Mid-bicellular Pollen Research Articles

Flower and Microspore Development in ‘Campbell Early’ (Vitis labruscana) and ‘Tamnara’ (V. spp.) Grapes

Abstract: The majority of cultivated varieties of grape have perfect flowers that are clustered in an individual inflorescence. Grape flower has a single pistil, five stamens, a protective flower cap (calyptra), and a calyx. After fertilization, an indivi dual flower develops into a single berry. Although there are a number of reported studies focusing on berry formation, berry enlar gement, and sugar accumulation in grape, the morphological studies of flower, including gametophyte morphogenesis and structural chan ge in floral organs, have not yet been studied in detail. In this study, we investigated the flower structure and development char acteristics of grape using microscopy and defined the floral development stages 9 to 13 based on microspore or male gametophyte development stage from tetrad to mature pollen. We used seeded diploid table grapes ‘Campbell Early’ ( Vitis labruscana) and ‘Tamnara’ (V. spp.) as plant materials. At floral development stage 9, pollen mother cells develop to tetrads. During floral development sta ges 10 to 11, unicellular microspore develop to mid bicellular pollen. At the end of floral stage 12, male gametophyte develops to mature tricelluar pollen. In floral stage 13, the flower cap falls off and flower bud opens. During floral development sta ges 9 to 12, there were no major changes in calyx length, whereas the length of the flower cap continuously increased. The flower cap-to-calyx length ratio was 2.0, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.5 at floral stages 9, 10, 11, and 12, respectively. The flower cap-to-calyx length ratio was consistent in the two grape cultivars, suggesting that the ratio is a morphological character representing floral dev elopment stage. This study provides a reference for determining floral development stage of the two grape cultivars. It will be useful for the determination of optimum time for microspore culture needed to generate doubled haploid lines and appropriate gibberellic acid treatment needed to induce parthenocarpic fruit development in ‘Tamnara’ grape.Additional key words:

Timing of the G1/S transition in tobacco pollen vegetative cells as a primary step towards androgenesis in vitro.

Mid-bicellular pollen vegetative cells in tobacco escape from G1 arrest and proceed to the G1/S transition towards androgenesis within 1 day under glutamine starvation conditions in vitro. In the Nicotiana tabacum pollen culture system, immature pollen grains at the mid-bicellular stage can mature in the presence of glutamine; however, if glutamine is absent, they deviate from their native cell fate in a few days. The glutamine-starved pollen grains cannot undergo maturation, even when supplied with glutamine later. Instead, they undergo cell division towards androgenesis slowly within 10 days in a medium containing appropriate nutrients. During the culture period, they ought to escape from G1 arrest to proceed into S phase as the primary step towards androgenesis. However, this event has not been experimentally confirmed. Here, we demonstrated that the pollen vegetative cells proceeded to the G1/S transition within approximately 15-36 h after the start of culture. These results were obtained by analyzing transgenic pollen possessing a fusion gene encoding nuclear-localizing GFP under the control of an E2F motif-containing promoter isolated from a gene encoding one of DNA replication licensing factors. Observations using a 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine DNA labeling and detection technique uncovered that the G1/S transition was soon followed by S phase. These hallmarks of vegetative cells undergoing dedifferentiation give us new insights into upstream events causing the G1/S transition and also provide a novel strategy to increase the frequency of the androgenic response in tobacco and other species, including recalcitrants.

In situ molecular identification of the Ntf4 MAPK expression sites in maturing and germinating pollen

MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) are involved in the transduction of different signals in eukaryotes. They regulate different processes, such as differentiation, proliferation and stress response. MAPKs act through the phosphorylation cascade, being the last element that phosphorylates the final effector of the cell response. They are activated when their threonine and tyrosine residues are phosphorylated. Ntf4, a MAPK with a molecular mass of 45 kDa, has been reported to be expressed in pollen and seeds. Biochemical studies have indicated that the expression and the activation of Ntf4 is regulated during pollen maturation, although an increase of the activation is observed when the pollen is hydrated, just at the beginning of the germination. However, nothing is known about its subcellular localization. In the present study, the in situ expression and subcellular localization of Ntf4 have been analysed during the tobacco pollen developmental pathway. Cryosections, freeze-substitution and cryo-embedding in Lowicryl K4M were used as processing techniques for subsequent immunofluorescence, immunogold labelling and in situ hybridization assays. During pollen maturation, Ntf4 showed an increase in expression, as demonstrated by in situ hybridization, and specific subcellular distributions. We found that the protein was expressed from mid bicellular pollen stage until the pollen was mature. In germinating pollen, the protein increased after the initiation of germination. Translocation of the protein to the nucleus was found at specific stages; the presence of Ntf4 in the nucleus was found in the last stage of the pollen maturation and in germinating pollen. Double immunofluorescence and immunogold labelling with anti-Ntf4 (AbC4) and anti-P-MAPK (phosphorylated MAPK) antibodies revealed the co-localization of both epitopes in the nucleus at late developmental stages. The temporal and spatial pattern of the expression sites of Ntf4 has been characterized during pollen development, indicating that Ntf4 is a 'late gene' that is upregulated during maturation and germination, with a possible role in the gametophytic function. The translocation of the Ntf4 protein from the cytoplasm to the nucleus at late pollen developmental stages, and its co-localization with the P-MAPK epitope in several nuclear sites, indicates a relationship between the Ntf4 nuclear translocation and its active state.

Methotrexate is a new selectable marker for tobacco immature pollen transformation

We report here a new selectable marker for tobacco immature pollen transformation based on the expression of dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene which confers resistance to methotrexate (Mtx). Two immature pollen transformation approaches, i.e., male germ line transformation and particle bombardment of embryogenic mid-bicellular pollen have been used for the production of stable transgenic tobacco plants. In the first method, two methotrexate-resistant plants were selected from a total of 7161 seeds recovered after transformation experiments. In the second method, four methotrexate-resistant plants were obtained from 29 bombardments using 3.7 x 10(5) pollen grains per bombardment. Southern analysis confirmed the transgenic nature of T0 and T1 candidate transgenic plants, and a genetic analysis showed that the transgenes are transmitted to subsequent generations.

Expression and thermotolerance of calreticulin during pollen development in tobacco

Glycoproteins 50, 55, 59 and 64 kDa with affinity to the lectin ConA occurring abundantly in mature tobacco pollen were shown to exhibit high tolerance against heating at 90°C for 30°min. The 59 kDa glycoprotein (GP59) was isolated by affinity chromatography on ConA-agarose followed by 2D-electrophoresis and identified by MS analysis as tobacco calreticulin with approximate pI 4.2. Identification of the protein was confirmed by immunoblotting with human anti-calreticulin and by labelling with a specific dye for Ca2+ -binding proteins (Stains All). Two acidic isoforms of 50 kDa glycoprotein in addition to GP59 displayed homology to calreticulin. RT-PCR revealed the presence of transcripts for calreticulin 59 kDa at all the stages of pollen development from microspore mitosis through the first 24 h of pollen tube growth. Immunodetection with anti-calreticulin and affinity to ConA on Western blots of total soluble proteins separated by 1D-SDS-PAGE showed that the protein first occurred at the mid-bicellular pollen stage, accumulated during pollen maturation and disappeared during 24 h of pollen tube growth. A thermotolerant form of GP59 was detected only in the terminal phase of pollen maturation and during 8 h of pollen tube growth. Results indicated that calreticulin 59 kDa is transcribed, translated and undergoes post-translational modification at a number of different stages of pollen development and that thermotolerance of the protein in mature pollen may be associated with high glycosylation. The thermotolerance of these glycoproteins could play a role in the protection of pollen against stress factors during dehydration and dispersal.

A Histone H3.3-like Gene Specifically Expressed in the Vegetative Cell of Developing Lily Pollen

To investigate the progression of the cell cycle during pollen development, two clones of histone H3 genes, YAH3 and MPH3, were isolated from cDNA libraries of young anthers and mature pollen of Lilium longiflorum. Northern blot and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) analyses demonstrated that YAH3 transcripts were present in uninucleate microspores and generative cells at the postulated S phase of the cell cycle as well as in young anthers, meristematic root tips, and shoot apices that contained proliferating cells. YAH3 therefore appears to be a major type of histone H3 gene in the lily. In contrast, the expression of MPH3 was detected only during pollen development, and expression increased during the development of mid-bicellular pollen to mature pollen. The results of in situ hybridization revealed that the transcripts of MPH3 were specifically accumulated in the vegetative cell of developing bicellular pollen. The two histone H3s differed at eight amino acid positions, and the deduced amino acid sequence of MPH3 showed identity with histone H3.3, which is a replacement variant of histone H3. The localization of an MPH3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein differed from that of YAH3-GFP in onion epidermal cells and tobacco BY-2 cells at stationary phase, which suggests the preferential ability of MPH3 to be incorporated into chromatin. MPH3 may be expressed replication independently in vegetative cells at the G1 phase and be incorporated into highly active chromatin of the vegetative nucleus of bicellular pollen, in a manner similar to histone H3.3 in Drosophila.

