Embryological study on gynogenesis in onion (Allium cepa L.)

Haploid induction in onion can, to date, be induced only via gynogenesis by culturing unfertilized flowers, ovaries or ovules. The process of haploid embryo induction has been macroscopically well studied, but only limited data exist from microscopic examination of ovule development status at the inoculation stage and of the origin of gynogenic embryos. Microscopic studies were carried out using individual donor plants with relatively high embryo induction frequencies (45.9 embryos formed per 100 flowers, on average, for 2 years). Ovaries from flower bud culture were fixed at 1 week intervals up to the 7th week of culture. These were compared with pollinated ovaries at 1 or 2 weeks after pollination. In total, 1428 unfertilized embryo sacs were examined. The results indicate that, at the time of inoculation, ovules within ovaries 2.0–3.0 mm in diameter contained two- or four-nucleate embryo sacs in the smallest ovaries to mature embryo sacs in the largest ovaries. It seems likely that the embryos are actually induced from ovaries cultured at the immature stage. After 1 or 2 weeks in culture, the egg apparatus primarily consisted of distinctly enlarged synergids and the egg cell, which was often detached from the micropylar pole. But free nuclear endosperm was also formed. From the 2nd to 7th week in culture, formation of haploid embryos (from globular to the almost mature cylindrical stage) was detected in 5.7% of the ovules. Their origin, for several reasons, was most likely the egg cell. In addition, ovules containing endosperm only (3.6%) and ovules containing the egg apparatus (0.5%) or both endosperm and embryo (0.4%) were detected. This observation is probably unique and has not yet been reported in other species studied. Received: February 2001 / Revision accepted: 20 April 2001     

水稻亚种间杂种小穗败育的细胞学基础

本文对普通栽培稻不同品种类型间杂种小穗败育的细胞学基础及雌性败育的过程进行了研究,结果表明:(1)引起杂种小穗败育的原因有胚囊败育、花粉败育、开花时花药不开裂和雌雄异熟。其中胚囊败育而丧失受精能力是引起低结实率的最重要的因素,开花时花药不开裂和雌雄异熟在一定程度上形成了雌雄性细胞时间和空间的隔离屏障。(2)杂种植株的所有大孢子母细胞都能进行正常的减数分裂,形成四个大孢子,败育主要发生在靠近合点端的功能大孢子分化形成胚囊的早期,有的功能大孢子在进行第一次有丝分裂前便萎缩解体,多数走向败育的功能大孢子能完成一次或二次有丝分裂,形成二核或四核败育胚囊。败育的共同特征是无液泡的分化,细胞质少或退化,在败育胚囊残迹部位,解体的珠心细胞和萎缩的胚囊残渍混杂垛叠。已受精的杂种子房没有观察到胚及胚乳发育的异常。籼粳杂种胚囊败育频率较高。     

New perspectives on the angiosperm female gametophyte

This review builds upon previous classifications of angiosperm female gametophytes but offers two new perspectives. Firstly, the course of development is compared to an algorithm: a predetermined set of rules that produces a mature female gametophyte. This analogy allows hypotheses to be developed as to what changes in the “developmental program” are responsible for variant forms of development. Secondly, the review recognizes that the four meiotic products of a megaspore mother cell have different genetic constitutions and may have conflicting interests. In most cases, only one member of a megaspore tetrad gives rise to a functional egg. This megaspore is called the germinal spore. The other members of the tetrad are called somatic spores. Somatic spores do not give rise to functional eggs and, therefore, cannot leave direct genetic descendants. Non-monosporic embryo sacs are genetic chimeras containing derivatives of more than one megaspore nucleus. Conflict may arise within such embryo sacs between the derivatives of the germinal megaspore nucleus and the derivatives of somatic megaspore nuclei. “Antipodal eggs” and chalazal “strike” are interpreted as evidence of this conflict. The behavior of somatic spores and their derivatives is often variable for different embryo sacs produced by the same sporophyte. This has created difficulties for existing classifications of embryo sac “types” because more than one type is sometimes recognized within a species. A new classification of developmental algorithms is presented that emphasizes the fate of the germinal spore and its derivatives.     

