Early signs of disruption of wheat anther development associated with the induction of male sterility by meiotic-stage water deficit

 Water deficit during meiosis in microspore mother cells of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) induces male sterility, which reduces grain yield. In plants stressed during meiosis and then re-watered, division of microspore mother cells seems to proceed normally, but subsequent pollen development is arrested. Stress-affected anthers generally lack starch. We employed light microscopy in conjunction with histochemistry to compare the developmental anatomy of water-stress-affected and normal anthers. The earliest effects of stress, detectable between meiosis and young microspore stages, were the degeneration of meiocytes, loss of orientation of the reproductive cells, and abnormal vacuolization of tapetal cells. Other effects observed during subsequent developmental stages were deposition of starch in the connective tissue where it is normally not present, hypertrophy of the middle layer or endothecial cells, and deposition of sporopollenin-like substances in the anther loculus. The resulting pollen grains lacked both starch and intine. These results suggest that abnormal degeneration of the tapetum in water-stressed anthers coupled with a loss of orientation of the reproductive cells could be part of early events leading to abortion of microspores. Received: 19 July 1996 / Revision accepted: 6 November 1996     

Differences on the microsporogenesis and tapetal development of male fertile and cytoplasmic male sterile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

To clarify the time and cause of pollen abortion, differences on the microsporogenesis and tapetum development in the anthers of male fertile maintainer line and cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line pepper were studied using transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that CMS line anthers appeared to have much greater variability in developmental pattern than male fertile maintainer line ones. The earliest deviation from normal anther development occurred in CMS line anthers at prophase I was cytomixis in some microspore mother cells (MMCs), and vacuolisation in tapetal cells. Then, MMCs in CMS line anthers developed asynchronously and a small part of ones at the different stage degenerated in advance appearing to have typical morphological features of programmed cell death (PCD). Most MMCs could complete the meiosis, but formed non-tetrahedral tetrad microspores with irregular shape and different size and uncertain number of nuclei, and some degenerated ahead of time as well. Tapetal cells in CMS line anther degenerated during meiosis, and were crushed at the tetrad stage, which paralleled the collapse of pollens. Pollen abortion in CMS line anthers happened by PCD themselves, and the premature PCD of tapetal cells were closely associated with male sterility.     

Drought-induced male sterility in rice: Changes in carbohydrate levels and enzyme activities associated with the inhibition of starch accumulation in pollen

Male reproductive development of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is very sensitive to drought. A brief, transitory episode of water stress during meiosis in pollen mother cells of rice grown under controlled environmental conditions induced pollen sterility. Anthers containing sterile pollen were smaller, thinner, and often deformed compared to normal anthers of well-watered plants. Only about 20% of the fully developed florets in stressed plants produced grains, compared to 90% in well-watered controls. Water stress treatments after meiosis were progressively less damaging. Levels of starch and sugars and activities of key enzymes involved in sucrose cleavage and starch synthesis were analyzed in anthers collected at various developmental stages from plants briefly stressed during meiosis and then re-watered. Normal starch accumulation during pollen development was strongly inhibited in stress-affected anthers. During the period of stress, both reducing and non-reducing sugars accumulated in anthers. After the relief of stress, reducing sugar levels fell somewhat below those in controls, but levels of non-reducing sugars remained higher than in controls. Activities of acid invertase and soluble starch synthase in stressed anthers were lower than in controls at comparable stages throughout development, during as well as after stress. Stress had no immediate effect on ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity, but had an inhibitory aftereffect throughout post-stress development. Sucrose synthase activity, which was, relatively speaking, much lower than acid invertase activity, was only slightly suppressed by stress. The results show that it is unlikely that pollen sterility, or the attendant inhibition of starch accumulation, in water-stressed rice plants are caused by carbohydrate starvation per se. Instead, an impairment of enzymes of sugar metabolism and starch synthesis may be among the potential causes of this failure.     

