Stigma Receptivity Is Controlled by Functionally Redundant MAPK Pathway Components in Arabidopsis

In angiosperms,the process of pollination relies on species-specific interaction and signaling between the male(pollen)and female(pistil)counterparts where the interplay between several pollen and stigma proteins decides the fate of the pollen.In Brassicaceae,the dry stigmatic papillary cells control pollen germination by releasing resources only to compatible pollen thereby allowing pollen to hydrate and germinate.Despite the identification of a number of stigmatic proteins that facilitate pollination responses,the signaling mechanisms that regulate functions of these proteins have remained unknown.Here,we show that,in Arabidopsis,an extremely functionally redundant mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)cascade is required for maintaining stigma receptivity to accept compatible pollen.Our genetic analyses demonstrate that in stigmas,five MAPK kinases(MKKs),MKK1/2/3/7/9 are required to transmit upstream signals to two MPKs,MPK3/4,to mediate compatible pollination.Compromised functions of these five MKKs in the quintuple mutant(mkk1/2/3RNAi/mkk7/9)phenocopied pollination defects observed in the m pk4RNAi/m pk3 double mutant.We further show that this MAPK nexus converges on Exo70A1,a previously identified stigma receptivity factor essential for pollination.Given that pollination is the crucial initial step during plant reproduction,understanding the mechanisms that govern successful pollination could lead to development of strategies to improve crop yield.

Observation of Flowering Process of Grape(Vitis vinifera L.)—Insight into the Starting of Pollination of Flower Hiding in Calyptras(Cap)

It is generally agreed that many Vitis vinifera L.cultivars are self-fertile,where self-pollination often occurs before capfall in a process called cleistogamy.Therefore,it is difficult to identify the right time to remove stamens before self-pollination during the cross-breeding of grape.For this paper,we observed the process of grape flowering and measured the pollen viability and stigma receptivity of grape flowers of‘Shine Muscat’in order to identify the starting time of self-pollination before capfall and to provide useful information for improving the efficiency of cross-breeding.The results demonstrate that the anther is not cracked during the visible clusters and separated clusters stages.Meanwhile,in the separated floral buds,flowering begins,and full bloom stages,the pollen viability is 60.7%,73.2%and 80.3%,respectively;however,at the berry set stage,pollen viability drops to zero.The top of the mature stigma is composed of a layer of nearly cylindrical papillary cells,and the stigma receptivity for pollen changes with the development of flowers:in particular,no reaction was observed in the visible clusters stage;weak positive reaction at the separated clusters stage;strong positive reaction at the separated floral buds,flowering begins,and full bloom stages;and no reaction at the berry set stage.In the separated floral buds stage,pollen tubes were seen germinating in the style.In the flowering begins stage,more pollen tubes were observed at the entry of the ovary.During the full bloom stage,most pollen tubes elongated into the ovary base and some entered the pearl hole.At the berry set stage,newborn endosperm nucleus could be seen in the ovule.From the above,we can conclude that the initiation time of closed fertilization for‘Shine Muscat’grape can be judged as the separated floral buds stage,and it is best to discard the stamen before the separated floral buds stage when conducting cross-breeding.