Physico-Chemical Properties of Inorganic NPs Influence the Absorption Rate of Aquatic Mosses Reducing Cytotoxicity on Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Model

Noble metals nanoparticles (NPs) and metal oxide NPs are widely used in different fields of application and commercial products, exposing living organisms to their potential adverse effects. Recent evidences suggest their presence in the aquifers water and consequently in drinking water. In this work, we have carefully synthesized four types of NPs, namely, silver and gold NPs (Ag NPs and Au NPs) and silica and titanium dioxide NPs (SiO₂ NPs and TiO₂ NPs) having a similar size and negatively charged surfaces. The synthesis of Ag NPs and Au NPs was carried out by colloidal route using silver nitrate (AgNO₃) and tetrachloroauric (III) acid (HAuCl₄) while SiO₂ NPs and TiO₂ NPs were achieved by ternary microemulsion and sol-gel routes, respectively. Once the characterization of NPs was carried out in order to assess their physico-chemical properties, their impact on living cells was studied. We used the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2), known as the best representative intestinal epithelial barrier model to understand the effects triggered by NPs through ingestion. Then, we moved to explore how water contamination caused by NPs can be lowered by the ability of three species of aquatic moss, namely, Leptodictyum riparium, Vesicularia ferriei, and Taxiphyllum barbieri, to absorb them. The experiments were conducted using two concentrations of NPs (100 μM and 500 Μm as metal content) and two time points (24 h and 48 h), showing a capture rate dependent on the moss species and NPs type. Then, the selected moss species, able to actively capture NPs, appear as a powerful tool capable to purify water from nanostructured materials, and then, to reduce the toxicity associated to the ingestion of contaminated drinking water.

Metabolomic analyses of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. 'Aohan') reproductive organs under boron deficiency and surplus conditions

Boron (B) deficiency and surplus are the main factors that affect plant growth and yield. A better understanding of the response mechanisms of plant reproductive organs to stress induced by B deficiency and surplus could provide new insights to potential strategies for improving seed yield and quality. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of tolerance to B-induced stress in the reproductive organs of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. 'Aohan'). We initially used five B concentrations (0 mg B L^-1, 400 mg B L^-1, 800 mg B L^-1, 1200 mg B L^-1, and 1600 mg B L^-1) to determine the B deficient, sufficient, and surplus levels in the field. Secondly, we examined changes in metabolite profiles of alfalfa 'Aohan' reproductive organs in response to B deficiency (0 mg B L^-1), B sufficiency (800 mg B L^-1), and B surplus (1600 mg B L^-1) conditions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Flowers and seeds from alfalfa 'Aohan' showed different metabolite profiles and resistance capacity under B deficiency and surplus conditions. B deficiency led to the excessive accumulation of sugars and phenolic compounds in alfalfa 'Aohan' and seeds, respectively, thus causing abscission or the abortion of reproductive organs. In contrast, B surplus severely reduced the levels of metabolites associated with amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in the flowers falling and, therefore, low seed yield. Overall, B deficiency predominantly reduced seed yield and quality of alfalfa 'Aohan', while B surplus mainly affected seed yield of alfalfa 'Aohan'.

Rapid toxicity assessment of six antifouling booster biocides using a microplate-based chlorophyll fluorescence in Undaria pinnatifida gametophytes

Biocides of antifouling agents can cause problems in marine ecosystems by damaging to non-target algal species. Aquatic bioassays are important means of assessing the quality of water containing mixtures of contaminants and of providing a safety standard for water management in an ecological context. In this study, a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive test method was developed using free-living male and female gametophytes of the brown macroalga Undaria pinnatifida. A conventional fluorometer was employed to evaluate the acute (48 h) toxic effects of six antifouling biocides: 4,5-Dichloro-2-octyl-isothiazolone (DCOIT), diuron, irgarol, medetomidine, tolylfluanid, zinc pyrithione (ZnPT). The decreasing toxicity in male and female gametophytes as estimated by EC50 (effective concentration at which 50% inhibition occurs) values was: diuron (0.037 and 0.128 mg l-1, respectively) > irgarol (0.096 and 0.172 mg l-1, respectively) > tolylfluanid (0.238 and 1.028 mg l-1, respectively) > DCOIT (1.015 and 0.890 mg l-1, respectively) > medetomidine (12.032 and 12.763 mg l-1, respectively). For ZnPT, 50% fluorescence inhibition of U. pinnatifida gametophytes occurred at concentrations above 0.4 mg l-1. The Undaria method is rapid, simple, practical, and cost-effective for the detection of photosynthesis-inhibiting biocides, thus making a useful tool for testing the toxicity of antifouling agents in marine environments.

