Identification of a novel mutant spp1 that specifies the identity of inflorescence meristem in rice

Abstract

Homeotic mutations can affect the genetic architecture of flower structure. Some genes have been identified that specify shoot and floral meristem development. ABCDE and floral quartet are two widely accepted models that explain how genes interact to form all the whorls of a flower. In the current study, we identified an spp1 (SUPER PISTIL 1) mutant controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene mapping to chromosome 6 near RM50. Compared to wild type, spp1 mutants showed similar agronomic traits, except for panicle length and 1000-grain weight, which were significantly lower in the spp1 mutant plants. The mutation in the SPP1 gene induced complete homeotic transformations of paleae, lodicules, and stamens into carpelloid structures. Although lemmata were only marginally affected in the spp1 mutants, they developed a stigma-like structure on the top instead of an awn. Interestingly, stigma-like structures were also observed at the base of panicle branches. From the results, we propose that the SPP1 gene plays an important role in specifying the identity of lemmata/paleae, lodicules, stamens, and inflorescence meristem in rice. Identification of this mutant not only provides further evidence for validity of the ABCDE model in monocots, but also contributes to the understanding of meristem development.     

The impact of receptacular growth on polyandry in the Myrtales

RONSE DECRAENE, L.-P. & SMETS, E., 1991. The impact of receptacular growth on polyandry in the Myrtales. The androecium of the Myrtales shows a wide variation in structure and development, linked with an original diplostemony. The difference between a centrifugal stamen inception in Lythraceae against a centripetal inception in other families has been a major issue in discussing the internal relationships of the Myrtales. The first stamens usually arise as pairs opposite the petals on primary androecial primordia. It is shown that the number of stamens that are initiated and the difference between the direction of development of more stamens are based on the extent of growth of the receptacle after the inception of the primary androecial primordia. In Lagerstroemia indica , receptacular growth takes place between stamens and petals providing room for a centrifugal development. In the Punicaceae and Myrtaceae growth of the receptacle occurs between the androecium and gynoecium, leading to a centripetal development of the stamens. The development of a ring-wall is discussed and a comparison is made with other types of complex polyandry.     

Micro-Foraging Routes of Bicolletes pampeana (Colletidae) and Bee-Induced Pollen Presentation in Cajophora arechavaletae (Loasaceae)

In flowers of Cajophora arechavaletae Urb. the stamens are hidden from flower visitors in naviculate petals. In the male phase the stamens successively migrate at irregular intervals to the centre of the flower where they present pollen. Therefore, non-specialised pollinators cannot predict the time of pollen presentation. The oligolectic females of Bicolletes pampeana are effective pollinators of Cajophora arechavaletae. Females and males can elicit stamen movements by pressing the scales of the nectaries outwards with their head while taking up nectar. If this stimulus is responded to, up to 3 stamens move and reach the centre of the flower on average after 2.4 min. Experiments showed that the stimulus of nectar scale pressing was responded to maximally when the inter-stimulus interval was at least 14 min. B. pampeana females have evolved a foraging strategy which is adapted to the unique pollen presentation of C. arechavalete flowers. On microforaging routes they trapline 30–60 flowers and, therefore, most frequently come back to the same flower after intervals of about 3 min. This is exactly the period after which a female can expect pollen in the centre of the flower if her previous stimulus was responded to. Competition between the females causes them to return to the flowers at such short intervals.     

Flower development inSpirodela polyrrhiza (Lemnaceae)

Flowering under experimental conditions inSpirodela polyrrhiza, and the development of the spatha, stamina and pistil are described and illustrated by microphotographs. During the development of the microsporangia the existence of the middle layer between endothecium and tapetum has been documented for the first time inLemnaceae.     

