Changes of calcium distribution in ovules ofTorenia fournieri during pollination and fertilization

Summary Calcium distribution in ovules ofTorenia fournieri was studied by electron energy loss spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopic visualization of calcium antimonate precipitates. High calcium levels were found in the ovules ofT. fournieri. Calcium is situated mainly in extracellular regions before fertilization, including the surface of embryo sac, in the mucilage, and among the cells of the egg apparatus. Intracellular calcium was found only in the nucellar cells around the embryo sac and in the epidermis of the central axis and funiculus. After pollination, a labyrinthine structure (coralloid-like cell wall formation) develops on the micropylar surfaces of the egg apparatus that contain high levels of calcium. Calcium levels increase in the degenerating synergid after the penetration of the pollen tube. Calcium-antimonate precipitates are abundant in vacuoles of the disrupted synergid and pollen tube cytoplasm.Abbreviations EELS electron energy loss spectroscopy - EDX energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis - LS labyrinthine structure     

Calcium distribution in fertilized and unfertilized ovules and embryo sacs of Nicotiana tabacum L.

Potassium antimonate was used to localize Ca²⁺ in tobacco ovules from 0 to 7 d after anthesis in pollinated and emasculated flowers. Antimonate binds “loosely bound” Ca²⁺ into calcium antimonate; less-soluble forms are unavailable and free calcium usually escapes. Ovules are immature at anthesis. Abundant calcium precipitates in nucellar cells surrounding the micropylar canal. A difference between calcium in the two synergids emerges at 1 d, which is enhanced in pollinated flowers. The future receptive synergid accumulates more precipitates in the nucleus, cytoplasm and cell walls. After fertilization, micropyle precipitates diminish, and the ovule is unreceptive to further tube entry. In emasculated flowers 6 d after anthesis, ovular precipitates essentially disappear; however, flowers pollinated at 4–5 d and collected 2 d later largely restore their prior concentration of precipitates. Ovular precipitates occur initially in the nucellus, then the embryo sac, and finally the synergid and micropylar filiform apparatus. Possibility, calcium is released from the embryo sac, although no structural evidence of exudate formation was observed. Calcium precipitates in the ovule correlate with the ability of the ovule to be fertilized, suggesting that successful pollen tube entry and later development may require calcium of the class precipitated by antimonate. Received: 14 August 1996 / Accepted: 9 October 1996     

Isolation of embryo sacs from Dianthus ovules by enzymatic treatments and microdissection

 Mature ovules of Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) were histologically observed by clearing and serial sectioning to characterize the cells of the embryo sac. The results show that the mature embryo sac was located deep inside the hemitropous ovule due to thick nucellar tissue at the micropylar region. For the isolation of the embryo sacs, ovules were collected from ovaries of flowers 1 day after anthesis, and treated with an enzyme solution for digesting cell walls on a gyratory shaker. After 12 h of enzyme treatment, these ovules were dissected using a glass needle under an inverted microscope to release the embryo sacs. The embryo sacs, characterized by their specific size, were successfully released by these successive treatments. The viability of the embryo sacs was more than 80% as assessed with fluorescein diacetate staining. Fluorescent staining with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole revealed the nuclei of the egg apparatus in the isolated embryo sacs. The procedure for isolating embryo sacs established in this study will offer a new approach to further in vitro studies on fertilization in Dianthus. Received: 20 January 1999 / Revision received: 12 July 1999 / Accepted: 17 August 1999     

莴苣卵细胞、合子与原胚细胞中钙的分布

用焦锑酸盐沉淀法对莴苣开花前后的卵细胞、合子与原胚细胞中的钙颗粒分布变化进行了观察。结果表明,开花前三天,刚形成的卵细胞内钙颗粒很少,开花前二天的卵细胞内钙颗粒开始增多,开花前一天的卵细胞形成了大液泡,建立了极性,细胞内的钙颗粒又减少。开花后、受精前的卵细胞的钙颗粒主要聚集在细胞核中。受精后合子中的钙颗粒又明显增多,在核质中分布一些较大的钙颗粒,在珠孔端大液泡中聚集了较多的絮状钙。二胞原胚中的钙颗粒又开始减少,多胞原胚细胞中的钙进一步减少,但原胚表面分布一层丰富的钙颗粒。探讨了钙在卵细胞分化成熟、受精以及原胚发育初期中的作用。     