Ovule Development and Determination of Seed Number Per Pod in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

Seed number per pod at maturity over the terminal raceme ofsingle plants of oilseed rape is closely correlated to the percentageof ovules with complete embryo sacs (ovule fertility) at floweropening. Approximately one-third of the ovules did not containan embryo sac and sterility, due to the absence of embryo sac,accounted for most of the difference between the numbers ofovules and seeds. Within the terminal raceme, both a decreasedproportion of fertile ovules and a lower number of ovules perovary in apical flowers contributed to the lower number of seedsper pod in the mature apical pods compared to the basal ones.A study of ovule development before flower opening showed thatdifferences in the differentiation of the embryo sacs arosebefore the buds were 40 mm long and probably involved the stagesof meiosis II and/or differentiation of the chalazal megaspore. Key words: Oilseed rape, ovule development, seed number per pod     

水稻PDER品系的特点和二倍体孢子生殖胚囊的形成和发育

对水稻（ＯｒｙｚａｓａｔｉｖａＬ．）早发生胚ＰＤＥＲ（ｐｒｅ－ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｅｄｅｍｂｒｙｏｏｆｒｉｃｅ）品系的特点和细胞胚胎学研究表明,ＰＤＥＲ是二倍体植物２ｎ＝２４,约有５０％胚囊的卵细胞未经受精能自行发育形成胚,成熟种子的萌发和生长速度较常规正常水稻快。ＰＤＥＲ的大孢子母细胞经有丝分裂产生未减数的胚囊,即无融合生殖中的二倍体孢子生殖类型。在胚囊形成和发育过程中有如下几个特点：（１）孢原细胞至大孢子母细胞分裂前的过渡期持续时间较长,孢原细胞和大孢子母细胞的细胞质比周围的珠心细胞质稀淡。（２）大孢子母细胞经二次有丝分裂后形成直线排列的三个细胞（三分体）,珠孔端的两个解体,合点端的一个发育为功能细胞,有少数胚囊的三个细胞全部解体形成败育胚囊。（３）功能细胞经三次连续核分裂形成具八核七个细胞的成熟胚囊,它的结构与常规正常水稻基本相同,但助细胞呈长形而没有回抱着卵细胞。     

Development of Ovules and Embryo sacs in Ostrya virginiana (Betulaceae) and Its Systematic Significance

The development of ovules and embryo sacs in Ostrya virginiana was studied for the first time. Most ovaries had two ovules which were anatropous, unitegmic and crassinucellate. The ovule usually possessed several archesporial ceils which divided periclinally into the upper parietal cell and the lower sporogenous cell. The sporogenous cell functioned directly as megaspore mother cell. The tetrad of megaspores was linear in arrangement, and every megaspore might be functional. One ovule often contained 2- 6 embryo sacs and the embryo sac belongs to Polygonum type. It can be concluded from the present data that all ovules among the genera of the Betulaceae are unitegrnic. There are more groups with the phenomenon of multiple embryo sacs in anemophic plants such as Betulaceae, Casuarinaceae, Graminae, Jnglandaceae, Myricaceae, Simaroubaceae, Ulmaceae, than in entomophilous plants. Multiple embryo sacs also occur among some parasitic plants and saprophytes, e.g. Orobanchaceae, Cassytha in Lauraceae, Cuscuta in Convolvulaceae and Utricularia in Lentibulariaceae. It may be inferred that the characteristic of multiple embryo sacs be an evolutionary adaptation of those plants with lower pollination rate to increase the rate of fertilization. Finally, a comparison of embryological characters among the genera of the Betulaceae shows that the family is of a number of common embryological characters, such as multicellular archesporium, multiple embryo sacs in one ovule, and a long interval between pollination and fertilization. The diversity and systematic significance of several embryological characters among the “higher” hamamelid families are also discussed. It is still hard to explain the phy-logenetic relationships among those families clearly only with.     

In Vitro Embryogenesis in Unfertilized Embryo Sacs of Oryza sativa L.

