Plants

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 3538 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tracing the Evolution of the SEPALLATA Subfamily across Angiosperms Associated with Neo- and Sub-Functionalization for Reproductive and Agronomically Relevant Traits

by Ludovico Dreni and Cristina Ferrándiz

Plants 2022, 11(21), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212934 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1804

Abstract

SEPALLATA transcription factors (SEP TFs) have been extensively studied in angiosperms as pivotal components of virtually all the MADS-box tetrameric complex master regulators of floral organ identities. However, there are published reports that suggest that some SEP members also regulate earlier reproductive events, [...] Read more.

SEPALLATA transcription factors (SEP TFs) have been extensively studied in angiosperms as pivotal components of virtually all the MADS-box tetrameric complex master regulators of floral organ identities. However, there are published reports that suggest that some SEP members also regulate earlier reproductive events, such as inflorescence meristem determinacy and inflorescence architecture, with potential for application in breeding programs in crops. The SEP subfamily underwent a quite complex pattern of duplications during the radiation of the angiosperms. Taking advantage of the many whole genomic sequences now available, we present a revised and expanded SEP phylogeny and link it to the known functions of previously characterized genes. This snapshot supports the evidence that the major SEP3 clade is highly specialized for the specification of the three innermost floral whorls, while its sister LOFSEP clade is functionally more versatile and has been recruited for diverse roles, such as the regulation of extra-floral bract formation and inflorescence determinacy and shape. This larger pool of angiosperm SEP genes confirms previous evidence that their evolution was driven by whole-genome duplications rather than small-scale duplication events. Our work may help to identify those SEP lineages that are the best candidates for the improvement of inflorescence traits, even in far distantly related crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 3476 KiB

Open AccessArticle

AtZAT4, a C₂H₂-Type Zinc Finger Transcription Factor from Arabidopsis thaliana, Is Involved in Pollen and Seed Development

by A. Carolina Puentes-Romero, Sebastián A. González, Enrique González-Villanueva, Carlos R. Figueroa and Simón Ruiz-Lara

Plants 2022, 11(15), 1974; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11151974 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2125

Abstract

Pollen plays an essential role in plant fertility by delivering the male gametes to the embryo sac before double fertilization. In several plant species, including Arabidopsis, C₂H₂-type zinc-finger transcription factors (TFs) have been involved in different stages of pollen [...] Read more.

Pollen plays an essential role in plant fertility by delivering the male gametes to the embryo sac before double fertilization. In several plant species, including Arabidopsis, C₂H₂-type zinc-finger transcription factors (TFs) have been involved in different stages of pollen development and maturation. ZINC FINGER of Arabidopsis thaliana 4 (AtZAT4) is homologous to such TFs and subcellular localization analysis has revealed that AtZAT4 is located in the nucleus. Moreover, analysis of AtZAT4 expression revealed strong levels of it in flowers and siliques, suggesting a role of the encoded protein in the regulation of genes that are associated with reproductive development. We characterized a T-DNA insertional heterozygous mutant Atzat4 (+/−). The relative gene expression analysis of Atzat4 (+/−) showed significant transcript reductions in flowers and siliques. Furthermore, the Atzat4 (+/−) phenotypic characterization revealed defects in the male germline, showing a reduction in pollen tube germination and elongation. Atzat4 (+/−) presented reduced fertility, characterized by a smaller silique size compared to the wild type (WT), and a lower number of seeds per silique. Additionally, seeds displayed lower viability and germination. Altogether, our data suggest a role for AtZAT4 in fertilization and seed viability, through the regulation of gene expression associated with reproductive development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2820 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Two Kalanchoë Species during Plantlet Formation

by Francisco Jácome-Blásquez, Joo Phin Ooi, Leo Zeef and Minsung Kim

Plants 2022, 11(13), 1643; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131643 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2396

Abstract

Few species in the Kalanchoë genus form plantlets on their leaf margins as an asexual reproduction strategy. The limited molecular studies on plantlet formation show that an organogenesis ortholog, SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM) and embryogenesis genes, such as LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) [...] Read more.