光果甘草二体雄蕊的发育及其适应意义

甘草属(Glycyrrhiza)植物具“9 + 1”二体雄蕊, 其中9枚合生雄蕊的上部花丝分离, 分离的花丝在发育过程中存在由早期长、短交错的二组排列方式转变为后期以雄蕊管最长的1枚雄蕊为中心向两边渐次缩短的倒“V”形排列。为了解这种雄蕊发育动态、分化现象及发育成熟后的适应意义, 该文以光果甘草(G. glabra)为实验材料, 比较了雄蕊发育过程中的形态变化、成熟花粉的理化性质及在传粉中的作用。结果显示: 雄蕊发育早期长、短两组雄蕊在花药大小与形状上存在分化, 但后期伴随着花丝的快速生长与花粉的成熟、散出, 花药大小与形状趋于一致; 花粉组织化学成分及授粉成功率无差异, 但成熟花粉的数量和花粉活力存在差异; 去雄处理虽然使访花者在一天内的两个访花高峰期的访花频次降低, 但结实率高于自然对照, 说明以异交为主的花去除雄蕊后, 降低了雌、雄蕊间的功能干扰, 提高了传粉昆虫的授粉率; 发育早期长、短交错排列的二组雄蕊到成熟期时发生的倒“V”形排列的转变, 使不同数量与活性的花粉分布在花内不同空间, 最大化接触访花者, 实现了资源节约, 提高了雄蕊的雄性适合度, 即在有限的空间内用最节约的雄性资源投入、使传粉空间与传粉几率最大化的方式, 来提高雄性功能。     

Bumblebees require visual pollen stimuli to initiate and multimodal stimuli to complete a full behavioral sequence in close‐range flower orientation

Flower visits are complex encounters, in which animals are attracted by floral signals, guided toward the site of the first physical contact with a flower, land, and finally take up floral rewards. At close range, signals of stamens and pollen play an important role to facilitate flower handling in bees, yet the pollen stimuli eliciting behavioral responses are poorly known. In this study, we test the response of flower‐naive bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) toward single and multimodal pollen stimuli as compared to natural dandelion pollen. As artificial pollen stimuli, we used the yellow flavonoid pigment quercetin, the scent compound eugenol, the amino acid proline, the monosaccharide glucose, and the texture of pollen‐grain‐sized glass pellets as a tactile stimulus. Three test stimuli, dandelion pollen, one out of various uni‐ and multimodal stimulus combinations, and a solvent control were presented simultaneously to individual bumblebees, whose response was recorded. The results indicate that bumblebees respond in an irreversible sequence of behavioral reactions. Bumblebees approached the visual stimulus quercetin as often as natural dandelion pollen. An additional olfactory stimulus resulted in slightly more frequent landings. The multimodal stimulus combinations including visual, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile stimuli elicited approaches, antennal contacts, and landings as often as natural pollen. Subsequent reactions like proboscis extension, mandible biting, and buzzing were more often but not regularly observed at dandelion pollen. Our study shows that visual signals of pollen are sufficient to trigger initial responses of bumblebees, whereas multimodal pollen stimuli elicit full behavioral response as compared to natural pollen. Our results suggest a major role of pollen cues for the attraction of bees toward flowers and also explain, why many floral guides mimic the visual signals of pollen and anthers, that is, the yellow and UV‐absorbing color, to direct bumblebees toward the site where they access the floral rewards.     