Haploid rice plantlets were induced from cultured ovaries in our previously reported experiment. The present paper is an embryological study on this subject. Young flowers of two japonica cultivars were excised and cultured just in the same manner as before. Liquid medium used for float culture was N6+3% sucrose+0.125 ppm MCPA. The inoculated materials were checked to be at late uninuclcate pollen stage which corresponded mainly to the uuinuelcate embryo sac stage, but as well as some 2- or 4-nucleate embryo sacs. Samples were fixed at 23 days intervals in acetomethanol (1:3), stained in toto with diluted Ehrlich's hematoxylin and sectioned by paraffin method for microscopical observation. 4 days after inoculation most of the embryo sacs developed up to 8-nucleate stage with polarized differentiation of the egg apparatus, central cell and antipodals. From 7th day on, proembryos of various sizes and shapes appeared in the micropylar region of some embryo sacs; some consisted of meristcmatic ceils, others were highly vacuo]ated. One-celled as well as linear multicellular suspensors atypical of in vivo zygote proembryos were observed, ttowever, it was uncertain whether the proembryos originated from the egg cell, the synergids, or the differentiating egg apparatus as a whole. Another peculiar event occured during culture was the formation of endosperm-like free nuclei from the unfertilized polar nuclei in some embryo sacs. Sometimes the free nuclei were numerous and showed a tendency of cell formation in localized areas. 12–15 days after inoculation, the proembryos developed into mieroseopieal ealli with globular or pearlike shape, wbieh continued enlarging to visible size with naked eyes at about 18–24 th day. Further growth eventually led the ealli protruding out the ovary wall beyond 32–35 the day. These observations indicate that the embryo sue, similarly as the pollen, can be induced to embryogenesis in vitro. This may open a new way to study the mechanism controlling gametophytie and sporophytie developmental pathways of embryo sac and provide means for large-scale production of "embryo sac plants" in future.     

Embryological Studies on Apomixis in Pennisetum squamulatum

Studies on the formation and development of the embryo sac of the apomictic material of Pennisetum squamulatum Fresen indicated that normal archesporial cell did form with consequent development of a megaspore mother cell and later meiotic division to give rise to a triad. But invariably the megaspore mother cell and the triad underwent degeneration after formation. During the period of formation or degeneration of the megaspore or the triad a number of nucellar cells around the degenerated sexual cell became much enlarged. Frequently, one of the enlarging nucellar cells near the micropylar end became vacuolated and then developed into an aposporous uninucleate embryo sac, which underwent two further mitotic divisions to form an aposporous four-nucleate embryo sac, where the four nuclei remained in the micropylar end. Thus in the mature aposporous embryo sac there were one egg cell, one synergid and one central cell (containing two polar nuclei). Antipodal cells were completely lacking. The pattern of development of the aposporous embryo sac resembles the panicum type. There were two types of embryo formed during apomictic development namely ( 1 ) The pre-genesis embryo--embryo formed without fertilization, 1 to 2 days before anthesis, and (2) The late-genesis embryo--derived from the unfertilized egg cells, 3 to 4 days after anthesis. In the late-genesis embryo type, the egg cell divided after the secondary nucleus has undergone division to form the endosperm nuclei. All egg cells developed vacuoles before they differentiated into embryos. The development of the aposporous embryo followed the sequence of the formation of globular, pearshaped embryo and full stages of differentiation. The unfertilized secondary nucleus divides to form free endosperm nuclei after being stimulated by pollination. The development of the endosperm belongs to the nuclear-type.     

黄顶菊的大孢子发生、雌配子体与胚胎发育

用常规石蜡制片对黄顶菊(Flaveria bidentis(L.) Kuntze)大孢子发生、雌配子体和胚胎的发育过程进行了观察.黄顶菊雌蕊柱头二裂,2心皮,1室,单胚珠,基生胎座,单珠被,薄珠心,倒生胚珠,具发达的珠被绒毡层.珠心表皮下分化出孢原细胞,孢原细胞直接发育为大孢子母细胞,大孢子母细胞减数分裂形成直列四分体...     

Microscopical Observations on the Embryoid Formation in Cultured Unfertilized Ovules of Helianthus annuus L.

