While pollen dormancy has been proposed to play a necessary role in sexual reproduction, it remains poorly understood. Here, we used traditional pollen germination assays to characterize dormancy. Our results underscore variation in the degree of dormancy between individual pollen grains. In addition, we provide evidence that JINGUBANG (JGB), previously defined as a negative regulator of pollen germination in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), is responsible for the uneven degrees of pollen dormancy, as asynchronous pollen germination in vitro reflected varied expression levels of JGB. We identified five cis-acting elements, including four CArG-boxes and the previously uncharacterized element ERE7, as essential for the initiation and enhancement of JGB expression. A 10-bp sequence between CArG-box 3 and ERE7, likely the result of an inverse DNA loop formed between CArG-box 3 and CArG-box 4, was required for robust gene expression. In addition, the pollen-specific AtMIKC*-type MADS transcription factors AGAMOUS-LIKE 30 (AGL30), AGL65, AGL66, AGL94, and AGL104 activated JGB transcription. Notably, the transactivation levels differed among the obligate AtMIKC* heterodimers tested. Our results indicate that distinct AtMIKC* complexes formed in individual pollen grains direct pollen dormancy to uneven degrees, which is likely an adaptive trait that ensures broader pollen dispersal under adverse environmental conditions.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiae576 | DOI Listing |
BMC Plant Biol
December 2024
Laboratory for Pest Management Research, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion, Israel.
Plant Physiol
October 2024
Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
While pollen dormancy has been proposed to play a necessary role in sexual reproduction, it remains poorly understood. Here, we used traditional pollen germination assays to characterize dormancy. Our results underscore variation in the degree of dormancy between individual pollen grains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlants (Basel)
June 2024
College of Grassland Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030800, China.
(Laxm.) is a leguminous plant with significant ecological benefits, but its embryonic development mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the flower bud differentiation, megaspore and microspore formation, gametophyte development, and embryo and endosperm development in .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOecologia
June 2024
Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, USA.
Changes in the timing and duration of life cycles are distinctive fingerprints of environmental change. Yet, the biotic and abiotic cues underpinning phenology and voltinism, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Plant Sci
May 2024
School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
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