Cytogenetic characteristics of seed progeny of old-aged trees of Pinus pallasiana and Picea abies (Pinaceae)

Ivan Korshikov,Yuliia Bilonozhko,Volodymyr Hrabovyi

doi:10.15407/ukrbotj78.06.434

Abstract

Information on cytogenetic changes in the seed offspring of old-aged trees is insufficient and inconsistent. In our studies, 150–200-year old trees of Picea abies and Pinus pallasiana were used. We analyzed peculiarities of their karyotype, nucleus-forming region, and nucleolus in the cells of seedlings of P. abies and P. pallasiana emerged from seeds in natural populations and plantations of introduced plants. As a result, age-dependent cytogenetic disorders were observed, such as the chromosome bridges, lag, premature segregation, and agglutination. Peculiarities with regard to number and structure of secondary chromosome constriction are demonstrated. The identified properties of the cell structure of seeds of old-aged trees of P. abies and P. pallasiana indicate that more resources are needed to maintain their protein synthesis at a normal level. The increased number of abnormalities indicates a significant impact of accumulated intracellular metabolites and cytopathological phenomena in mother plants on the quality of seed offspring.

Highlights

From the seed germination to aging sub-senile period, the plant physiological state changes, and age-related and organ-forming processes occur simultaneously
Pathologies of mitosis and aberrations associated with the chromosome structure were noted
All types of chromosomal aberrations are considered as a single phenomenon, as they have a common basis as DNA break

Summary

Introduction

From the seed germination to aging sub-senile period, the plant physiological state changes, and age-related and organ-forming processes occur simultaneously. Many patterns of age-related changes leading to functional rearrangements, especially the molecular basis of ontogenesis in higher plants, have not yet been elucidated sufficiently. With aging, living organisms have both programmed and stochastic changes in their macromolecular properties, reflected in the finest structures, including the synthesis of nucleic acids and cell proteins. Age-related changes occur at different levels of organization of a living organism (molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ). The aging of the whole plant reflects the processes occurring in all its constituent organs and is closely related to the slowdown or cessation of the tissue and organ growth. Plant aging is usually characterized by a decrease in the intensity of photosynthesis, respiration, protein synthesis, RNA synthesis, activity of ion transport, and other physiological processes (Calderwood et al, 2009; Gladyshev, 2016; Anisimova et al, 2018)

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