Three-dimensional organization and dynamic changes of the actin cytoskeleton in embryo sacs ofZea mays andTorenia fournieri

Summary Actin organization was observed inm-maleimidobenzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester(MBS)-treated maize embryo sacs by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results revealed that dynamic changes of actin occur not only in the degenerating synergid, but also in the egg during fertilization. The actin filaments distribute randomly in the chalazal part of the synergid before fertilization; they later become organized into numerous aggregates in the chalazal end after pollination. The accumulation of actin at this region is intensified after the pollen tube discharges its contents. Concurrently, actin patches have also been found in the cytoplasm of the egg cell and later they accumulate in the cortical region. To compare with MBS-treated maize embryo sacs, we have performed phalloidin microinjection to label the actin cytoskeleton in living embryo sacs ofTorenia fournieri. The results have extended the previous observations on the three-dimensional organization of the actin arrays in the cells of the female germ unit and confirm the occurrence of the actin coronas in the embryo sac during fertilization. We have found that there is an actin cap occurring near the filiform apparatus after anthesis. In addition, phalloidin microinjection into the Torenia embryo sac has proved the presence of intercellular actin between the cells of the female germ unit and thus confirms the occurrence of the actin coronas in the embryo sac during fertilization. Moreover, actin dynamic changes also take place in the egg and the central cell, accomplished with the interaction between the male and female gametes. The actin filaments initially organize into a distinct actin network in the cortex of the central cell after anthesis; they become fragmented in the micropylar end of the cell after pollination. Similar to maize, actin patches have also been observed in the egg cortex after pollination. This is the first report of actin dynamics in the living embryo sac. The results suggest that the actin cytoskeleton may play an essential role in the reception of the pollen tube, migration of the male gametes, and even gametic fusion.     

Actin coronas in normal and indeterminate gametophyte1 embryo sacs of maize

 The actin cytoskeletal organization and nuclear behavior of normal and indeterminate gametophyte1 (ig1) embryo sacs of maize were examined during fertilization. After pollination, during degeneration of one of the synergids and before arrival of the pollen tube, the cytoskeletal elements undergo dramatic changes including formation of the actin coronas at the chalazal end of the degenerating synergid and at the interface between the egg cell and central cell. The actin coronas are present only for a limited period of time and their presence is coordinated with pollen tube arrival and fusion of the gametes; they disappear before the zygote divides. This allows us to estimate the frequency of fertilized ovules along the ear. Up to 88% of the ovules on an ear contain actin coronas in the embryo sacs when observed 16–19 h after pollination, indicating the high frequency of fertilizing kernels along the ear at this stage. In the ig embryo sacs, two or more degenerated synergids containing actin coronas at their chalazal ends receive multiple pollen tubes for gametic fusion and can consequently give rise to twin or polyembryos. These findings with the monocot maize are consistent with previous reports on the dicots Plumbago and Nicotiana, suggesting that the formation of actin coronas in the embryo sac during fertilization is a universal phenomenon in angiosperms and is part of a mechanism of interaction between gametic signaling and actin cytoskeleton behavior which appears to precisely position and facilitate the access of male gametes to the egg cell and central cell for fusion. Received: 15 May 1998 / Revision accepted: 17 August 1998     

龙须草无融合生殖的胚胎学证据

采用石蜡切片技术对龙须草(Eulaliopsis binata(Rotz)C.E.Hubb)进行了系统的胚胎学研究,证明龙须草为禾本科植物中一种新的无融合生殖材料.龙须草无融合生殖方式为无孢子生殖,在胚珠发育早期,多个珠心细胞特化为无孢子生殖原始细胞,由原始细胞发育为单核胚囊,经两次有丝分裂形成4核胚囊,进一步分化形成两种类型的成熟胚囊:(1)具1个卵细胞,1个助细胞和2个极核,占观察总数的67.6%;(2)具1个卵细胞,2个助细胞和1个极核,占观察总数的32.4%.胚囊发育属大黍型.多个无孢子生殖原始细胞可以同时发育,最后形成2个或多个胚囊,其比例为17.7%.胚珠内没有有性胚囊的发育.胚的发生有两种类型:(1)早发生胚(74%),开花前1～2 d,极核未分裂前卵细胞分裂形成胚;(2)迟发生胚(26%),开花后2～3 d,极核分裂形成多个胚乳游离核后,卵细胞启动分裂形成胚.存在多胚现象,多胚来自不同胚囊内卵细胞的孤雌生殖,多胚发生率为13%.胚乳由极核不经受精自发分裂产生.     

