．花粉管通过与雌性的孢子体组织之间的相互作用和识别将精细胞准确地运送到胚珠附近,而最终将精细胞准确地运送到胚囊内的过程则是受到了雌配子体细胞的控制．可以说,受精的成功实现有赖于雌性和雄性细胞之间的持续的识别和相互作用,这种互作具有多样性和阶段特异性．本文将主要综述被子植物受精过程中花粉粒以及花粉管与多种雌性孢子体组织以及雌配子体之间的信号互作研究．     

Expression studies of SCA in lily and confirmation of its role in pollen tube adhesion

During pollination the pollen tube grows into the style and toward the ovary via the transmitting tract. In lily the growth of pollen tubes involves tube cell adhesion to transmitting tract cells. We reported two molecules involved in this adhesion event. One is a pectic polysaccharide and the other, a 9 kDa basic protein named SCA for stigma/stylar cysteine-rich adhesin. SCA, which shows some identity with LTP (lipid transfer protein), was localized to the transmitting tract epidermis of the style where pollen tubes adhere. The present studies on the expression of SCA indicate that the protein has a similar expression pattern with LTP1 in Arabidopsis and that the protein is abundant in both the stigma and the style. For further proof of its role in pollen tube adhesion the activity of Escherichia coli-expressed protein has been studied in an in vitro adhesion assay system.     

MARIS plays important roles in Arabidopsis pollen tube and root hair growth

In flowering plants, male gametes are delivered to female gametes for double fertilization through pollen tubes.Therefore, pollen tube growth is crucial for double fertilization. Despite its importance to sexual reproduction, genetic mechanisms of pollen tube growth remain poorly understood.In this study, we characterized the receptor-like cytoplasmic protein kinase(RLCK) gene, MARIS(MRI) that plays critical roles in pollen tube growth. MRI is preferentially expressed in pollen grains, pollen tubes and roots. Mutation in MRI by a Ds insertion led to a burst of pollen tubes after pollen germination. Pollen-rescue assay by pollen and pollen tubespecific expression of MRI in the mri-4 mutant showed that loss of MRI function also severely affected root hair elongation. MRI protein interacted with the protein kinase OXIDATIVE SIGNAL INDUCIBLE1(OXI1) in the in vitro and in vivo assays, which functions in plant defence and root hair development, and was phosphorylated by OXI1 in vitro. Our results suggest that MRI plays important roles in pollen tube growth and may function in root hair elongation through interaction with OXI1.     

芥菜型油菜与白菜正反杂交的胚胎学研究

利用荧光技术对芥菜型油菜（Brassica juncea）与白菜（B．pekinesis）种间正反杂交后花粉萌发和花粉管生长过程进行了观察。结果显示：芥菜型油菜与白菜正交授粉后,花粉在柱头上能正常萌发,多数花粉管沿花柱到达胚珠完成受精,且受精方式有珠孔受精、合点受精和中部受精,少量花粉管生长不正常,出现花粉管顶端膨大扭曲,花粉管分支等异常现象;反交授粉后,花粉在柱头上萌发时柱头乳突细胞产生强烈胼胝质反应,影响花粉管生长,只有少量花粉管通过花柱到达胚珠完成受精。用石蜡切片技术观察了正反杂交后杂种的胚胎发育,正交杂种胚胎发育较早,胚和胚乳生长较正常,杂种胚一般均能发育至成熟;反交杂种胚发育至心型期便不能继续发育,胚乳也停滞在游离核阶段并最终败育。综合分析表明,芥菜型油菜与白菜正反杂交都存在一定程度的受精不亲和性。     

Phenotypic Characterization of a Female Sterile Mutant in Rice

A female sterile mutant, derived from a spontaneous mutation, was first discovered In rlce （Oryzs satlvs L. sep. Indlca） restorer llne 202R. Wlth normal fiowerlng, the mutant exhlblts an extremely low seed-sattlng rate. When the mutant Is crossed as a pollen donor, the seeds set normally; whereas when It Is used as a pollen recelver, no seeds are obtalned even wlth mlxed pollen gralns of dlfferent varletles sprlnkled over the atlgmas. The fioret of the mutant, conslatlng of slx stamens and one platll, looks the same as that of the wlld type In the malefemale organs, except that less than 10% of the mutant florets have three atlgmas on the ovary. Although the mutant has a low seed-setting rate, Its pollen fertility Is approximately 87.1%, which Is equal to that of the wild type. In addition, more than 90% of the mature embryo sacs of the mutant have complete Inner structures. At every stage after pollination, the sperm, embryo, and endosperm are not found In the mutant embryo sac, whereas the disintegration of the egg cell that does not accomplish fertilization Is visible. Through observetlons with a fluorescence microscope, we have found that the pollen grains germinate normally, whereas the pollen tube abnormally elongates in the style-transmitting tissue. The mutant pollen tubes display various defects In the style, such as slower elongation, conversed elongation, distorted elongation, swollen tips, or branched tips. As a result, the growth of the pollen tubes ceases In the style, and, therefore, the pollen tubes cannot reach the embryo sac and the process of double fertilization Is blocked. Based on these observations, we conclude that this mutant, designated as fs-202R, Is a novel type of female sterile mutation In rice, which causes the arrest of the elongation of the pollen tube.     