Origin of Multicellular Pollen and Pollen Embryos in Cultured Anthers of Pepper (Capsicum Annuum)

Anthers of Capsicum annuum L. were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.1 mg l−1 NAA and 0.1 mg l−1 kinetin. Inoculated anthers were subjected to 31 °C and development of microspores in anthers of varying stages was observed cytologically using 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindol-2HCl (DAPI). Pepper was characterized by a strong asynchrony of pollen development within a single anther. Percentage of pollen at different stages changed with the culture period, and the proportion of dead pollen increased drastically from day 2 after culture. Microspores that were cultured at the late-uninucleate stage followed one of two developmental pathways. In the more common route, the first sporophytic division was asymmetric and produced what appeared to be a typical bicellular pollen. Embryogenic pollen was formed by repeated divisions of the vegetative nucleus. In the second pathway, which occurred in fewer microspores, the first division was symmetric and both nuclei divided repeatedly to form embryogenic pollen. In early-bicellular pollen, sporophytic pollen was produced through division of the vegetative nucleus. In mid-bicellular pollen, the generative nucleus may undergo division to produce two or more sperm-like nuclei. However, division of the generative nucleus alone to form the embryo was never observed. The anther stage optimal for embryo production contained a large proportion (>75%) of early-binucleate pollen. Associations were found among the percentage of early-binucleate pollen, the frequency of embryogenic multinucleate pollen, and the yield of pollen embryos.

Pollen vegetative cell-specific expression of Bra r 1 : useful tool for observation of the vegetative nucleus and identification of transgenic pollen by nuclear-targeted GFP

Bra r 1 encodes a novel Ca2+-binding protein specifically expressed in pollen and is localized in cytoplasm of pollen and pollen tubes. In this study, we demonstrated the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) with a nuclear localization signal under the control of Bra r 1 promoter in tobacco pollen. A fluorescent signal was detected in the vegetative nucleus (VN) but not in generative and sperm cell nuclei, indicating pollen vegetative cell-specific expression of Bra r 1. The fluorescent signal in elongating pollen tubes was stronger than that in mature pollen, indicating that the expression of Bra r 1 was more activated during pollen tube growth. This result suggests that Bra r 1 protein might be necessary for pollen tube growth. The pattern of green fluorescence in the VN revealed that VN chromatin is dispersed during the mid-bicellular pollen stage and condensed at the mature stage. This suggests that the level of chromatin condensation might be linked with gene expression in pollen vegetative cells. We also found that the expression of GFP and its targeting of the VN have no detrimental effect on pollen maturation and pollen tube growth. Expression of GFP in pollen thus makes rapid non-destructive monitoring of transgenic pollen and pollen tubes possible. The GFP which moved into the VN was found to be a convenient tool for observation of the VN and could be useful as a selectable marker of transgenic pollen for the analysis of pollen-specific genes.

The pollen-specific gene Ntp303 encodes a 69-kDa glycoprotein associated with the vegetative membranes and the cell wall

The pollen-specific gene Ntp303 belongs to the class of late pollen specific genes. It is first transcribed directly after pollen mitosis. Biochemical properties, appearance and precise location of the NTP303 protein during pollen development and pollen tube growth were studied by amino-acid micro-sequencing, protein gel blotting and immuno-localization. Antisera were raised against recombinant proteins, encoded by sequences of the pollen-specific Ntp303 gene. The antibodies specifically recognized a 69-kDa glycoprotein. Electron-microscopic immuno-localization of the protein revealed the presence of high concentrations of the NTP303 protein at the vegetative plasma membranes that surround the vegetative cell, the generative cell and the sperm cells of pollen and pollen tubes. The generative plasma membranes of the generative cell and the sperm cells were negative. NTP303 protein was also present in the cell walls and in callose plugs. With this method it was shown that the NTP303 protein was already present in mid-bicellular pollen, after the first, asymmetrical pollen mitosis. Possible functions for the NTP303 protein are discussed in relation to its properties and its association with the vegetative plasma membranes.