龙须草无融合生殖的胚胎学证据

采用石蜡切片技术对龙须草(Eulaliopsisbinata(Rotz)C.E.Hubb)进行了系统的胚胎学研究,证明龙须草为禾本科植物中一种新的无融合生殖材料。龙须草无融合生殖方式为无孢子生殖,在胚珠发育早期,多个珠心细胞特化为无孢子生殖原始细胞,由原始细胞发育为单核胚囊,经两次有丝分裂形成4核胚囊,进一步分化形成两种类型的成熟胚囊:(1)具1个卵细胞,1个助细胞和2个极核,占观察总数的67.6%;(2)具1个卵细胞,2个助细胞和1个极核,占观察总数的32.4%。胚囊发育属大黍型。多个无孢子生殖原始细胞可以同时发育,最后形成2个或多个胚囊,其比例为17.7%。胚珠内没有有性胚囊的发育。胚的发生有两种类型:(1)早发生胚(74%),开花前1~2d,极核未分裂前卵细胞分裂形成胚;(2)迟发生胚(26%),开花后2~3d,极核分裂形成多个胚乳游离核后,卵细胞启动分裂形成胚。存在多胚现象,多胚来自不同胚囊内卵细胞的孤雌生殖,多胚发生率为13%。胚乳由极核不经受精自发分裂产生。     

Three-dimensional organization and dynamic changes of the actin cytoskeleton in embryo sacs ofZea mays andTorenia fournieri

Actin organization was observed in m-maleimidobenzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester(MBS)-treated maize embryo sacs by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results revealed that dynamic changes of actin occur not only in the degenerating synergid, but also in the egg during fertilization. The actin filaments distribute randomly in the chalazal part of the synergid before fertilization; they later become organized into numerous aggregates in the chalazal end after pollination. The accumulation of actin at this region is intensified after the pollen tube discharges its contents. Concurrently, actin patches have also been found in the cytoplasm of the egg cell and later they accumulate in the cortical region. To compare with MBS-treated maize embryo sacs, we have performed phalloidin microinjection to label the actin cytoskeleton in living embryo sacs of Torenia fournieri. The results have extended the previous observations on the three-dimensional organization of the actin arrays in the cells of the female germ unit and confirm the occurrence of the actin coronas in the embryo sac during fertilization. We have found that there is an actin cap occurring near the filiform apparatus after anthesis. In addition, phalloidin microinjection into the Torenia embryo sac has proved the presence of intercellular actin between the cells of the female germ unit and thus confirms the occurrence of the actin coronas in the embryo sac during fertilization. Moreover, actin dynamic changes also take place in the egg and the central cell, accomplished with the interaction between the male and female gametes. The actin filaments initially organize into a distinct actin network in the cortex of the central cell after anthesis; they become fragmented in the micropylar end of the cell after pollination. Similar to maize, actin patches have also been observed in the egg cortex after pollination. This is the first report of actin dynamics in the living embryo sac. The results suggest that the actin cytoskeleton may play an essential role in the reception of the pollen tube, migration of the male gametes, and even gametic fusion.     