Semi in vivo pollen tube growth of Aechmea fasciata

With semi in vivo pollen tube growth assays, stigmas are pollinated in vivo and, after a fixed time interval, the styles are isolated from the ovary and placed on culture medium in vitro. Semi in vitro pollination includes isolation of the stigma and style complex, followed by pollination and placing the stylar end on nutrient medium. After semi in vivo pollination more and longer pollen tubes protruded from the cut end of the styles into medium, in comparison to semi in vitro pollination. Medium with 3 g l^–1 agar was better than that with 6 g l^–1 agar for pollen tube growth after the tubes emerged from the cut style. Semi in vitro pollination of the reversed style indicated that pollen tube growth was not influenced by the direction of the style. Fructose and glucose inhibited pollen tube growth compared to sucrose. Swollen tips characterized tube growth inhibition. After semi in vivo pollination all generative nuclei had divided to give two sperm nuclei. The average distance between the last sperm nucleus and the pollen tube tip as well as the distance between the two sperm nuclei diminished in growing pollen tubes between 24 and 48 h after pollination. The arrangements between the vegetative and the generative nuclei did not differ in semi in vivo and in vitro cultured pollen tubes of Aechmea fasciata. This information is important to explain why fertilization rate is low after placental pollination in comparison to placental grafted style pollination of Aechmea fasciata. The data may also contribute to the improvement of in vitro fertilization methods in Bromeliaceae and other higher plants.     

Pollen Tube Growth: a Delicate Equilibrium Between Secretory and Endocytic Pathways

Although pollen tube growth is a prerequisite for higher plant fertilization and seed production, the processes leading to pollen tube emission and elongation are crucial for understanding the basic mechanisms of tip growth. It was generally accepted that pollen tube elongation occurs by accumulation and fusion of Golgi-derived secretory vesicles (SVs) in the apical region, or clear zone, where they were thought to fuse with a restricted area of the apical plasma membrane (PM), defining the apical growth domain. Fusion of SVs at the tip reverses outside cell wall material and provides new segments of PM. However, electron microscopy studies have clearly shown that the PM incorporated at the tip greatly exceeds elongation and a mechanism of PM retrieval was already postulated in the mid-nineteenth century. Recent studies on endocytosis during pollen tube growth showed that different endocytic pathways occurred in distinct zones of the tube, including the apex, and led to a new hypothesis to explain vesicle accumulation at the tip; namely, that endocytic vesicles contribute substantially to V-shaped vesicle accumulation in addition to SVs and that exocytosis does not involve the entire apical domain. New insights suggested the intriguing hypothesis that modulation between exo- and endocytosis in the apex contributes to maintain PM polarity in terms of lipid/protein composition and showed distinct degradation pathways that could have different functions in the physiology of the cell. Pollen tube growth in vivo is closely regulated by interaction with style molecules. The study of endocytosis and membrane recycling in pollen tubes opens new perspectives to studying pollen tube-style interactions in vivo .     

SEC1A and SEC6 synergistically regulate pollen tube polar growth

Pollen tube polar growth is a key physiological activity for angiosperms to complete double fertilization, which is highly dependent on the transport of polar substances mediated by secretory vesicles. The exocyst and Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins are involved in the regulation of the tethering and fusion of vesicles and plasma membranes, but the molecular mechanism by which they regulate pollen tube polar growth is still unclear. In this study, we found that loss of function of SEC1A, a member of the SM protein family in Arabidopsis thaliana, resulted in reducing pollen tube growth and a significant increase in pollen tube width. SEC1A was diffusely distributed in the pollen tube cytoplasm, and was more concentrated at the tip of the pollen tube. Through co-immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry screening, protein interaction analysis and in vivo microscopy, we found that SEC1A interacted with the exocyst subunit SEC6, and they mutually affected the distribution and secretion rate at the tip of the pollen tube. Meanwhile, the functional loss of SEC1A and SEC6 significantly affected the distribution of the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) complex member SYP125 at the tip of the pollen tube, and led to the disorder of pollen tube cell wall components. Genetic analysis revealed that the pollen tube-related phenotype of the sec1a sec6 double mutant was significantly enhanced compared with their respective single mutants. Therefore, we speculated that SEC1A and SEC6 cooperatively regulate the fusion of secretory vesicles and plasma membranes in pollen tubes, thereby affecting the length and the width of pollen tubes.     

Regulation of Actin Dynamics in Pollen Tubes: Control of Actin Polymer Level

Actin cytoskeleton undergoes rapid reorganization in response to internal and external cues. How the dynamics of actin cytoskeleton are regulated, and how its dynamics relate to its function are fundamental questions in plant cell biology. The pollen tube is a well characterized actin-based cell morphogenesis in plants. One of the striking features of actin cytoskeleton characterized in the pollen tube is its surprisingly low level of actin polymer. This special phenomenon might relate to the function of actin cytoskeleton in pollen tubes. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying this special phenomenon requires careful analysis of actin-binding proteins that modulate actin dynamics directly. Recent biochemical and biophysical analyses of several highly conserved plant actin-binding proteins reveal unusual and unexpected properties, which emphasizes the importance of carefully analyzing their action mechanism and cellular activity. In this review, we highlight an actin monomer sequestering protein, a barbed end capping protein and an F-actin severing and dynamizing protein in plant. We propose that these proteins function in harmony to regulate actin dynamics and maintain the low level of actin polymer in pollen tubes.