Expression of an Antisense BcMF3 Affects Microsporogenesis and Pollen Tube Growth in Arabidopsis

In an effort to provide some information relevant to the molecular mechanism of genic male sterility in plants, BcMF3 gene that encodes a pectin methylesterase was isolated from the fertile B line of Chinese cabbage-pak-choi （Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis, syn. B. campestris ssp. chinensis）. In the present paper, a 455-bp antisense cDNA fragment of BcMF3 was introduced to binary vector pB1121, and then was mobilized into Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404. The A. tumefaciens harboring the BcMF3 antisense fragment was transformed to Arabidopsis thaliana by floral dip. Scanning electronic microscopy examination demonstrated that 47.8% of BcMF3 antisense pollen grains exhibited abnormal shape, which might lead to decreased germination of pollens, suggesting that the product of BcMF3 gene plays an important role during microsporogenesis. The evidence on burst of 45.7% of BcMF3 antisense pollen tubes in vitro and a majority of BcMF3 antisense pollens restricted within the stigmatic tissue revealed that BcMF3 is involved in aiding the growth of pollen tubes. The results suggest that BcMF3 acts at both stages of microsporogensis and pollen tube growth.

Comparative microsporogenesis and flower development in Eucalyptus urophylla×E.grandis

Microsporogenesis and flower development in Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis were examined using chromosome tableting to provide a method to predict the meiotic stages in this species. Although microsporogenesis was normal, cytokinesis during meiosis of pollen mother cells occurred simultaneously, with strong asynchronism observed in the two different lengths of stamens in a flower bud. In a single flower, the developmental period of microsporogenesis in anthers on the longer stamens was always ahead of those on the shorter stamens. Flower development was also asynchronous at different locations on a branch. Flower buds on the upper side of the branch were larger in diameter than those on the lower side. In addition, a correlation was observed between microsporogenesis development and flower bud diameter growth. The pachy- tene stage was first observed when the diameter of the flower buds increased to 3.0 mm, and the majority of the meiotic stages were observed when bud diameters ranged from 3.5 to 5.0 mm. This study showed that the developmental stages of microsporogenesis in Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis could be distinguished readily, which may be applicable to future breeding studies.

Cytological Observation of Microsporogenesis in Male-Sterile Lines of Chinese Pink(Dianthus chinensis L.)

This study addressed the differences in microsporogenesis between male sterile and fertile lines of Chinese pink. The microsporogenesis processes of male sterile and fertile lines were histologically examined in squashed pollen grains and in paraffin embedded sections. A stable male-sterile line （H-37B） was obtained following six generations of inbreeding in a self-fertile line, followed by two generations of backcrossing. In the corresponding fertile line, development of the mature pollen grains was followed through the initiation of the sporogenous cell, microsporocyte formation, and the tetrad developmental period. In the male-sterile line, abortion of the developing pollen grains was observed to take place at various stages, namely, sporogenous cell growth, mother cell meiosis, and tetrad transformation to the uninuclear state. The pollen grains of the fertile line were spheroid, turgid, and viable. By contrast, the male-sterile line produced pollen that was irregular in shape, empty, and nonviable. The abortion of the microspore in the male-sterile line appeared to relate to abnormal growth of the tapetum layer.

Microsporogenesis and Male Gametophyte Development of Euphorbar pulcherrima

The microsporogenesis and male gametophyte development of Euphorbia pulcherrima were studied with paraffin section method. The results showed that the anther of Euphorbia pulcherrima had four chambers. The development of anther wall was dicotyledonous type; its wall consisted of epidermis, endothecium, middle layer and tapetum. The mature male gametophyte development experienced seven major stages as the followings： archesporial cells, aporgenous cells, microspore mother cells, tetrads of microspores （tetrahedral）, uninucleate microspores, 2-uncleate pollens and 2-celled pollen stage. The anther wall varied with the pollen development： the epidermis of anther ruptures at the anther mature stage; the middle layer disappears at tetrad stage; the endothelium became fibrous layer at the anther mature stage; the tapetum （glandular） was the most development at the microspore mother cells stage and disappeared at anther mature stage. The abnormal anther development was observed simultaneously.