Few species in the Kalanchoë genus form plantlets on their leaf margins as an asexual reproduction strategy. The limited molecular studies on plantlet formation show that an organogenesis ortholog, SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM) and embryogenesis genes, such as LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) and FUSCA3 are recruited during plantlet formation. To understand the mechanisms of two Kalanchoë plantlet-forming species with different modes of plantlet formation, RNA-sequencing analysis was performed. Differentially expressed genes between the developmental stages were clustered in K. daigremontiana (Raym.-Hamet and H. Perrier) and K. pinnata (Lam. Pers.), respectively. Of these gene clusters, GO terms that may be involved in plantlet formation of both species, such as signaling, response to wounding, reproduction, regulation of hormone level, and response to karrikin were overrepresented. Compared with the common GO terms, there were more unique GO terms overrepresented during the plantlet formation of each species. A more in-depth investigation is required to understand how these pathways are participating in plantlet formation. Nonetheless, this transcriptome analysis is presented as a reliable basis for future studies on plantlet formation and development in two Kalanchoë plantlet-forming species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Balance between Different ROS on Tobacco Stigma during Flowering and Its Role in Pollen Germination

by Maria Breygina, Olga Schekaleva, Ekaterina Klimenko and Oksana Luneva

Plants 2022, 11(7), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11070993 - 5 Apr 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3289

Abstract

The concept of ROS as an important factor controlling pollen germination and tube growth has become generally accepted in the last decade. However, the relationship between various ROS and their significance for the success of in vivo germination and fertilization remained unexplored. For [...] Read more.

The concept of ROS as an important factor controlling pollen germination and tube growth has become generally accepted in the last decade. However, the relationship between various ROS and their significance for the success of in vivo germination and fertilization remained unexplored. For the present study, we collected Nicotiana tabacum stigma exudate on different stages of stigma maturity before and after pollination. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and colorimetric analysis were used to assess levels of O^•₂⁻ and H₂O₂ on stigma. Superoxide dismutase activity in the stigma tissues at each stage was evaluated zymographically. As the pistil matured, the level of both ROS decreased markedly, while the activity of SOD increased, and, starting from the second stage, the enzyme was represented by two isozymes: Fe SOD and Cu/Zn SOD, which was demonstrated by the in-gel inhibitory analysis. Selective suppression of Cu/Zn SOD activity shifted the ROS balance, which was confirmed by EPR. This shift markedly reduced the rate of pollen germination in vivo and the fertilization efficiency, which was estimated by the seed set. This result showed that hydrogen peroxide is a necessary component of stigma exudate, accelerates germination and ensures successful reproduction. A decrease in O^•₂⁻ production due to NADPH oxidase inhibition, although it slowed down germination, did not lead to a noticeable decrease in the seed set. Thus, the role of the superoxide radical can be characterized as less important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 9846 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Inactivation of Arabidopsis UBC22 Results in Abnormal Chromosome Segregation in Female Meiosis, but Not in Male Meiosis

by Ling Cao, Sheng Wang, Lihua Zhao, Yuan Qin, Hong Wang and Yan Cheng

Plants 2021, 10(11), 2418; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112418 - 9 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2572

Abstract

Protein ubiquitination is important for the regulation of meiosis in eukaryotes, including plants. However, little is known about the involvement of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes in plant meiosis. Arabidopsis UBC22 is a unique E2 enzyme, able to catalyze the formation of ubiquitin dimers through [...] Read more.

Protein ubiquitination is important for the regulation of meiosis in eukaryotes, including plants. However, little is known about the involvement of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes in plant meiosis. Arabidopsis UBC22 is a unique E2 enzyme, able to catalyze the formation of ubiquitin dimers through lysine 11 (K11). Previous work has shown that ubc22 mutants are defective in megasporogenesis, with most ovules having no or abnormally functioning megaspores; furthermore, some mutant plants show distinct phenotypes in vegetative growth. In this study, we showed that chromosome segregation and callose deposition were abnormal in mutant female meiosis while male meiosis was not affected. The meiotic recombinase DMC1, required for homologous chromosome recombination, showed a dispersed distribution in mutant female meiocytes compared to the presence of strong foci in WT female meiocytes. Based on an analysis of F1 plants produced from crosses using a mutant as the female parent, about 24% of female mutant gametes had an abnormal content of DNA, resulting in frequent aneuploids among the mutant plants. These results show that UBC22 is critical for normal chromosome segregation in female meiosis but not for male meiosis, and they provide important leads for studying the role of UBC22 and K11-linked ubiquitination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2454 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Double Mutant Analysis with the Large Flower Mutant, ohbana1, to Explore the Regulatory Network Controlling the Flower and Seed Sizes in Arabidopsis thaliana

by Vuong Quoc Nhat, Yusuke Kazama, Kotaro Ishii, Sumie Ohbu, Hisato Kunitake, Tomoko Abe and Tomonari Hirano