BLADE-ON-PETIOLE genes are not involved in the transition from protonema to gametophore in the moss Physcomitrella patens

The timing of the transition between developmental phases is a critical determinant of plant form. In the moss Physcomitrella patens, the transition from protonema to gametophore is a particularly important step as it results in a change from two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth of the plant body. It is well known that this transition is promoted by cytokinin (CK), however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Previously, it was reported that P. patens orthologs of BLADE-ON-PETIOLE (BOP) genes (PpBOPs) work downstream of CK to promote the transition to gametophore. To further understand the role of PpBOPs in the control of this transition, we performed functional analyses of PpBOP genes. We simultaneously disrupted the function of all three PpBOP genes in P. patens using CRISPR technology, however, no abnormal phenotypes were observed in the triple mutant during either the gametophytic or the sporophytic growth stages. CK treatment did not alter the phase change in the triple mutant. We conclude that PpBOP genes are unnecessary in the control of P. patens development under normal conditions. We propose that BOP genes are not involved in the control of developmental processes in bryophytes and other basal land plants, but may function in physiological processes such as in the defense response.

Fluctuations in cell cycle, morphology and metabolism of Anemia phyllitidis gametophytes are the most important hallmarks of GA3-induced antheridiogenesis

The research object concerns partially explained mechanisms of plant hormone participation in male sex determination in plants, among them in A. phyllitidis gametophytes during GA₃-induced antheridiogenesis. To provide an explanation of the mechanisms of fluorescence and white-light microscopy, cytophotometric, autoradiographic and spectrophotometic methods were used to study cell cycle, the number of nucleoli, the amount of DiOC₆-stained IMN/ER, in which endoplasmic reticulum (ER) constitutes the main part, and its distribution as well as the amounts of proteins and chlorophylls and activities of acidic (Ac) and basic (Ba) phosphatases (Phases). It was revealed that antheridiogenesis was accompanied by cell cycle arrest at S-phase, changes of the number of nucleoli with simultaneous changes of the amount of IMN/ER and its distribution as well as fluctuations of protein amounts and of activities of acidic (Ac) and basic (Ba) phosphatases (Phases). The results indicated that initiation of antheridiogenesis in A. phyllitidis gametophytes by GA₃ was related to the elevation of GAs/ANs in the culture media, during its induction phase, and the elevation of IMN/ER and GAs/ANs amounts, during expression phase of this process.

Copper pollution exacerbates the effects of ocean acidification and warming on kelp microscopic early life stages

Ocean warming (OW), ocean acidification (OA) and their interaction with local drivers, e.g., copper pollution, may negatively affect macroalgae and their microscopic life stages. We evaluated meiospore development of the kelps Macrocystis pyrifera and Undaria pinnatifida exposed to a factorial combination of current and 2100-predicted temperature (12 and 16 °C, respectively), pH (8.16 and 7.65, respectively), and two copper levels (no-added-copper and species-specific germination Cu-EC50). Meiospore germination for both species declined by 5-18% under OA and ambient temperature/OA conditions, irrespective of copper exposure. Germling growth rate declined by >40%·day-1, and gametophyte development was inhibited under Cu-EC50 exposure, compared to the no-added-copper treatment, irrespective of pH and temperature. Following the removal of copper and 9-day recovery under respective pH and temperature treatments, germling growth rates increased by 8-18%·day-1. The exception was U. pinnatifida under OW/OA, where growth rate remained at 10%·day-1 before and after copper exposure. Copper-binding ligand concentrations were higher in copper-exposed cultures of both species, suggesting that ligands may act as a defence mechanism of kelp early life stages against copper toxicity. Our study demonstrated that copper pollution is more important than global climate drivers in controlling meiospore development in kelps as it disrupts the completion of their life cycle.

The effects of experimentally supplied lead nitrate on three common Mediterranean moss species

We assess here, through an experimental simulation using lead nitrate, the response to lead deposition of three common Mediterranean bryophyte species in the family Pottiaceae. Five concentrations of lead nitrate (from 0 to 10^-3 M) were sprayed for 4 months on plants belonging to Tortula muralis (reported as toxitolerant), Syntrichia ruralis (medium-tolerant), and Tortula subulata (less tolerant). The three species showed a remarkably high tolerance to lead nitrate, with a low incidence of damage even at concentrations as high as 10^-4 M. The maximum concentration (10^-3 M), although resulting eventually in serious damages in the gametophyte of the three species (high mortality rates in S. ruralis and T. subulata, or a significant percentage of damaged tissue in T. muralis), did not prevent the production of sporophytes in the two species with fertile samples (T. muralis and T. subulata). Growth parameters show limited value as bioindicators of lead deposition, as they only show clear effects at very high concentrations. Besides, we identified the existence of a lead exclusion strategy mediated by mucilage using histochemical analyses and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This mechanism can hamper the usefulness of these mosses in quantitative estimation of lead deposition.