Flower Development and Anatomy of Agapanthus praecox ssp. orientalis (Leighton) Leighton

Floral buds of Agapanthus praecox ssp. orientalis were observed under dissecting and optical microscope to characterize floral organs development and to study relationships between anther development and microsporogenesis. Floral organs differentiation was comprised of 6 distinct stages including nought differentiation, inflorescence bud differentiation, floret primordia differentiation, tepal primordia differentiation, stamen primordia differentiation, and pistil primordia differentiation. Six tepals differentiated almost simultaneously which cross arranged in space and appeared in hexagonal distribution pattern. Six stamens were differentiated inside the tepals at the same time. Finally, 3 carpel primordia differentiated and formed syncarpous pistil. The whole process of floral bud differentiation took approximately 40 d with the first 3 stages developing more slowly than the later 3 stages. Morphology and color of the anther underwent obvious changes during the period between stamen primordia differentiation and anther maturation. Microspores also underwent significant development during this same interval. The relationship between the process of microsporogenesis and anther development has already been made clear by the sauash techniaue.

Pollen development and multi-nucleate microspores of Populus bolleana Lauche

Populus bolleana is a variety of P. alba, commonly used in poplar breeding programs in China. Developmental biology that involves staminate flowers, microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis ofP. bolleana is essential for Populus improvement in cross breeding for better characteristics in sexual reproduction. Flower morphology and pollen development were described and illustrated using anatomical, sectioning and stain-clearing techniques. The results show that microsporocytes undergo a regular meiotic process, but some multi-nucleate microspores occur at the microspore stage. It takes five days for microsporocytes to develop to mature pollen by forcing flower branches under greenhouse conditions. Additionally, an important relationship was found between stages of meiosis and anther colors. Microspore tetrads formed when the anther color turned yellow, whereas, when the pollen matured, the anther was red and the tapetum degenerated completely. When mature pollen grains are formed, flower buds develop into male catkins. In the end, filament elongated and pollen grains were released from dehisced anthers.

Cytological Investigation of Pollen Development in Sorghum Line with Male Sterility Induced by Sodium Ascorbate in Tissue Culture

Investigation of male sterility mutations is an effective approach for identification of genes involved in anther and pollen development. The comparison of “cytological phenotypes” of newly induced mutants with phenotypes determined by already known genes favors elucidation of genetic control of diverse microsporo- and gametogenesis stages. In this paper, we describe pollen development in the grain sorghum line Zh10-asc1 with mutation of male sterility. This line was obtained from callus culture treated by sodium ascorbate. A wide spectrum of abnormalities in microsporogenesis have been found, such as cytomixis, chromosomal laggards, chromosome disjunction, adhesion of chromosomes, disturbed cytokinesis, and others. In tapetum, the cells with one nucleus, with unequal nuclei, and with micronuclei have been observed. During pollen grain (PG) maturation abnormalities in starch accumulation and delay of development often took place. In mature anthers, a variety of pollen grain types have been revealed: fertile, of irregular shape, incompletely filled with starch, PGs delayed at the uni-nucleate or bi-nucleate gametophyte stages, with partially or fully degenerated contents, and with abnormal coloration. Variation in spectrum and the frequency of disturbances between the flowers of one and the same plant have been revealed. The reasons for significant genetic and epigenetic instability are discussed.

Embryological Studies on Narcissus tazetta var.chinensis

Chinese narcissus(Narcissus tazetta var.chinensis Roem)blooms but has no seeds.Embryological studies on the species were conducted to discover the causes of its sterility.Its anther wall is composed of four layers of cells,and its tapetum is of the secretory type.The cytokinesis of microspore mother cells is of the successive type,and the tetrad is tetrahedral.During meiosis of microspore mother cells,some chromosomes lagged,and several micronuclei were found in tetrads.Only 27.7%of the pollen grains contained full cytoplasm,and 1.3%of them germinated in culture medium.No pollen grain,however,could germinate on the stigma.The ovary is trilocular with axile placenta,and the ovules are bitegmic,tenuinucellate,and anatropous.Its embryo sac is of the polygonum type.Most embryo sacs degenerated,and only about 4.5%of the ovules contained a normal embryo sac with an egg cell,two synergids,three antipodal,and a central cell containing two polar nuclei.One reason for the sterility of Chinese narcissus is the abnormality of microsporogenesis and megasporogenesis,in which only a few functional pollen grains and embryo sacs are produced.The other reason is that the pollen grains cannot germinate on the stigma.