Analysis of microspore-specific promoters in transgenic tobacco.

In order to modify the early stages of pollen development in a transgenic context microspore-specific promoters are required. We tested two putatively microspore-specific promoters, the Bp4 promoter from rapeseed and the NTM19 promoter from tobacco. Expression of the gus and barnase reporter genes under the control of these two promoters was studied in transgenic tobacco. Contrary to expectations, the Bp4 promoter became active only after the first pollen mitosis, and not in the microspores. The NTM19 promoter turned out to be highly microspore-specific and directed very high levels of gus expression to the unicellular microspores. The NTM19-barnase transgene caused cell-autonomous death at the mid-unicellular microspore stage, whereas Bp4-barnase induced cell ablation of early to mid-bicellular pollen. Both promoter-barnase transgenes did not affect the sporophyte and were inherited through the female germline. These results show that both the NTM19 and Bp4 promoters are expressed only in the male germline, and that the NTM19 promoter is an excellent tool to direct high levels of transgene expression exclusively to the microspores. This may have important biotechnological applications.

The Appearance of Male Gamete-Specific Histones gH2B and gH3 during Pollen Development in Lilium longiflorum

The male gametic (generative) nucleus within the nearly mature pollen of Lilium longiflorum contains specific variants of histone H2B and H3, which have been designated gH2B and gH3, respectively. Using specific antibodies raised against gH2B and gH3, we examined in detail the temporal and spatial aspects of the appearance of these histone variants during male gametogenesis. Neither gH2B nor gH3 was detected in microsporocytes during meiotic division or in microspores before microspore mitosis. However, both gH2B and gH3 were abundantly present in mid bicellular pollen and these histones continued to be detectable in germinated pollen tubes after pollination. Furthermore, immunocytochemical revealed that these proteins were present not only in generative nuclei during the maturation process, but also in the two sperm nuclei formed by division of the generative nucleus. By contrast, these proteins were not found in the vegetative nuclei. It appears, therefore, that both gH2B and gH3 are specific to male gametic (generative and sperm) nuclei in L. longiflorum. The results also suggest that these male gamete-specific histones might be newly synthesized in the progenitor of sperm cells for the differentiation of male gametes, as occurs in spermatogenesis in animals.

The pollen grain wall as a site for passage of lanthanum in tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae)

We studied the response of the pollen grain wall to the passage of materials from the external environment. Pollen grains of Lycopersicon esculentum, a species not previously investigated in similar studies, were used to determine whether the routes of passage through the pollen wall are a characteristic of a given species. We found lanthanum deposits on the cell wall surface, inside microchannels crossing tectum, and in the infratectum. Lanthanum was also seen as a fine precipitate homogenously scattered within the substance of the exine. In the apertural region of the intine, electron‐dense deposits filled the tubulations of the intine oncus, whereas the intine matrix was free of precipitate. In the cytoplasm, precipitate was observed inside small vesicles frequently located near or in contact with the plasmalemma. Our findings were similar to those reported in other species, and were not influenced by the fixative or culture medium used to incorporate the tracer element. We noted a relation between the route of passage and the stage of pollen grain maturation. In less mature grains (midbicellular pollen), electron‐dense deposits were more abundant than in more mature grains, probably because apertural regions were blocked as routes of passage.

Activation and developmental regulation of an Arabidopsis anther-specific promoter in microspores and pollen of Nicotiana tabacum

Seven cytologically distinct stages during micro spore development were identified and used to define the activation of an Arabidopsis anther-specific gene (apg) in transgenic tobacco plants containing an apg promoter-gus fusion. Histochemical analysis of GUS activity showed that the apg promoter was activated in miduninucleate microspores prior to equatorial and polar nuclear migration. Quantitative analysis in isolated spores showed that GUS activity per milligram of protein decreased progressively during pollen development, but on a per spore basis showed a second peak of activity in mid-bicellular pollen. Activation of the apg promoter in isolated gametophytic cells during development was also investigated following DNA delivery by microprojectile bombardment. Levels of transient expression were detectable in uninucleate microspores, but peaked in mid-bicellular pollen, in contrast to the progressive increase in activity of the promoter of the ‘late’ pollen gene lat52. These data show that the apg promoter is activated in a biphasic pattern, and indicate that the activity of transcription factors which mediate apg promoter activity persist through microspore mitosis, but decrease during pollen maturation.