Plants 2021, 10(9), 1881; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091881 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4469

Abstract

Two growth processes, cell proliferation and expansion, determine plant species-specific organ sizes. A large flower mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana, ohbana1 (ohb1), was isolated from a mutant library. In the ohb1 flowers, post-mitotic cell expansion and endoreduplication of nuclear DNA were [...] Read more.

Two growth processes, cell proliferation and expansion, determine plant species-specific organ sizes. A large flower mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana, ohbana1 (ohb1), was isolated from a mutant library. In the ohb1 flowers, post-mitotic cell expansion and endoreduplication of nuclear DNA were promoted. The whole-genome resequencing and genetic analysis results showed that the loss of function in MEDIATOR16 (MED16), a mediator complex subunit, was responsible for the large flower phenotypes exhibited by ohb1. A phenotypic analysis of the mutant alleles in MED16 and the double mutants created by crossing ohb1 with representative large flower mutants revealed that MED16 and MED25 share part of the negative petal size regulatory pathways. Furthermore, the double mutant analyses suggested that there were genetically independent pathways leading to cell size restrictions in the floral organs which were not related to the MED complex. Several double mutants also formed larger and heavier seeds than the wild type and single mutant plants, which indicated that MED16 was involved in seed size regulation. This study has revealed part of the size-regulatory network in flowers and seeds through analysis of the ohb1 mutant, and that the size-regulation pathways are partially different between floral organs and seeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 5501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Isolation and Functional Analysis of a PISTILLATA-like MADS-Box Gene from Argan Tree (Argania spinosa)

by Marwa Louati, Blanca Salazar-Sarasua, Edelín Roque, José Pío Beltrán, Amel Salhi Hannachi and Concepción Gómez-Mena

Plants 2021, 10(8), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081665 - 13 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2867

Abstract

Argan trees (Argania spinosa) belong to a species native to southwestern Morocco, playing an important role in the environment and local economy. Argan oil extracted from kernels has a unique composition and properties. Argan trees were introduced in Tunisia, where hundreds [...] Read more.

Argan trees (Argania spinosa) belong to a species native to southwestern Morocco, playing an important role in the environment and local economy. Argan oil extracted from kernels has a unique composition and properties. Argan trees were introduced in Tunisia, where hundreds of trees can be found nowadays. In this study, we examined reproductive development in Argan trees from four sites in Tunisia and carried out the functional characterization of a floral homeotic gene in this non-model species. Despite the importance of reproductive development, nothing is known about the genetic network controlling flower development in Argania spinosa. Results obtained in several plant species established that floral organ development is mostly controlled by MADS-box genes and, in particular, APETALA3 (AP3) and PISTILLATA (PI) homologs are required for proper petal and stamen identity. Here, we describe the isolation and functional characterization of a MADS-box gene from Argania spinosa. Phylogenetic analyses showed strong homology with PI-like proteins, and the expression of the gene was found to be restricted to the second and third whorls. Functional homology with Arabidopsis PI was demonstrated by the ability of AsPI to confer petal and stamen identity when overexpressed in a pi-1 mutant background. The identification and characterization of this gene support the strong conservation of PI homologs among distant angiosperm plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 10655 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Dynamics of Flower Development in Castanea sativa Mill.

by Ana Teresa Alhinho, Miguel Jesus Nunes Ramos, Sofia Alves, Margarida Rocheta, Leonor Morais-Cecílio, José Gomes-Laranjo, Rómulo Sobral and Maria Manuela Ribeiro Costa

Plants 2021, 10(8), 1538; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10081538 - 27 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3716

Abstract

The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most significant Mediterranean tree species, being an important natural resource for the wood and fruit industries. It is a monoecious species, presenting unisexual male catkins and bisexual catkins, with the latter [...] Read more.