Lichen secondary metabolites affect growth of Physcomitrella patens by allelopathy

Lichen secondary metabolites can function as allelochemicals and affect the development and growth of neighboring bryophytes, fungi, vascular plants, microorganisms, and even other lichens. Lichen overgrowth on bryophytes is frequently observed in nature even though mosses grow faster than lichens, but there is still little information on the interactions between lichens and bryophytes.In the present study, we used extracts from six lichen thalli containing secondary metabolites like usnic acid, protocetraric acid, atranorin, lecanoric acid, nortistic acid, and thamnolic acid. To observe the influence of these metabolites on bryophytes, the moss Physcomitrella patens was cultivated for 5 weeks under laboratory conditions and treated with lichen extracts. Toxicity of natural mixtures of secondary metabolites was tested at three selected doses (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 %). When the mixture contained substantial amounts of usnic acid, we observed growth inhibition of protonemata and reduced development of gametophores. Significant differences in cell lengths and widths were also noticed. Furthermore, usnic acid had a strong effect on cell division in protonemata suggesting a strong impact on the early stages of bryophyte development by allelochemicals contained in the lichen secondary metabolites.Biological activities of lichen secondary metabolites were confirmed in several studies such as antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, antiherbivore, antioxidant, antipyretic, and analgetic action or photoprotection. This work aimed to expand the knowledge on allelopathic effects on bryophyte growth.

Defects in Peroxisomal 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase Isoform PGD2 Prevent Gametophytic Interaction in Arabidopsis thaliana

We studied the localization of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) isoforms of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Similar polypeptide lengths of PGD1, PGD2, and PGD3 obscured which isoform may represent the cytosolic and/or plastidic enzyme plus whether PGD2 with a peroxisomal targeting motif also might target plastids. Reporter-fusion analyses in protoplasts revealed that, with a free N terminus, PGD1 and PGD3 accumulate in the cytosol and chloroplasts, whereas PGD2 remains in the cytosol. Mutagenesis of a conserved second ATG enhanced the plastidic localization of PGD1 and PGD3 but not PGD2. Amino-terminal deletions of PGD2 fusions with a free C terminus resulted in peroxisomal import after dimerization, and PGD2 could be immunodetected in purified peroxisomes. Repeated selfing of pgd2 transfer (T-)DNA alleles yielded no homozygous mutants, although siliques and seeds of heterozygous plants developed normally. Detailed analyses of the C-terminally truncated PGD2-1 protein showed that peroxisomal import and catalytic activity are abolished. Reciprocal backcrosses of pgd2-1 suggested that missing PGD activity in peroxisomes primarily affects the male gametophyte. Tetrad analyses in the quartet1-2 background revealed that pgd2-1 pollen is vital and in vitro germination normal, but pollen tube growth inside stylar tissues appeared less directed. Mutual gametophytic sterility was overcome by complementation with a genomic construct but not with a version lacking the first ATG. These analyses showed that peroxisomal PGD2 activity is required for guided growth of the male gametophytes and pollen tube-ovule interaction. Our report finally demonstrates an essential role of oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway reactions in peroxisomes, likely needed to sustain critical levels of nitric oxide and/or jasmonic acid, whose biosynthesis both depend on NADPH provision.

Changes in gametophyte physiology of Pteris multifida induced by the leaf leachate treatment of the invasive Bidens pilosa

In recent years, the response of fern gametophytes to environment has raised much attention. However, studies on the influence of plant invasion to fern gametophytes are scarce. Allelopathy plays an important role in biological invasion. Hence, it is necessary to study the allelopathic effects of invasive plants on fern gametophytes and elucidate the mechanisms by which invasive plants cause phytotoxicity. As one of the main invasive plants in China, Bidens pilosa exhibits allelopathic effects on spermatophyte growth. Field investigation shows that many ferns are threatened by the invasion of B. pilosa. The distribution of Pteris multifida overlaps with that of B. pilosa in China. To examine the potential involvement of allelopathic mechanisms of B. pilosa leaves, changes in the physiology in P. multifida gametophytes are analyzed. We found that cell membrane and antioxidant enzyme activities as well as photosynthesis pigment contents of the gametophytes were affected by B. pilosa leachates. Gametophytes of P. multifida exposed to B. pilosa had increased damages to cell membranes, expressed in thiobarbituric acid reacting substance (TBARS) concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (membrane permeability), and degree of injury. Enzyme activities, assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) enhanced with the increase in leachate concentration after 2-day exposure. Meanwhile, lower chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoid (Car), and the total chlorophyll were measured as leachate concentrations increased. At day 10, leaf leachates of B. pilosa exhibited the greatest inhibition. These results suggest that the observed inhibitory or stimulatory effects on the physiology studied can have an adverse effect on P. multifida and that allelopathic interference seems to have involved in this process.

