Deficiencies in the formation and regulation of anther cuticle and tryphine contribute to male sterility in cotton PGMS line.

BACKGROUND: Male sterility is a simple and efficient pollination control system that is widely exploited in hybrid breeding. In upland cotton, CCRI9106, a photosensitive genetic male sterile (PGMS) mutant isolated from CCRI040029, was reported of great advantages to cotton heterosis. However, little information concerning the male sterility of CCRI9106 is known. Here, comparative transcriptome analysis of CCRI9106 (the mutant, MT) and CCRI040029 (the wild type, WT) anthers in Anyang (long-day, male sterile condition to CCRI9106) was performed to reveal the potential male sterile mechanism of CCRI9106. RESULTS: Light and electron microscopy revealed that the male sterility phenotype of MT was mainly attributed to irregularly exine, lacking tryphine and immature anther cuticle. Based on the cytological characteristics of MT anthers, anther RNA libraries (18 in total) of tetrad (TTP), late uninucleate (lUNP) and binucleate (BNP) stages in MT and WT were constructed for transcriptomic analysis, therefore revealing a total of 870,4 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). By performing gene expression pattern analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks construction, we found down-regulation of DEGs, which enriched by the lipid biosynthetic process and the synthesis pathways of several types of secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, flavonoids and steroids, may crucial to the male sterility phenotype of MT, and resulting in the defects of anther cuticle and tryphine, even the irregularly exine. Furthermore, several lipid-related genes together with ABA-related genes and MYB transcription factors were identified as hub genes via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Additionally, the ABA content of MT anthers was reduced across all stages when compared with WT anthers. At last, genes related to the formation of anther cuticle and tryphine could activated in MT under short-day condition. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the down-regulation of genes related to the assembly of anther cuticle and tryphine may lead to the male sterile phenotype of MT, and MYB transcription factors together with ABA played key regulatory roles in these processes. The conversion of fertility in different photoperiods may closely relate to the functional expression of these genes. These findings contribute to elucidate the mechanism of male sterility in upland cotton.

The initial deficiency of protein processing and flavonoids biosynthesis were the main mechanisms for the male sterility induced by SX-1 in Brassica napus.

BACKGROUND: Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is an important oil seed crop in the Brassicaceae family. Chemical induced male sterility (CIMS) is one of the widely used method to produce the hybrids in B. napus. Identification of the key genes and pathways that involved in CIMS were important to understand the underlying molecular mechanism. In the present report, a multi-omics integrative analysis, including of the proteomic, transcriptomic and miRNAs, combined with morphological and physiological analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Earlier degeneration of the tapetosomes and elaioplasts, aberrantly stacking in tapetal cells and incompletely deposition in tryphine of pollen wall were observed in chemical hybridization agent (CHA) of SX-1 treated B. napus through SEM and TEM analysis. It was revealed that the deficiencies in protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and flavonoids biosynthesis were occurred at early stage in the SX-1 treated materials. Subsequently, plant hormone signal transduction, biosynthesis of amino acids, fatty acids and steroid in anther at later stages were identified down-regulated after SX-1 treatment. 144 transcript factors (TFs) were also indentified to down-regulated at early stage, which suggested the early regulation in anther and pollen wall development were disordered in CHA treated B. napus. In addition, 7 important miRNAs were identified and 2 of the predicted target genes of miRNAs were Rf-like genes. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, an interaction network of candidate genes and the putative metabolism pathways were constructed based on the multi-omics integrative analysis, it provided a new insight into the male sterility induced by CHA of SX-1 in B. napus.

Genetic and Biochemical Mechanisms of Pollen Wall Development.

The pollen wall is a specialized extracellular cell wall matrix that surrounds male gametophytes and plays an essential role in plant reproduction. Uncovering the mechanisms that control the synthesis and polymerization of the precursors of pollen wall components has been a major research focus in plant biology. We review current knowledge on the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying pollen wall development in eudicot model Arabidopsis thaliana and monocot model rice (Oryza sativa), focusing on the genes involved in the biosynthesis, transport, and assembly of various precursors of pollen wall components. The conserved and divergent aspects of the genes involved as well as their regulation are addressed. Current challenges and future perspectives are also highlighted.

Morfología del polen en especies de Canna (Cannaceae) y su implicancia sistemática

Pollen morphology in species of Canna (Cannaceae), and systematics implications. The morphology of pollen grains of eight taxa of Canna, C. ascendens, C. coccinea, C. compacta, C. glauca, C. indica, C. paniculata, C. variegatifolia and C. fuchsina, an unpublished new species, were studied using light and scanning electronic microscopes. We used the Wodehouse technique on samples of 20 grains per specimen to measure the intine with a light microscope; and the density of spines (in 400μm2 fields) with scanning electronic microscopy. Pollen grains are spherical, echinate, omniaperturate. The sporoderm presents a very thin exine covering a thicker intine. Corrugate micro-perforate, sub-reticulate, rugate, rugulate, striate to folded, micro-striate, micro-granulate, and smooth types of the external surface of the sporoderm were found. The spines consist of exine, partially to completely covered by tryphine. The two-layered intine is the thicker part of the wall. Echinate ornamentation is a generic character in Canna, but size, surface and color of pollen walls, and density and shape of spines, are diagnostic for species. Pollen morphology supports the view of C. indica and C. coccinea as different species. Canna fuchsina grows in wild, dense colonies, in humid riverside forests from Buenos Aires and Santa Fe Provinces, Argentina; its characters suggest relationships with a not well known group of taxa, some of them hybrids, such as C. x generalis. However, as these plants showed normal, well formed grains, close to those of C. coccinea, that germinate over the stigmatic surfaces in fresh flowers, we decided to include their pollen in this study. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (1): 63-79. Epub 2010 March 01.

Se estudió la morfología de los granos de polen de ocho táxones de Canna, C. ascendens, C. coccinea, C. compacta, C. glauca, C. indica, C. paniculata, C. variegatifolia y C. fuchsina, nueva especie aún no descrita, que fueron estudiadas usando microscopio de luz y microscopio electrónico de barrido. Nosotros utilizamos la técnica de Wodehouse en muestras de 20 granos por espécimen para medir la intina con el microscopio de luz; y la densidad de espinas (en campos de 400μm2) con el microscopio electrσnico de barrido. Los granos de polen son esfιricos, equinados y omniaberturados. El esporodermo presenta una exina muy delgada cubriendo una intina gruesa. La superficie del esporodermo puede ser corrugada, microperforada, sub-reticulada, rugada, rugulada, plegada-estriada, micro-estriada, microgranulada o lisa. Las espinas están formadas por exina, cubiertas total o parcialmente por trifina. La intina esta formada por dos capas, es la parte más gruesa de la pared. La ornamentación equinada es un rasgo genérico en Canna, pero el tamaño, la superficie y el color del polen, y la densidad y forma de las espinas, son rasgos diagnósticos de las especies. La morfología del polen apoya el tratamiento de C. coccinea y C. indica como especies diferentes. Canna fuchsina crece formando densas colonias silvestres en selvas ribereñas húmedas de las provincias de Buenos Aires y Santa Fe, Argentina; sus características sugieren relaciones no muy bien entendidas en el grupo de taxones, algunos son híbridos tales como C. x generalis. Sin embargo, estas plantas muestran granos normales, bien formados, cercanos a los de C. coccinea, que germinan sobre el estigma de flores frescas, nosotros decidimos incluir su polen en este estudio.