Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)

Megagametophyte differentiation was examined in cleared ovules from emergent buds and open flowers of Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Z. chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr., two highly apomictic species that exhibit the Antennaria type of megasporogenesis and hemigamy. Stages from binucleate megagameto...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Charles F. Crane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Firenze University Press 2019-12-01
Series:Caryologia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/caryologia/article/view/670
_version_ 1811267462086262784
author Charles F. Crane
author_facet Charles F. Crane
author_sort Charles F. Crane
collection DOAJ
description Megagametophyte differentiation was examined in cleared ovules from emergent buds and open flowers of Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Z. chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr., two highly apomictic species that exhibit the Antennaria type of megasporogenesis and hemigamy. Stages from binucleate megagametophytes through early endosperm divisions were sampled. A large central vacuole appears after the megasporocyte divides mitotically, and this vacuole persists until the endosperm becomes cellular. Upon cellularization of the egg and antipodal apparati, a central column of cytoplasm develops longitudinally across the central vacuole, and both polar nuclei move into it before moving in unison to the chalazal end. The mature megagametophyte is organized conventionally, with one egg, two synergid, two polar nuclei, and three antipodal cells. Endosperm development is helobial, but there are few divisions in the chalazal chamber of the endosperm. The behavior of fertilized and unfertilized ovules was also studied in response to pollination. Although synergids degenerate autonomously, pollination accelerates synergid degeneration in unfertilized as well as fertilized ovules relative to unpollinated flowers of the same age. Tabulation of numerical abnormalities suggests that progressive imprinting is involved in megagametophyte differentiation; the data do not support a strictly zonal specification of nuclear fate, but instead a role for nuclear polarization before mitotic divisions. This study demonstrated the value of cleared ovules in gathering statistically and temporally meaningful observations of megagametophyte differentiation, relating in particular to the movement of polar nuclei and the response of the megagametophyte to pollination.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T21:02:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-cc0187fb096c48a0a58570d764de4cbc
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0008-7114
2165-5391
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T21:02:57Z
publishDate 2019-12-01
publisher Firenze University Press
record_format Article
series Caryologia
spelling doaj.art-cc0187fb096c48a0a58570d764de4cbc2022-12-22T03:16:47ZengFirenze University PressCaryologia0008-71142165-53912019-12-0172410.13128/caryologia-670Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)Charles F. Crane0USDA-ARS Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907 and Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue UniversityMegagametophyte differentiation was examined in cleared ovules from emergent buds and open flowers of Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Z. chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr., two highly apomictic species that exhibit the Antennaria type of megasporogenesis and hemigamy. Stages from binucleate megagametophytes through early endosperm divisions were sampled. A large central vacuole appears after the megasporocyte divides mitotically, and this vacuole persists until the endosperm becomes cellular. Upon cellularization of the egg and antipodal apparati, a central column of cytoplasm develops longitudinally across the central vacuole, and both polar nuclei move into it before moving in unison to the chalazal end. The mature megagametophyte is organized conventionally, with one egg, two synergid, two polar nuclei, and three antipodal cells. Endosperm development is helobial, but there are few divisions in the chalazal chamber of the endosperm. The behavior of fertilized and unfertilized ovules was also studied in response to pollination. Although synergids degenerate autonomously, pollination accelerates synergid degeneration in unfertilized as well as fertilized ovules relative to unpollinated flowers of the same age. Tabulation of numerical abnormalities suggests that progressive imprinting is involved in megagametophyte differentiation; the data do not support a strictly zonal specification of nuclear fate, but instead a role for nuclear polarization before mitotic divisions. This study demonstrated the value of cleared ovules in gathering statistically and temporally meaningful observations of megagametophyte differentiation, relating in particular to the movement of polar nuclei and the response of the megagametophyte to pollination.https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/caryologia/article/view/670Megagametophyteembryo sacapomixishemigamypolar nuclei
spellingShingle Charles F. Crane
Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
Caryologia
Megagametophyte
embryo sac
apomixis
hemigamy
polar nuclei
title Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
title_full Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
title_fullStr Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
title_full_unstemmed Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
title_short Megagametophyte Differentiation in Zephyranthes drummondii D. Don and Zephyranthes chlorosolen (Herb.) D. Dietr. (Amaryllidaceae)
title_sort megagametophyte differentiation in zephyranthes drummondii d don and zephyranthes chlorosolen herb d dietr amaryllidaceae
topic Megagametophyte
embryo sac
apomixis
hemigamy
polar nuclei
url https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/caryologia/article/view/670
work_keys_str_mv AT charlesfcrane megagametophytedifferentiationinzephyranthesdrummondiiddonandzephyrantheschlorosolenherbddietramaryllidaceae