EMBRYO SAC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CV. KS MALE-STERILE,FEMALE-STERILE LINE OF SOYBEAN (GLYCINE MAX)

Light microscopic observations were made on 22 ovules from fertile plants and 108 ovules from sterile plants of the cv. KS synaptic mutant, a highly male-sterile, female-sterile line of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (2n = 2x = 40). Ovules of fertile siblings contained normal embryo sacs and embryos. Ovules from sterile plants contained various irregularities. The most consistent abnormality was the failure of the embryo sac to attain normal size. Small megasporocytes of irregular shape were seen; only one megasporocyte of normal shape and size was noted. No linear tetrads were found. However, two ovules contained nonlinear triads. A range from zero to 28 cells and nuclei, of various sizes, were identifiable in small megagametophytes and embryo sacs. Degeneration of these nuclei and cells was noted as early as the four-nucleate gametophyte stage. Other ovules contained degenerated nucellar centers without embryo sacs. Two ovules appeared to be normal. Late postpollination stages were marked by shrunken nucellus and integuments. The presence of pollen tube traces, endosperm, and aborting embryos in ovules of hand-pollinated flowers from sterile plants suggested that no incompatibility was involved. Degeneration of the gametophyte and embryo sac contents at many developmental stages indicated a wide array of effects, possibly resulting from meiotic irregularities similar to those seen in microsporogenesis of this mutant.     

CYTOLOGICAL BASIS FOR CYTOPLASMIC INHERITANCE IN PSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESII. I. POLLEN TUBE AND ARCHEGONIAL DEVELOPMENT

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) ovules were used to study the method of pollen tube formation and penetration of the nucellus, the movement of the body cell down the pollen tube and development of the archegonia. No pollination drop forms but nucellar tip cells produce a minute secretion that may initiate pollen tube formation. Pollen tubes penetrate the nucellus causing degeneration of nucellar cells in contact with the pollen tube tip. The body cell becomes highly lobed and the tube cytoplasm forms thin sheets between the lobes. This may be the mechanism by which the large body cell is pulled down the narrow pollen tube. Body cell plastids and mitochondria remain unaltered during pollen tube growth, whereas tube cell organelles show signs of degeneration. The pollen tube penetrates the megaspore wall and settles in the archegonial chamber. During pollen elongation and pollen tube growth the egg matured. Egg cell plastids were transformed into large inclusions which filled the periphery of the egg while mitochondria migrated to the perinuclear zone. The neck cells, ventral canal cell and archegonial jacket cells are described. The significance of the body cell and egg cell ultrastructure is discussed in light of recent restriction fragment length polymorphism studies of plastid and mitochondrial inheritance in the Pinaceae.     

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。     

Programmed cell death of Pinus nucellus in response to pollen tube penetration

In ovules of Pinus densiflora, pollen tubes elongate and branch into the nucellar tissue in the direction of the female gametophyte. After pollination, nucellar cells located around the pollen grain and tube die off. We showed here that the nuclei of the nucellar cells were stained by TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick end labeling). The number of TUNEL-positive cells increased during pollen tube growth. The tips of pollen tube branches protruded into the nucellar cells to form a convex–concave junction. At this junction, the cell membrane of nucellar cells was separated from the cell wall and the protoplast shrank. Small vesicles and amorphous materials were released from the protoplast into the space between the cell membrane and wall. Vacuoles were collapsed, chromatin was condensed, and mitochondria and plastids were deteriorated in the shrunken protoplast. Agarose gel analysis of DNA isolated from the ovules showed a DNA ladder, suggesting that the nuclear DNA had undergone internucleosomal cleavage. These results suggest that nucellar cells undergo programmed cell death in response to pollen tube penetration with some features resembling apoptosis and other features peculiar to nucellar cells. Received: April 13, 2001 / Accepted: December 10, 2001     

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.     

蓝猪耳卵细胞和合子的分离

蓝猪耳(Torenia fournieri)胚囊部分裸露出胚珠,在光学显微镜下能清楚观察到卵细胞和助细胞的形态结构.用解剖和酶解-解剖两种方法都能分离出生活卵细胞.用前种方法机械分离出的卵细胞数量较少(5%),但避免了酶对配子识别研究的干扰.在后种方法中加入0.1%纤维素酶和0.1%果胶酶既能使分离更加容易操作,又对卵细胞没有致命伤害,能在短时间内分离出较多的卵细胞(18%).用酶解-解剖方法也可分离出授粉14 h后的合子细胞.     