A recent advance in plant experimental embryology is the induction of haploid plants via in vitro culture of unfertilized ovules. Using float culture method on liquid media, we have raised haploid as well as diploid embryoids in sunflower cultivars by ovule culture. The present investigation was aimed to know the origin and developmental processes of these embryoids. Young flowers 1–4 days before anthesis were dissected and ovules were inoculated on N6 medium supplemented with 0.5–2 ppm MCPA and 6% sucrose. During culture period, samples were collected at intervals, fixed, stained and sectioned by paraffin method. Fifty one gynogenie embryoids of various sizes were observed among Ca. 2000 ovules. They were located at the micropylar end of the embryo sacs and proved to be originated from the unfertilized egg cells. At the early stages, they bore a strong resemblance to the zygotic proembryos in vivo, but after a considerable enlargement, they grew into globular, ovoid or elongated big bodies without polarized organ differentiation. Chromosome counts on some mitotic figures in these embyoids revealed their haploid nature. Embryoids were also produced from the endothelial tissue, which proliferated markedly after inoculation, especially at the chalazal parts, resulting in massive multilayered irregular folds and then degenerated. In some eases, cell divisions at one or several places led to embryoid or callus formation. The problems of how to regulate the growth of in vitro ovules in order to promote the gynogenic embryoids and inhibit the somatic embryoids or calli are left for future research.     

矮沙冬青雌配子体及胚胎发育研究

矮沙冬青子房单心皮1室,边缘胎座,弯生胚珠,胚珠具双珠被、厚珠心。大孢子孢原细胞发生于珠心表皮下,大孢子母细胞减数分裂形成直线排列的四分体,合点端大孢子具功能,并按蓼型胚囊发育,雌配子体成熟于4月中旬。双受精后,胚乳发育为核型。在矮沙冬青大孢子发生、雌配子体和胚胎发育过程中未发现异常现象,因此认为矮沙冬青濒危不存在雌性生殖结构与发育过程异常的内在因素。     

被子植物未受精胚珠与子房离体培养的研究进展

介绍被子植物未受精胚珠与子房离体培养诱导单倍体植株的研究进展。迄今已有9个科21种植物用这一方法诱导出单倍体植株,植物的基因型、外植体的发育程度、接种前的预处理、培养基和培养条件等均能影响诱导率的高低。胚胎学观察揭示大孢子与胚囊内的卵细胞、助细胞和反足细胞均有可能在培养中启动分裂,通过胚状体或愈伤组织形成单倍体植株。本项技术在植物单倍体育种中可发挥重要作用。     

革苞菊胚胎学研究 Ⅰ.大、小孢子发生和雌、雄配子体发育

革苞菊为雌雄异株。在雄花中 ,花药 4室 ,药壁发育为双子叶型 ,由表皮、药室内壁 ,一层中层和绒毡层组成。绒毡层于小孢子四分体时期开始变形 ,其细胞原生质体向药室中移动 ,为变形绒毡层。小孢子孢原为多细胞 ,小孢子母细胞减数分裂产生四面体型的小孢子四分体。四分体胞质分裂为同时型。成熟花粉 3-细胞型。单核期的小孢子出现壁发育不良和巨大及空花粉现象。在雌花中 ,胚珠是倒生的 ,单珠被 ,薄珠心 ,珠被于孢原期已发育完整。大孢子孢原单细胞。由孢原细胞直接发育形成大孢子母细胞。 4个大孢子直线型 ,蓼型胚囊。于成熟胚囊期观察到发育异常的胚囊。通过对胚囊发育过程中营养物质消长规律的研究 ,讨论了环境与发育的相关性问题。     

Polarity and competition between megaspores in the ovule ofOenothera hybrids

New data on the development of polarity in the ovules during megasporogenesis and early stages of embryo sac development inOenothera-hybrids are presented. It is confirmed that allOe. hookeri-hybrids show a strong tendency to form heteropolar tetrads, with the micropylar megaspore developing into an embryo sac. This preference is seen in the delay of the second meiotic division on the chalazal side, the absence of callose in the lateral wall of the micropylar megaspore, and the accumulation of starch in this megaspore. However, homopolar tetrads, chalazal preference, and ovules with two developing embryo sacs are also observed with considerable frequency. Quantitative data on the frequency of the different developmental types are compared with earlier genetic results about competition in the haplophase. There is sufficiently good agreement to support the hypothesis ofRenner that there is a correlation between the developmental processes in the megaspore tetrad and the genetic phenomena of competition in the haplophase.     