Anther starch variations in Lilium during pollen development

Starch was cytologically localized and biochemically assayed in different anther cell layers of Lilium cv. Enchantment during pollen development and its presence was correlated with anther growth. Two phases could be distinguished: the first, the growth phase, extends from the beginning of meiosis to the vacuolated microspore stage and corresponds to maximum increase in anther size and weight. During this period, microspores lack amyloplasts and starch is degraded in the outer staminal wall layers. The tapetum does not contain starch reserves but accumulates a PAS-positive substance in its vacuole. The second phase, the maturation phase, begins with the late vacuolated microspore stage and lasts until pollen maturation. Anther growth is slowed during this phase. A wave of amylogenesis/ amylolysis occurs first in the late vacuolated-microspores and young pollen grains and, next, in the staminal envelopes. In the pollen grain, the cytoplasm of the vegetative cell is filled with starch, but amyloplasts are not detected in the generative cell. When pollen grains ripen, amylaceous reserves are replaced with lipids. In the staminal envelopes, the second amylogenesis is particularly evident in the endothecium and the middle layers; the peak of starch is reached at the young bicellular pollen grain stage; starch disappears from the anther wall early during the maturation phase. The wave of amylogenesis/amylolysis occurring in the staminal envelopes during the maturation phase is peculiar to Lilium. It is interpreted as a sudden increase in carbohydrate level caused by lower anther needs when the growth is completed. Staminal envelopes may act as a physiological buffer and regulate soluble sugar level in the anther. Stages of anther growth correlate with starch content variations and this suggests that during the growth phase, products of starch hydrolysis in the staminal envelopes may be consumed partly by anther cell layers and partly by microspores.     

Receptor-like protein kinase 2 (RPK 2) is a novel factor controlling anther development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Receptor-like kinases (RLK) comprise a large gene family within the Arabidopsis genome and play important roles in plant growth and development as well as in hormone and stress responses. Here we report that a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK), RECEPTOR-LIKE PROTEIN KINASE2 (RPK2), is a key regulator of anther development in Arabidopsis. Two RPK2 T-DNA insertional mutants (rpk2-1 and rpk2-2) displayed enhanced shoot growth and male sterility due to defects in anther dehiscence and pollen maturation. The rpk2 anthers only developed three cell layers surrounding the male gametophyte: the middle layer was not differentiated from inner secondary parietal cells. Pollen mother cells in rpk2 anthers could undergo meiosis, but subsequent differentiation of microspores was inhibited by tapetum hypertrophy, with most resulting pollen grains exhibiting highly aggregated morphologies. The presence of tetrads and microspores in individual anthers was observed during microspore formation, indicating that the developmental homeostasis of rpk2 anther locules was disrupted. Anther locules were finally crushed without stomium breakage, a phenomenon that was possibly caused by inadequate thickening and lignification of the endothecium. Microarray analyses revealed that many genes encoding metabolic enzymes, including those involved in cell wall metabolism and lignin biosynthesis, were downregulated throughout anther development in rpk2 mutants. RPK2 mRNA was abundant in the tapetum of wild-type anthers during microspore maturation. These results suggest that RPK2 controls tapetal cell fate by triggering subsequent tapetum degradation, and that mutating RPK2 impairs normal pollen maturation and anther dehiscence due to disruption of key metabolic pathways.     

丹参雄性不育系Sh-B的鉴定与花粉发育过程的解剖学研究

在显微水平上对新发现的丹参雄性不育系Sh-B花药发育过程进行了解剖学观察,并对其花粉活力和结实率进行了鉴定。结果显示:根据花器官及花药的形态、大小以及花丝的长度,可以将Sh-B不育株分为3个不育类型,即Sh-B1、Sh-B2和Sh-B3。这3种不育类型均属于雄性不育,其花丝不到正常可育株的1/2,花药干瘪而瘦小,内无花粉粒或花粉无活力;其根、茎、叶以及种子形态结构与正常可育植株基本相似。产生雄性不育的主要原因有:花粉囊药室内壁纤维层加厚,影响花药壁开裂;小孢子母细胞周围不产生胼胝质或产生的胼胝质很少;绒毡层细胞延迟解体;花粉粒畸形。在其花药发育的小孢子母细胞时期、四分体形成前期、单核期、双核期均可能产生雄性不育的小孢子或花粉粒。     

白菜细胞核雄性不育花药的细胞化学观察

对一种由一对隐性基因控制的白菜细胞核雄性不育和可育株的花药进行了细胞学和组织化学研究。种子播种后,有1／4植株为不育株,其余的为可育株。通过对不育株和可育株花药发育的细胞学观察,确认不育花粉的败育发生在小孢子发育时期。用组织化学的方法研究了可育株和不育株花药发育过程中的多糖和脂类的分布动态,发现在减数分裂前,可育花药和不育花药的药隔细胞中都储藏了大量的淀粉粒。二者的差异仅是不育花药的绒毡层细胞液泡化明显。在减数分裂后的小孢子发育时期,可育花药的绒毡层细胞具有将药隔细胞中的淀粉粒多糖吸收并转化成脂类的功能,小孢子及以后的二胞花粉中也积累了大量的脂类储藏物质。在不育花药中,虽然减数分裂后药隔细胞中的淀粉粒也都消失,但绒毡层细胞中的脂类物质相比很少,同时绒毡层细胞显示了明显的多糖反应,表明不育花药的绒毡层细胞将糖类转化为脂类的功能受阻。在小孢子的表面有些脂类物质,但在细胞质中却没有脂类积累。这一结果暗示在该种白菜细胞核雄性不育株中,由于花药绒毡层细胞转换多糖为脂类的功能失常,导致了小孢子的败育。     

