Dataset Information

Intermittent pollen-tube growth in pistils of alders (Alnus).

ABSTRACT: In alders, where fertilization occurs approximately 8 weeks after pollination, the pollen tube (male gametophyte) grows intermittently in four steps in close association with the development of the ovary and its ovules. Pollen tubes stop growing in the style, at the ovarian locule, and at the chalaza (ovule), before reaching an embryo sac for fertilization. At the stage when the ovary develops an ovule primordium in each of the two locules, many pollen tubes germinate on the stigma, and a few of them reach the style, where they remain for approximately 7 weeks. Thereafter, a single tube resumes growing; with a short stop in the upper space of the ovarian locule, it reaches the older of the two ovules when it has developed a two-nucleate embryo sac. Except in the last step, where the tube grows from the chalaza to an embryo sac (female gametophyte), an eight-nucleate mature embryo sac is not necessary for pollen-tube guidance in the pistil. Although the intermittent pollen-tube growth appears to play an important role in the selection of a single pollen tube from many and one ovule from two, its detection provides insight into the study of the mechanism of pollen-tube guidance.

SUBMITTER: Sogo A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1150840 | biostudies-other | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Intermittent pollen-tube growth in pistils of alders (Alnus).

Sogo Akiko A Tobe Hiroshi H

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20050602 24

In alders, where fertilization occurs approximately 8 weeks after pollination, the pollen tube (male gametophyte) grows intermittently in four steps in close association with the development of the ovary and its ovules. Pollen tubes stop growing in the style, at the ovarian locule, and at the chalaza (ovule), before reaching an embryo sac for fertilization. At the stage when the ovary develops an ovule primordium in each of the two locules, many pollen tubes germinate on the stigma, and a few of ...[more]

PMID: 15932945

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Project description:Background and aimsAn unusual form of pollen tube growth was observed for several Conospermum species (family Proteaceae). The rate of pollen tube growth, the number of tubes to emerge and the ultrastructure of these tubes are given here.MethodsPollen was germinated in vitro in different sucrose concentrations and in the presence of calcium channel blockers, and tube emergence and growth were recorded on a VCR. Measurements were taken of the number of tubes to emerge and rate of tube emergence. Pollen behaviour in vivo was also observed. The ultrastructure of germinated and ungerminated pollen was observed using TEM.ResultsAfter 10 s to 3 min in germination medium, up to three pollen tubes emerged and grew at rates of up to 55 micro m s(-1); the rate then slowed to around 2 micro m s(-1), 30 s after the initial growth spurt. Tubes were observed to grow in pulses, and the pulsed growth continued in the presence of calcium channel blockers. Optimal sugar concentration for pollen germination was 300 g L(-1), in which up to 81 % of pollen grains showed fast germination. Germination and emergence of multiple tubes were observed in sucrose concentrations of 100-800 g L(-1). The vegetative and generative nuclei moved into one of the tubes. Multiple tubes from a single grain were observed on the stigma. Under light microscopy, the cytoplasm in the tube showed a clear region at the tip. The ultrastructure of C. amoenum pollen showed a bilayered exine, with the intine being very thick at the pores, and elsewhere having large intrusions into the plasma membrane. The cytoplasm was dense with vesicles packed with inner tube cell wall material. Golgi apparatus producing secretory vesicles, and mitochondria were found throughout the tube. The tube wall was bilayered; both layers being fibrous and loosely packed.ConclusionsIt is proposed that, for Conospermum, initial pollen tube wall constituents are manufactured and stored prior to pollen germination, and that tube extension occurs as described in the literature for other species, but at an exceptionally fast rate.

Dataset Information

Intermittent pollen-tube growth in pistils of alders (Alnus).

Publications

Intermittent pollen-tube growth in pistils of alders (Alnus).

Similar Datasets

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