白菜型冬油菜不育系LRCMS花器生理生化特性及其雄蕊发育特征研究

以白菜型冬油菜‘陇油8号’ב陇油9号’杂交后代中选育出的不育系LRCMS,以及代表性甘蓝型油菜不育系(J39A、J68A、Pol10A)和它们的保持系为材料,研究LRCMS在盛花期花蕾和花中POD、SOD、CAT活性和可溶性蛋白含量、过氧化物酶(POD)同工酶谱变化特征及其雄蕊败育过程。结果显示:(1)所有参试材料花朵中POD活性普遍高于花蕾。(2)不育材料POD活性高于保持材料,甘蓝型不育材料POD活性较保持材料增加幅度大于LRCMS与‘陇油9号’,LRCMS花蕾与花的POD活性分别较保持系材料‘陇油9号’高出15.0%和9.0%;不育材料花的CAT活性高于保持系材料89%~293%,而其花蕾的CAT活性低于保持系材料25%~43%,LRCMS与其它不育材料间无显著差异;不育系材料花SOD活性低于保持系材料15%~25%,LRCMS与其它不育材料无显著差异,其花蕾SOD活性高于保持材料6%~112%,但LRCMS增加幅度低于其它不育材料;保持系材料花蕾与花中蛋白质含量为0.014~0.020mg/g,不育系材料花蕾与花中蛋白质含量为0.012~0.016mg/g,所有不育材料蛋白质含量均低于保持材料。(3)LRCMS的POD同工酶谱在花中较对应的可育系‘陇油9号’和其它甘蓝型雄性不育多1条迁移率(Rf)为0.623的条带。(4)LRCMS雄蕊败育起始于造孢细胞期,造孢细胞粘连,无核仁,绒毡层未发育,为无花粉囊型不育。研究表明,LRCMS与其他类型油菜不育系有着不同的遗传背景,是一个新的白菜型冬油菜不育类型。     

Expression of ASK1-like genes in arrested stamens of female Silene latifolia plants

Silene latifolia is a dioecious plant in which sex is determined by heteromorphic sex chromosomes. In female plants, stamen development is arrested before microspore mother cells are formed. In this study, we isolated four cDNAs (SlSKP1-1 to 4) encoding ASK1-like protein as expression markers to reveal when expression levels are reduced in arrested stamens of female flowers. Expression patterns of the SlSKP1 genes were analyzed by in-situ hybridization. We use the flower development classification of Grant et al. (in Plant J 6:471–480, 1994). SlSKP1 genes were highly expressed in primary parietal cells and primary sporogenous cells that develop into microspore mother cells in male flowers. Expression levels started to be reduced in the external stamens of the female flowers when stamen development was arrested at stage 7. Although microspore mother cells could not be developed in female flowers and SlSKP1 expression may be unnecessary in arrested stamens, SlSKP1 genes were still expressed in sporogenous cells of degenerated stamens at stage 8. Parietal cells stopped differentiating earlier than sporogenous cells in arrested stamens. These results suggest that not all types of cell are arrested simultaneously at a particular stage of stamen development during stamen suppression of S. latifolia.     

Timing of morphological and histological development in premeiotic anthers of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi (Solanaceae)

The tobacco stamen has been the object of many developmental studies, and the organ has more recently become a model for molecular genetic studies of anther differentiation. However, the spatial and temporal details of cellular differentiation of early anther development have never been thoroughly characterized. In the present study, the age of 15 tobacco flowers from plants grown under constant light and temperature was estimated using growth analysis. Prior to tissue fixation for light microscopy, moulds of stamen and anther primordia were made with a dental impression polymer so morphological and histological observations could be made on each tissue sample. Flower ages spanned an 8-d interval during which petal and stamen initiation occurred, and sporogenous cells reached the leptonema stage of meiosis. The initial development of the tetrasporangiate anther shape largely preceded periclinal division of archesporial initials. Anatomically, periclinal divisions in the hypodermal ∗∗∗(l₂) layer were observed before archesporial initials began to divide. These data indicate differences in the cellular basis of tobacco anther development compared to earlier clonal analyses of Datura. The pattern of mitotic cell division associated with microsporangial development suggested modal peaks in division over time. The ability to estimate developmental time in the tobacco anther has implications for future studies directed at understanding mechanisms of anther evolution via heterochrony.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Disterigma</Emphasis> (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from Western Colombia,with comments on morphological terminology

Three new endemic species are described and illustrated from the floristically diverse western mountain ranges of Colombia. Disterigma appendiculatum, D. hiatum, and D. verruculatum have interesting floral characters that are unique in the genus and in the Vaccinieae. These new morphological characters and the terminology adopted for bracteoles and staminal appendages are briefly discussed.