凤仙花花药发育中多糖和脂滴组织化学研究

以不同发育时期的凤仙花花药为实验材料,采用组织化学方法,对花药发育中的结构变化及多糖和脂滴物质分布进行观察。结果表明:(1)凤仙花的花药壁由6层细胞组成,包括1层表皮细胞,2层药室内壁细胞,2层中层细胞和1层绒毡层细胞。其中绒毡层细胞的形态不明显,很难与造孢细胞区分,且在小孢子母细胞时期退化。(2)在小孢子母细胞中出现了一些淀粉粒,但减数分裂后,早期小孢子中的淀粉粒消失,又出现了一些小的脂滴;随着花粉的发育,小孢子形成大液泡,晚期小孢子中的脂滴也消失;小孢子分裂形成二胞花粉后,营养细胞中的大液泡降解、消失,二胞花粉中又开始积累淀粉;接近开花时,成熟花粉中充满细胞质,其中包含了较多的淀粉粒和脂滴。(3)在凤仙花的花药发育中,绒毡层细胞很早退化,为小孢子母细胞和四分体小孢子提供了营养物质;其后的中层细胞退化则为后期花粉发育提供了营养物质。     

水稻非花粉型细胞质雄性不育系及其保持系花药发育过程中Ca2+的分布变化

钙在高等植物中被称为第二信使,与植物的有性生殖有关。为了研究水稻（Oryza sativa L.）花药中钙的定位与花粉败育的关系,利用焦锑酸钾沉淀法研究了非花粉型细胞质雄性不育系G37A及其保持系G37B花药的发育过程及其细胞中Ca^2＋ 的分布变化。研究发现,在2个材料间花药中钙的分布存在大量差异。G37B的可育花药在花粉母细胞时期及二分体时期,很少看到有Ca^2＋的沉积;而在单核花粉时期,Ca^2＋沉积急速地增加,主要定位在绒毡层细胞、花粉外壁外层及乌氏体的表面;随后花药壁上沉积的Ca^2＋减少而花粉的外壁外层仍然有很多Ca^2＋沉积物。相反,G37A的不育花药在花粉母细胞时期和二分体时期有大量的Ca^2＋沉积在小孢子母细胞和花药壁,中间层和绒毡层特别多。在二分体时期之后,不育花药的Ca^2＋沉积减少,特别是绒毡层内切向质膜附近的Ca^2＋几乎消失。但是同时期的可育花药中,有大量的Ca^2＋沉积在绒毡层。不育花药的Ca^2＋沉积在开花几天后消失。根据研究结果推测在不育花药发育早期中更多的钙离子与花粉败育有一定的关系。     

The Cytological Mechanism of Low Fertility in the Naked Seed Rice

The low fertility of naked seed rice (NSR) was investigated by the following observations: somatic chromosome constitute, behavior of pollen mother cells (PMCs), the germination of mature pollen grains, the development of male and female gametes and the structure of the anther opening. The results indicated that somatic chromosomal number was 2n = 24, behavior of PMCs were normal and most of pollen grains could regularly develop further to mature male gametophytes in NSR. And dehiscence chamber and thickened endothecium cell (TEC) in numerous anthers of the NSR were developed abnormally after dicaryotic phase, result in few anthers complete opening and most partly opening or failure to opening, therefore much fewer of pollen grains attach on the stigma as compared with normal variety. Furthermore most of embryo sacs possessed abnormal structure and were sterile. All of above illustrated that the failure of the anther opening and the abortion of female gametophyte were main factors controlling the low seed-setting rate of the NSR.     

mRNA differential display between sterile and fertile anther of rice and analysis of cDNA differential fragments

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Analysis of the Maize dicer-like1 Mutant,fuzzy tassel,Implicates MicroRNAs in Anther Maturation and Dehiscence

