WOX蛋白家族调控干细胞发育分子机制的研究进展

WOX蛋白家族是植物特有的一类转录因子家族, 是植物胚胎建成、干细胞维持和器官发生等发育过程中的重要调控因子。越来越多的研究表明, 作为干细胞维持的关键因子之一, WOX蛋白家族通过相似或特异的调控网络参与植物初生分生组织(茎尖和根尖分生组织)和次生分生组织(维管分生组织)等各级干细胞的维持和分化。该文综述了近年来WOX蛋白家族调控干细胞发育分子机制的研究进展, 并对其在单、双子叶植物中功能的保守性进行了比较和分析。     

生长素在植物胚胎早期发育中的作用

有性生殖是有花植物的一个重要特征, 胚胎则是实现有性生殖和世代交替的重要载体。植物胚胎从双受精开始, 经历了合子极性建立、顶基轴形成、细胞层分化和器官形成等过程, 这些过程都受到生长素的调控。近年来的研究表明, 生长素在生物合成、极性运输和信号转导3个层面上调控胚胎的发育过程。该文以双子叶植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)为例, 综述了生长素对胚胎早期发育过程, 包括合子极性和顶基轴建立、表皮原特化和对称模式转变、胚根原特化和根尖分生组织形成及茎尖分生组织形成等发育的调控机制。     

玉米胚胎发育、萌发与胚的结构及子叶二型性

运用扫描电镜与半薄切片技术,观察了玉米(Zea mays L.)的胚发育过程,得到以下认识：第一、关于原胚。玉米合子细胞分裂形成的原胚分为胚柄、胚基与胚体三部分。胚柄短小,寿命短暂。胚基具有生长带,纵向伸长长度大,胚基的上部参与形成胚根鞘,其余部分干缩后附在胚根鞘末端。第二、玉米胚的背腹极性及二型子叶。原胚初期胚体出现背腹极性,腹面的细胞小,细胞质稠密,液泡较少;背面的细胞较大,细胞质稠密度略低,液泡较多。原胚后期胚体分化为腹部与背部,腹部从腹面的中央突起,背部在腹部的周围(从左至右侧)及整个胚体背面。进入幼胚时期,腹部分化为胚芽鞘、生长锥、胚轴、胚根和胚根鞘(大部分)。期间,胚芽鞘原基和根原始细胞的分化都从胚体的中轴部位开始,然后向两侧和四周扩展,表现出胚体腹面形态的两侧对称性。原胚的背部形成盾片原基,盾片原基经历向左、右、上、下的迅速扩展和加厚的生长,将整个腹部所分化形成的构件藏于盾片的纵沟之中,最后盾片从纵沟的边缘长出的左、右侧鳞均向胚体的中轴线生长,完整显示出玉米胚腹面的两侧对称。玉米胚由腹部顶端形成胚芽鞘和生长锥的情况与水稻胚的胚芽鞘(顶生子叶)和生长锥的形成相同,玉米的胚芽鞘也是顶生子叶,盾片则是侧生子叶。玉米异型子叶的由来在于胚体的背腹极性。第三、玉米胚的真实形态结构及胚胎发育时期的划分。玉米胚是一个胚轴,其顶部是具胚芽鞘的胚芽,中部是具侧生子叶(盾片)的胚轴,下部是具胚根鞘的胚根。盾片从背面到腹面包住整个胚轴系统,在胚的腹面上可见从盾片边缘衍生的左、右侧鳞的边缘相迭,只在接缝线的上、下端留下蝌蚪状的小孔,使胚芽鞘和胚根鞘的末端稍露出。胚胎发育分为4个时期：1．原胚期——从合子细胞分裂开始至分化背部与腹部为止;2．腹部迅速分化期;3．盾片快速生长期;4．侧鳞生长、胚套形成期。第四、获取垂盲于胚腹面正中央纵切面是正确认识玉米胚形态的关键。     