The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most significant Mediterranean tree species, being an important natural resource for the wood and fruit industries. It is a monoecious species, presenting unisexual male catkins and bisexual catkins, with the latter having distinct male and female flowers. Despite the importance of the sweet chestnut tree, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the determination of sexual organ identity. Thus, the study of how the different flowers of C. sativa develop is fundamental to understand the reproductive success of this species and the impact of flower phenology on its productivity. In this study, a C. sativa de novo transcriptome was assembled and the homologous genes to those of the ABCDE model for floral organ identity were identified. Expression analysis showed that the C. sativa B- and C-class genes are differentially expressed in the male flowers and female flowers. Yeast two-hybrid analysis also suggested that changes in the canonical ABCDE protein–protein interactions may underlie the mechanisms necessary to the development of separate male and female flowers, as reported for the monoecious Fagaceae Quercus suber. The results here depicted constitute a step towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in unisexual flower development in C. sativa, also suggesting that the ABCDE model for flower organ identity may be molecularly conserved in the predominantly monoecious Fagaceae family. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between AGAMOUS and Cytokinin Signaling in the Establishment of Carpeloid Features

by Andrea Gómez-Felipe, Daniel Kierzkowski and Stefan de Folter

Plants 2021, 10(5), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050827 - 21 Apr 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4840

Abstract

Gynoecium development is dependent on gene regulation and hormonal pathway interactions. The phytohormones auxin and cytokinin are involved in many developmental programs, where cytokinin is normally important for cell division and meristem activity, while auxin induces cell differentiation and organ initiation in the [...] Read more.

Gynoecium development is dependent on gene regulation and hormonal pathway interactions. The phytohormones auxin and cytokinin are involved in many developmental programs, where cytokinin is normally important for cell division and meristem activity, while auxin induces cell differentiation and organ initiation in the shoot. The MADS-box transcription factor AGAMOUS (AG) is important for the development of the reproductive structures of the flower. Here, we focus on the relationship between AG and cytokinin in Arabidopsis thaliana, and use the weak ag-12 and the strong ag-1 allele. We found that cytokinin induces carpeloid features in an AG-dependent manner and the expression of the transcription factors CRC, SHP2, and SPT that are involved in carpel development. AG is important for gynoecium development, and contributes to regulating, or else directly regulates CRC, SHP2, and SPT. All four genes respond to either reduced or induced cytokinin signaling and have the potential to be regulated by cytokinin via the type-B ARR proteins. We generated a model of a gene regulatory network, where cytokinin signaling is mainly upstream and in parallel with AG activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 2474 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phloem-Feeding Herbivores Affect Floral Development and Reproduction in the Etruscan Honeysuckle (Lonicera etrusca Santi)

by Sandra V. Rojas-Nossa, José María Sánchez and Luis Navarro

Plants 2021, 10(4), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040815 - 20 Apr 2021

Viewed by 3041

Abstract

Floral development depends on multifactor processes related to genetic, physiological, and ecological pathways. Plants respond to herbivores by activating mechanisms aimed at tolerating, compensating, or avoiding loss of biomass and nutrients, and thereby survive in a complex landscape of interactions. Thus, plants need [...] Read more.

Floral development depends on multifactor processes related to genetic, physiological, and ecological pathways. Plants respond to herbivores by activating mechanisms aimed at tolerating, compensating, or avoiding loss of biomass and nutrients, and thereby survive in a complex landscape of interactions. Thus, plants need to overcome trade-offs between development, growth, and reproduction vs. the initiation of anti-herbivore defences. This study aims to assess the frequency of phloem-feeding herbivores in wild populations of the Etruscan honeysuckle (Lonicera etrusca Santi) and study their effects on floral development and reproduction. The incidence of herbivory by the honeysuckle aphid (Hyadaphis passerinii del Guercio) was assessed in three wild populations of the Iberian Peninsula. The effect of herbivory on floral morphology, micromorphology of stigmas and pollen, floral rewards, pollination, and fruit and seed set were studied. The herbivory by aphids reduces the size of flowers and pollen. Additionally, it stops nectar synthesis and causes malformation in pollen and microstructures of stigmas, affecting pollination. As a consequence, fruit set and seed weight are reduced. This work provides evidence of the changes induced by phloem-feeding herbivores in floral development and functioning that affect the ecological processes necessary to maintain the reproductive success of plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Analyses Throughout Chili Pepper Fruit Development Reveal Novel Insights into the Domestication Process

by Octavio Martínez, Magda L. Arce-Rodríguez, Fernando Hernández-Godínez, Christian Escoto-Sandoval, Felipe Cervantes-Hernández, Corina Hayano-Kanashiro, José J. Ordaz-Ortiz, M. Humberto Reyes-Valdés, Fernando G. Razo-Mendivil, Ana Garcés-Claver and Neftalí Ochoa-Alejo