Sexual reproduction in plants requires development of haploid gametophytes from somatic tissues. Pollen is the male gametophyte and develops within the stamen; defects in the somatic tissues of the stamen and in the male gametophyte itself can result in male sterility. The maize fuzzy tassel (fzt) mutant has a mutation in dicer-like1 (dcl1), which encodes a key enzyme required for microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. Many miRNAs are reduced in fzt, and fzt mutants exhibit a broad range of developmental defects, including male sterility. To gain further insight into the roles of miRNAs in maize stamen development, we conducted a detailed analysis of the male sterility defects in fzt mutants. Early development was normal in fzt mutant anthers, however fzt anthers arrested in late stages of anther maturation and did not dehisce. A minority of locules in fzt anthers also exhibited anther wall defects. At maturity, very little pollen in fzt anthers was viable or able to germinate. Normal pollen is tricellular at maturity; pollen from fzt anthers included a mixture of unicellular, bicellular, and tricellular pollen. Pollen from normal anthers is loaded with starch before dehiscence, however pollen from fzt anthers failed to accumulate starch. Our results indicate an absolute requirement for miRNAs in the final stages of anther and pollen maturation in maize. Anther wall defects also suggest that miRNAs have key roles earlier in anther development. We discuss candidate miRNAs and pathways that might underlie fzt anther defects, and also note that male sterility in fzt resembles water deficit-induced male sterility, highlighting a possible link between development and stress responses in plants.     

Asynchronous meiosis in an interspecific hybrid of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiaria ruziziensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. brizantha</Emphasis>

Male meiosis is generally synchronous in higher plants. The regulation of the cell cycle is still not well understood, and a powerful tool for gaining an understanding of this regulation is the development of mutations that affect cell-cycle synchrony. We report here asynchronous microsporogenesis in an interspecific hybrid between two important tropical grasses. In young spikelets of the interspecific hybrid 49.10% of anther meiocytes entered meiosis, exhibiting typical phases of the first and second divisions, while the other 50.90% showed distinctive features of early prophase. In older spikelets, anthers containing mature pollen grains also displayed meiocytes still undergoing meiosis. At this time, the latter cells were enclosed by the exine wall. Despite asynchrony, all cells completed meiosis. Old anthers contained only pollen grains that appeared to be in the same stage of development. Pollen fertility was estimated to be 52.76% in dehiscent anthers. An independent genetic control for meiosis synchrony and meiotic stages is suggested.     

THE CYTOLOGY OF POLLEN ABORTION IN S CYTOPLASMIC MALE-STERILE CORN ANTHERS

The anther development of the S male-sterile cytoplasm and the fertile maintainer (N) cytoplasm versions of corn inbred W182BN and the restored S cytoplasm version of inbred NY821LERf was studied by light and electron microscopy and compared to pollen abortion in the C and T types of male-sterile cytoplasms. The S anthers did not deviate from the non-male sterile (N) anthers until a very late stage of pollen development. Tapetal cells developed and disappeared normally in the S version which differentiates this cytoplasm from the C and T types. Although some modified membranous structures were seen in a higher frequency in the large vacuole of the sterile S pollen than in the N and restored S counterparts, the mitochondria and other organelles in the S pollen appeared normal up to the time of pollen abortion. Pollen abortion in the S cytoplasm did not occur until the developing pollen was nearly mature. At this time the pollen grains disintegrated abruptly but other anther tissues appeared unaltered. The male sterility of S plants appeared to be determined by the pollen itself without external influence from the tapetum.     

OsATG7 is required for autophagy-dependent lipid metabolism in rice postmeiotic anther development

In flowering plants, the tapetum, the innermost layer of the anther, provides both nutrient and lipid components to developing microspores, pollen grains, and the pollen coat. Though the programmed cell death of the tapetum is one of the most critical and sensitive steps for fertility and is affected by various environmental stresses, its regulatory mechanisms remain mostly unknown. Here we show that autophagy is required for the metabolic regulation and nutrient supply in anthers and that autophagic degradation within tapetum cells is essential for postmeiotic anther development in rice. Autophagosome-like structures and several vacuole-enclosed lipid bodies were observed in postmeiotic tapetum cells specifically at the uninucleate stage during pollen development, which were completely abolished in a retrotransposon-insertional OsATG7 (autophagy-related 7)-knockout mutant defective in autophagy, suggesting that autophagy is induced in tapetum cells. Surprisingly, the mutant showed complete sporophytic male sterility, failed to accumulate lipidic and starch components in pollen grains at the flowering stage, showed reduced pollen germination activity, and had limited anther dehiscence. Lipidomic analyses suggested impairment of editing of phosphatidylcholines and lipid desaturation in the mutant during pollen maturation. These results indicate a critical involvement of autophagy in a reproductive developmental process of rice, and shed light on the novel autophagy-mediated regulation of lipid metabolism in eukaryotic cells.     