玉米胚胎发育、萌发与胚的结构及子叶二型性

运用扫描电镜与半薄切片技术,观察了玉米(Zea mays L.)的胚发育过程,得到以下认识:第一、关于原胚.玉米合子细胞分裂形成的原胚分为胚柄、胚基与胚体三部分.胚柄短小,寿命短暂.胚基具有生长带,纵向伸长长度大,胚基的上部参与形成胚根鞘,其余部分干缩后附在胚根鞘末端.第二、玉米胚的背腹极性及二型子叶.原胚初期胚体出现背腹极性,腹面的细胞小,细胞质稠密,液泡较少;背面的细胞较大,细胞质稠密度略低,液泡较多.原胚后期胚体分化为腹部与背部,腹部从腹面的中央突起,背部在腹部的周围(从左至右侧)及整个胚体背面.进入幼胚时期,腹部分化为胚芽鞘、生长锥、胚轴、胚根和胚根鞘(大部分).期间,胚芽鞘原基和根原始细胞的分化都从胚体的中轴部位开始,然后向两侧和四周扩展,表现出胚体腹面形态的两侧对称性.原胚的背部形成盾片原基,盾片原基经历向左、右、上、下的迅速扩展和加厚的生长,将整个腹部所分化形成的构件藏于盾片的纵沟之中,最后盾片从纵沟的边缘长出的左、右侧鳞均向胚体的中轴线生长,完整显示出玉米胚腹面的两侧对称.玉米胚由腹部顶端形成胚芽鞘和生长锥的情况与水稻胚的胚芽鞘(顶生子叶)和生长锥的形成相同,玉米的胚芽鞘也是顶生子叶,盾片则是侧生子叶.玉米异型子叶的由来在于胚体的背腹极性.第三、玉米胚的真实形态结构及胚胎发育时期的划分.玉米胚是一个胚轴,其顶部是具胚芽鞘的胚芽,中部是具侧生子叶(盾片)的胚轴,下部是具胚根鞘的胚根.盾片从背面到腹面包住整个胚轴系统,在胚的腹面上可见从盾片边缘衍生的左、右侧鳞的边缘相迭,只在接缝线的上、下端留下蝌蚪状的小孔,使胚芽鞘和胚根鞘的末端稍露出.胚胎发育分为4个时期: 1.原胚期--从合子细胞分裂开始至分化背部与腹部为止;2.腹部迅速分化期;3.盾片快速生长期;4.侧鳞生长、胚套形成期.第四、获取垂直于胚腹面正中央纵切面是正确认识玉米胚形态的关键.     

Apical meristem exhaustion during determinate primary root growth in the moots koom 1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana

An indeterminate developmental program allows plant organs to grow continuously by maintaining functional meristems over time. The molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the root apical meristem are not completely understood. We have identified a new Arabidopsis thaliana mutant named moots koom 1 (mko1) that showed complete root apical meristem exhaustion of the primary root by 9?days post-germination. MKO1 is essential for maintenance of root cell proliferation. In the mutant, cell division is uncoupled from cell growth in the region corresponding to the root apical meristem. We established the sequence of cellular events that lead to meristem exhaustion in this mutant. Interestingly, the SCR and WOX5 promoters were active in the mko1 quiescent center at all developmental stages. However, during meristem exhaustion, the mutant root tip showed defects in starch accumulation in the columella and changes in auxin response pattern. Therefore, contrary to many described mutants, the determinate growth in mko1 seedlings does not appear to be a consequence of incorrect establishment or affected maintenance of the quiescent center but rather of cell proliferation defects both in stem cell niche and in the rest of the apical meristem. Our results support a model whereby the MKO1 gene plays an important role in the maintenance of the root apical meristem proliferative capacity and indeterminate root growth, which apparently acts independently of the SCR/SHR and WOX5 regulatory pathways.     