钙在被子植物受精过程中的作用

近年来,花粉管中的钙信号和生理功能的研究取得了明显的进展,同时在雌蕊系统中有关钙分布的研究也初步显示了其时、空特征与被子植物的受精作用密切相关。该文总结了花粉萌发和花粉管生长过程中外源钙和内源钙的作用机制,结合雌蕊组织中钙分布的特征,进一步探讨了钙在被子植物受精过程中的功能。     

Invvestigations on Early Embryogenesis of Actinidia chinensis Planch var. chinensis

This paper deals with early embryogenesis of Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis. 1. Ovary superior consists of 34—45 carpels. Each carpel contains 11–45 ovules. The ovule is uni-integument and tenuinucellar. The ovule is anatropous. The archesporium is formed by a single cell, and directly develops into megaspore mother cell. Sometimes the archesporium consists of 2–3 cells, but only one of them develops into megaspore mother cell and the others are degenerated. 2. The mature pollen grain is two-celled and the embryo sac belongs to olygonum type. In most embryo sacs two polar nuclei are fused before fertilization. One of the synergids was destroyed as the pollen tube penetrated into embryo sac the other one disappeared after fertilization. In most cases the antipodal cells became degenerated in fertilization process, only some remained until the first division of primary endosperm nucleus. 3. In Beijing area the double fertilization of Actinidia chinensis occurred 30–72 hours after pollination. In the fertilization one sperm fused with egg nucleus and the other sperm fused with the secondary nucleus as usual. The fusion of the secondary nucleus with sperm was in advance of the fusion of the egg nudeus. 4. The endosperm is cellular type.     

花椒和野花椒的无融合生殖

花椒与野花椒的胚囊发育类型属蓼型,成熟胚囊的卵器退化。花椒无雄花,不发生双受精,自发形成胚乳并产生珠心胚。野花椒虽有正常花粉,人工授粉后能萌发,但在花粉管长入胚囊之前卵器已解体,中央细胞中已形成胚乳游离核,因此也不发生双受精,由珠心细胞自发形成胚。这种现象是花椒和野花椒在长期进化过程中形成的一种十分特化的适应。     

莴苣授粉前后中央细胞中钙的分布(简报)

Ca2 作为植物生长发育过程中的必需元素之一,通过特定的时、空分布参与调控植物生长发育的诸多发育过程[1].中央细胞是胚囊中体积最大的细胞,与卵器共同构成雌性生殖单位.在被子植物双受精作用中,卵细胞与一个精细胞融合形成胚,中央细胞与另一个精细胞融合并发育成胚乳,为胚的发育提供营养.     

A role for LORELEI,a putative glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored protein,in Arabidopsis thaliana double fertilization and early seed development

In plants, double fertilization requires successful sperm cell delivery into the female gametophyte followed by migration, recognition and fusion of the two sperm cells with two female gametes. We isolated a null allele (lre‐5) of LORELEI, which encodes a putative glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)‐anchored protein implicated in reception of the pollen tube by the female gametophyte. Although most lre‐5 female gametophytes do not allow pollen tube reception, in those that do, early seed development is delayed. A fraction of lre‐5/lre‐5 seeds underwent abortion due to defect(s) in the female gametophyte. The aborted seeds contained endosperm but no zygote/embryo, reminiscent of autonomous endosperm development in the pollen tube reception mutants scylla and sirene. However, unpollinated lre‐5/lre‐5 ovules did not initiate autonomous endosperm development and endosperm development in aborted seeds began after central cell fertilization. Thus, the egg cell probably remained unfertilized in aborted lre‐5/lre‐5 seeds. The lre‐5/lre‐5 ovules that remain undeveloped due to defective pollen tube reception did not induce synergid degeneration and repulsion of supernumerary pollen tubes. In ovules, LORELEI is expressed during pollen tube reception, double fertilization and early seed development. Null mutants of LORELEI‐like‐GPI‐anchored protein 1 (LLG1), the closest relative of LORELEI among three Arabidopsis LLG genes, are fully fertile and did not enhance reproductive defects in lre‐5/lre‐5 pistils, suggesting that LLG1 function is not redundant with that of LORELEI in the female gametophyte. Our results show that, besides pollen tube reception, LORELEI also functions during double fertilization and early seed development.