OsATG7 is required for autophagy-dependent lipid metabolism in rice postmeiotic anther development

In flowering plants, the tapetum, the innermost layer of the anther, provides both nutrient and lipid components to developing microspores, pollen grains, and the pollen coat. Though the programmed cell death of the tapetum is one of the most critical and sensitive steps for fertility and is affected by various environmental stresses, its regulatory mechanisms remain mostly unknown. Here we show that autophagy is required for the metabolic regulation and nutrient supply in anthers and that autophagic degradation within tapetum cells is essential for postmeiotic anther development in rice. Autophagosome-like structures and several vacuole-enclosed lipid bodies were observed in postmeiotic tapetum cells specifically at the uninucleate stage during pollen development, which were completely abolished in a retrotransposon-insertional OsATG7 (autophagy-related 7)-knockout mutant defective in autophagy, suggesting that autophagy is induced in tapetum cells. Surprisingly, the mutant showed complete sporophytic male sterility, failed to accumulate lipidic and starch components in pollen grains at the flowering stage, showed reduced pollen germination activity, and had limited anther dehiscence. Lipidomic analyses suggested impairment of editing of phosphatidylcholines and lipid desaturation in the mutant during pollen maturation. These results indicate a critical involvement of autophagy in a reproductive developmental process of rice, and shed light on the novel autophagy-mediated regulation of lipid metabolism in eukaryotic cells.     

Auxin regulates Arabidopsis anther dehiscence, pollen maturation, and filament elongation

We provide evidence on the localization, synthesis, transport, and effects of auxin on the processes occurring late in Arabidopsis thaliana stamen development: anther dehiscence, pollen maturation, and preanthesis filament elongation. Expression of auxin-sensitive reporter constructs suggests that auxin effects begin in anthers between the end of meiosis and the bilocular stage in the somatic tissues involved in the first step of dehiscence as well as in the microspores and in the junction region between anther and filament. In situ hybridizations of the auxin biosynthetic genes YUC2 and YUC6 suggest that auxin is synthesized in anthers. In agreement with the timing of auxin effects, the TIR1, AFB1, AFB2, and AFB3 auxin receptor-encoding genes are transcribed in anthers only during late stages of development starting at the end of meiosis. We found that in tir1 afb triple and quadruple mutants, anther dehiscence and pollen maturation occur earlier than in the wild type, causing the release of mature pollen grains before the completion of filament elongation. We also assessed the contribution of auxin transport to late stamen developmental processes. Our results suggest that auxin synthesized in anthers plays a major role in coordinating anther dehiscence and pollen maturation, while auxin transport contributes to the independent regulation of preanthesis filament elongation.     

CYTOLOGICAL EXPRESSIONS OF A CYTOPLASMIC MALE STERILITY IN SOLANUM

Anther contents of plants expressing the cytoplasm-gene interaction that results in anther indehiscence were studied under the light microscope. Plants could be classified in four groups on the basis of anther content: (1) A blockage resulted from cessation of development principally during the stages of meiosis of apparently normal sporocytes. This produced anthers in open flowers that usually contained monads or dyads. (2) Disorganization of sporocytes during first meiotic prophase resulted in irregularity of disjunction during the two meiotic divisions. Sporocytes produced quartet-stage clumps having more than four cells. Microspores failed to grow beyond early stages of exine development. (3) Abnormal small pollen having a very thick exine. (4) Normal pollen present in anthers that lacked terminal pores. The variety of anther content types resulted from presence of modifying genes rather than from differing actions of genes that conditioned indehiscence itself. Expression was not modified by environmental fluctuations, and plants did not show chimeral sectors having changed anther contents or dehiscent anthers.     

百合科山韭小孢子发生及雄配子体发育

利用石蜡切片对葱属植物山韭(Allium senescens L.)的小孢子发生及雄配子体形成进行了研究.结果表明:山韭花药具4个药室,花药壁由表皮、药室内壁、中层和绒毡层4层细胞组成,属分泌型绒毡层.小孢子母细胞减数分裂的胞质分裂为连续型.成熟花粉为二胞型,偶见三胞型.在小孢子母细胞减数分裂和单核小孢子中出现许多异常行为,如染色体拖曳,落后染色体和后期桥,以及产生微核等,这可能是导致花粉败育的原因之一.