Developmental pattern formation of somatic embryos induced in cell suspension cultures of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]

The sequence of events in the functional body pattern formation during the somatic embryo development in cowpea suspensions is described under three heads. Early stages of somatic embryogenesis were characterized by both periclinal and anticlinal cell divisions. Differentiation of the protoderm cell layer by periclinal divisions marked the commencement of somatic embryogenesis. The most critical events appear to be the formation of apical meristems, establishment of apical-basal patterns of symmetry, and cellular organization in oblong-stage somatic embryo for the transition to torpedo and cotyledonary-stage somatic embryos. Two different stages of mature embryos showing distinct morphology, classified based on the number of cotyledons and their ability to convert into plantlets, were visualized. Repeated mitotic divisions of the sub-epidermal cell layers marked the induction of proembryogenic mass (PEM) in the embryogenic calli. The first division plane was periclinally-oriented, the second anticlinally-oriented, and the subsequent division planes appeared in any direction, leading to clusters of proembryogenic clumps. Differentiation of the protoderm layer marks the beginning of the structural differentiation in globular stage. Incipient procambium formation is the first sign of somatic embryo transition. Axial elongation of inner isodiametric cells of the globular somatic embryo followed by the change in the growth axis of the procambium is an important event in oblong-stage somatic embryo. Vacuolation in the ground meristem of torpedo-stage embryo begins the process of histodifferentiation. Three major embryonic tissue systems; shoot apical meristem, root apical meristem, and the differentiation of procambial strands, are visible in torpedo-stage somatic embryo. Monocotyledonary-stage somatic embryo induced both the shoot apical meristem and two leaf primordia compared to the ansiocotyledonary somatic embryo.     

Role of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in somatic embryogenesis on cultured zygotic embryos of Arabidopsis: cell expansion, cell cycling, and morphogenesis during continuous exposure of embryos to 2,4-D

The relationship between cell expansion and cell cycling during somatic embryogenesis was studied in cultured bent-cotyledon-stage zygotic embryos of a transgenic stock of Arabidopsis thaliana harboring a cyclin 1 At:β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene construct. In embryos cultured in a medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), following a brief period of growth by cell expansion, divisions were initiated in the procambial cells facing the adaxial side at the base of the cotyledons. Cell division activity later spread to almost the entire length of the cotyledons to form a callus on which globular and heart-shaped embryos appeared in about 10 d after culture. Anatomical and morphogenetic changes observed in cultured embryos were correlated with patterns of cell cycling by histochemical detection of GUS-expressing cells. Although early-stage somatic embryos did not develop further during their continued growth in the auxin-containing medium, maturation of embryos ensued upon their transfer to an auxin-free medium. In a small number of cultured zygotic embryos the shoot apical meristem was found to differentiate a leaf, a green tubular structure, or a somatic embryo. Contrary to the results from previous investigations, which have assigned a major role for the shoot apical meristem and cells in the axils of cotyledons in the development of somatic embryos on cultured zygotic embryos of A. thaliana, the present work shows that somatic embryos originate almost exclusively on the callus formed on the cotyledons. Other observations such as the induction of somatic embryos on cultured cotyledons and the inability of the embryo axis (consisting of the root, hypocotyl, and shoot apical meristem without the cotyledons) to form somatic embryos, reaffirm the important role of the cotyledons in somatic embryogenesis in this plant.     

Regulation of extent of vegetative development of the maize shoot meristem

In maize plants ( Zea mays L.), the extent of vegetative development in the shoot is precisely regulated such that the apical meristem produces a predictable number of leaves before converting to tassel development. In previous experiments using shoot apex culture, we showed that the developmental program that limits vegetative development in maize is not intrinsic to the shoot apical meristem. Rather, the meristem receives information from elsewhere in the plant and responds by either continuing leaf initiation or becoming determined for determinate growth and forming an inflorescence, the tassel. Here we examine leaf primordia as potential sources for that information using shoot apex culture. Our results show that the presence of the four to six youngest leaf primordia on the shoot apex is sufficient to provide such information. The ability to reset shoot development by meristem culture also allows us to examine the basis for expression of a specific phenotype at a particular developmental stage. We found that the mutation hcf106 , which is typically expressed only during seedling stages, is not re-expressed when the shoot morphogically has regained a juvenile phase.