Embryo sac development during the culture of placenta attached ovules ofMelandrium album

Ovules ofMelandrium album, attached to the placentas and containing immature embryo sacs, were culturedin vitro. The embryo sacs developed according to thePolygonum type but about 70% of them degenerated during the culture. Gametophytes of a non-typical structure were found in a few ovules,i.e. there appeared more nuclei or cells as in thePolygonum type and the arrangement of nuclei or cells was not true to type. Several-celled structures observed in some embryo sacs were recognized as gynogenetic embryoids.     

Ultrastructural characterization of apospory in Panicum maximum

The nucellar ultrastructure of apomictic Panicum maximum was analyzed during the meiocytic stage and during aposporous embryo sac formation. At pachytene the megameiocyte shows a random cell organelle distribution and sometimes only an incomplete micropylar callose wall. The chalazal nucellar cells are meristematic until the tetrad stage. They can turn into initial cells of aposporous embryo sacs. The aposporous initials can be recognized by their increased cell size, large nucleus, and the presence of many vesicles. The cell wall is thin with few plasmodesmata. If only a sexual embryo sac is formed, the nucellar cells retain their meristematic character. The aposporous initial cell is somewhat comparable to a vacuolated functional megaspore. It shows large vacuoles around the central nucleus and is surrounded by a thick cell wall without plasmodesmata. In the mature aposporous embryo sac the structure of the cells of the egg apparatus is similar to each other. In the chalazal part of the egg apparatus the cell walls are thin and do not hamper the transfer of sperm cells. Structural and functional aspects of nucellar cell differentiation and aposporous and sexual embryo sac development are discussed.     

星星草大、小孢子发生与雌、雄配子体发育的观察

利用常规石蜡制片法研究了星星草[Puccinellia tenutiflora(Griseb．)Scribn．et Merr．]大、小孢子发生及其雌、雄配子体的发育过程。主要结论是：(1)小孢子母细胞减数分裂过程中的胞质分裂为连续型,四分孢子为左右对称型;(2)成熟的花粉为三细胞型,具单萌发孔;(3)花药壁由4层结构组成,最外层为表皮,其内分别为药室内壁、中层、绒毡层,绒毡层为分泌型,花药壁的发育属于单子叶型;(4)星星草为单子房,单胚珠,双珠被,薄珠心,倒生型胚珠。大孢子母细胞经减数分裂形成线形排列的4个大孢子,合点端大孢子具功能;(5)胚囊发育属于蓼型,成熟胚囊形成时,反足细胞经无丝分裂形成4～6个反足细胞,反足细胞内可能存在多次DNA复制过程。     

A novel technique for the partial isolation of maize embryo sacs and subsequent regeneration of plants

Summary Embryo sacs of maize isolated with a few layers of surrounding nucellus or completely isolated with digestive enzymes have resulted in either poorly visible or structurally damaged embryo sacs. We therefore developed a new, more successful method involving mechanical sectioning of maize ovaries using the Vibratome. Sections containing intact embryo sacs are viable and development is normal when sacs are cultured in vitro on semisolid Murashige and Skoog (MS) media. Embryo sacs produce endosperm (90%) and embryos (75%), and mature plants are obtained directly without callus formation or somatic embryogenesis. Immediate applications of this technique may include experimental fertilization and embryogenesis as well as genetic manipulation. Targeting of individual cells was demonstrated with microinjection and confocal microscopy. The methods developed in this study provide a way of studying maize embryo sac development and transformation.     

四倍体双穗雀稗兼性无孢子生殖的研究

研究了四倍体双穗雀稗(Paspalum distichum L)无孢子生殖胚囊、胚胎发育以及假受精特点。当其大孢子母细胞发育至四分体阶段时,大多数情况下会发生四分体退化,同时有多个特化珠心细胞发育为1—3个无孢子生殖胚囊的现象。成熟无孢子生殖胚囊一般3核,包括1个卵细胞和2个极核。卵细胞在抽穗前就能自发分裂形成原胚团,而极核则在抽穗和传粉后参与假受精形成胚乳。当胚珠内存在多个无孢子生殖胚囊时,只是靠近珠孔端的1个无孢子生殖胚囊内的极核与精核结合,而其它的并不参与。种子成熟后出现很低频率的二胚苗。此外,还能观察到少量的有性生殖胚囊的发育以及有性生殖胚囊和无孢子生殖胚囊在同一胚珠中的发育现象,因此判断该类群为兼性无孢子生殖体。