Plants 2021, 10(3), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030585 - 19 Mar 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5629

Abstract

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is an important crop, as well as a model for fruit development studies and domestication. Here, we performed a time-course experiment to estimate standardized gene expression profiles with respect to fruit development for six domesticated and four wild [...] Read more.

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is an important crop, as well as a model for fruit development studies and domestication. Here, we performed a time-course experiment to estimate standardized gene expression profiles with respect to fruit development for six domesticated and four wild chili pepper ancestors. We sampled the transcriptomes every 10 days from flowering to fruit maturity, and found that the mean standardized expression profiles for domesticated and wild accessions significantly differed. The mean standardized expression was higher and peaked earlier for domesticated vs. wild genotypes, particularly for genes involved in the cell cycle that ultimately control fruit size. We postulate that these gene expression changes are driven by selection pressures during domestication and show a robust network of cell cycle genes with a time shift in expression, which explains some of the differences between domesticated and wild phenotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 17101 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stability Despite Reduction: Flower Structure, Patterns of Receptacle Elongation and Organ Fusion in Eriocaulon (Eriocaulaceae: Poales)

by Dmitry D. Sokoloff, Shrirang R. Yadav, Arun N. Chandore and Margarita V. Remizowa

Plants 2020, 9(11), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111424 - 24 Oct 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3755

Abstract

Eriocaulaceae (Poales) differ from potentially related Xyridaceae in pattern of floral organ arrangement relative to subtending bract (with median sepal adaxial). Some Eriocaulaceae possess reduced and non-trimerous perianth, but developmental data are insufficient. We conducted a SEM investigation of flower development in three [...] Read more.

Eriocaulaceae (Poales) differ from potentially related Xyridaceae in pattern of floral organ arrangement relative to subtending bract (with median sepal adaxial). Some Eriocaulaceae possess reduced and non-trimerous perianth, but developmental data are insufficient. We conducted a SEM investigation of flower development in three species of Eriocaulon to understand whether organ number and arrangement are stable in E. redactum, a species with a highly reduced calyx and reportedly missing corolla of female flowers. Early flower development is similar in all three species. Male and female flowers are indistinguishable at early stages. Despite earlier reports, both floral types uniformly possess three congenitally united sepals and three petals in E. redactum. Petals and inner stamens develop from common primordia. We assume that scanning electron microscopy should be used in taxonomic accounts of Eriocaulon to assess organ number and arrangement. Two types of corolla reduction are found in Eriocaulaceae: suppression and complete loss of petals. Common petal–stamen primordia in Eriocaulon do not co-occur with delayed receptacle expansion as in other monocots but are associated with retarded petal growth. The ‘reverse’ flower orientation of Eriocaulon is probably due to strictly transversal lateral sepals. Gynoecium development indicates similarities of Eriocaulaceae with restiids and graminids rather than with Xyridaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 2316 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pollen Germination and Pollen Tube Growth in Gymnosperms

by Maria Breygina, Ekaterina Klimenko and Olga Schekaleva

Plants 2021, 10(7), 1301; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071301 - 26 Jun 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 10075

Abstract

Pollen germination and pollen tube growth are common to all seed plants, but these processes first developed in gymnosperms and still serve for their successful sexual reproduction. The main body of data on the reproductive physiology, however, was obtained on flowering plants, and [...] Read more.

Pollen germination and pollen tube growth are common to all seed plants, but these processes first developed in gymnosperms and still serve for their successful sexual reproduction. The main body of data on the reproductive physiology, however, was obtained on flowering plants, and one should be careful to extrapolate the discovered patterns to gymnosperms. In recent years, physiological studies of coniferous pollen have been increasing, and both the features of this group and the similarities with flowering plants have already been identified. The main part of the review is devoted to physiological studies carried out on conifer pollen. The main properties and diversity of pollen grains and pollination strategies in gymnosperms are described. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Reproductive Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Plant Reproductive Development

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (13 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI