Changes of calmodulin (CaM) distribution in the embryo sac of rice (Oryza sativa subsp. Japonica) at various stages before and after fertilization have been investigated by using immunogold electron microscopy. Before...Changes of calmodulin (CaM) distribution in the embryo sac of rice (Oryza sativa subsp. Japonica) at various stages before and after fertilization have been investigated by using immunogold electron microscopy. Before pollination, both cytoplasm and vacuoles of the egg cell, synergids and central cell were labeled by gold particles. A small amount of gold particles were localized in the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and dictyosomes. From pollination to fertilization, CaM amount increased in these cells, especially rich in the starch of amyloplasts. Increase of gold particles in the central cell began about 2 h earlier than that in the egg cell. There was no distinct difference of CaM amount between the degenerated and the persistent synergids. It is interesting to observe an obvious change of CaM distribution form during pollination and fertilization from scattered single particles to clustered particles, and back again to single particles after the fertilization finished. CaM was also localized extracellularly in the embryo sac wall as well as in the wall and intercellular space of nucellus cells. The extracellular CaM also changes in its amount and form after pollination. These results suggest that CaM, either intra- or extra-cellular, may play important roles in fertilization and zygote formation.展开更多
文摘Changes of calmodulin (CaM) distribution in the embryo sac of rice (Oryza sativa subsp. Japonica) at various stages before and after fertilization have been investigated by using immunogold electron microscopy. Before pollination, both cytoplasm and vacuoles of the egg cell, synergids and central cell were labeled by gold particles. A small amount of gold particles were localized in the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and dictyosomes. From pollination to fertilization, CaM amount increased in these cells, especially rich in the starch of amyloplasts. Increase of gold particles in the central cell began about 2 h earlier than that in the egg cell. There was no distinct difference of CaM amount between the degenerated and the persistent synergids. It is interesting to observe an obvious change of CaM distribution form during pollination and fertilization from scattered single particles to clustered particles, and back again to single particles after the fertilization finished. CaM was also localized extracellularly in the embryo sac wall as well as in the wall and intercellular space of nucellus cells. The extracellular CaM also changes in its amount and form after pollination. These results suggest that CaM, either intra- or extra-cellular, may play important roles in fertilization and zygote formation.