Effects of cadmium metal on young gametophytes of Gelidium floridanum: metabolic and morphological changes

By evaluating carotenoid content, photosynthetic pigments and changes in cellular morphology, growth rates, and photosynthetic performance, this study aimed to determine the effect of cadmium (Cd) on the development of young gametophytes of Gelidium floridanum. Plants were exposed to 7.5 and 15 μM of Cd for 7 days. Control plants showed increased formation of new filamentous thallus, increased growth rates, presence of starch grains in the cortical and subcortical cells, protein content distributed regularly throughout the cell periphery, and intense autofluorescence of chloroplasts. On the other hand, plants treated with Cd at concentrations of 7.5 and 15 μM showed few formations of new thallus with totally depigmented regions, resulting in decreased growth rates. Plants exposed to 7.5 μM Cd demonstrated alterations in the cell wall and an increase in starch grains in the cortical and subcortical cells, while plants exposed to 15 μM Cd showed changes in medullary cells with no organized distribution of protein content. The autofluorescence and structure of chloroplasts decreased, forming a thin layer on the periphery of cells. Cadmium also affected plant metabolism, as visualized by a decrease in photosynthetic pigments, in particular, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin contents, and an increase in carotenoids. This result agrees with decreased photosynthetic performance and chronic photoinhibition observed after treatment with Cd, as measured by the decrease in electron transport rate. Based on these results, it was concluded that exposure to Cd affects cell metabolism and results in significant toxicity to young gametophytes of G. floridanum.

Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of the effects of sub-ambient atmospheric oxygen and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on gametophytes of the moss, Physcomitrella patens

It is widely accepted that atmospheric O2 has played a key role in the development of life on Earth, as evident from the coincidence between the rise of atmospheric O2 concentrations in the Precambrian and biological evolution. Additionally, it has also been suggested that low atmospheric O2 is one of the major drivers for at least two of the five mass-extinction events in the Phanerozoic. At the molecular level, our understanding of the responses of plants to sub-ambient O2 concentrations is largely confined to studies of the responses of underground organs, e.g. roots to hypoxic conditions. Oxygen deprivation often results in elevated CO2 levels, particularly under waterlogged conditions, due to slower gas diffusion in water compared to air. In this study, changes in the transcriptome of gametophytes of the moss Physcomitrella patens arising from exposure to sub-ambient O2 of 13% (oxygen deprivation) and elevated CO2 (1500 ppmV) were examined to further our understanding of the responses of lower plants to changes in atmospheric gaseous composition. Microarray analyses revealed that the expression of a large number of genes was affected under elevated CO2 (814 genes) and sub-ambient O2 conditions (576 genes). Intriguingly, the expression of comparatively fewer numbers of genes (411 genes) was affected under a combination of both sub-ambient O2 and elevated CO2 condition (low O2-high CO2). Overall, the results point towards the effects of atmospheric changes in CO2 and O2 on transcriptional reprogramming, photosynthetic regulation, carbon metabolism, and stress responses.

Effects of engineered iron nanoparticles on the bryophyte, Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp, after foliar exposure

The effects of iron nanoparticles on bryophytes (Physcomitrella patens) were studied following foliar exposure. We used iron nanoparticles (Fe-NP) representative of industrial emissions from the metallurgical industries. After a characterization of iron nanoparticles and the validation of nanoparticle internalization in cells, the effects (cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation of membrane) of iron nanoparticles were determined through the axenic culturing of Physcomitrella patens exposed at five different concentrations (5 ng, 50 ng, 500 ng, 5 µg and 50 µg per plant). Following exposure, the plant health, measured as ATP concentrations, was not impacted. Moreover, we studied oxidative stress in three ways: through the measure of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, through malondialdehyde (MDA) production and also through glutathione regulation. At concentrations tested over a short period, the level of ROS, MDA and glutathione were not significantly disturbed.

Dihydroxyacid dehydratase is important for gametophyte development and disruption causes increased susceptibility to salinity stress in Arabidopsis

Dihydroxyacid dehydratase (DHAD) catalyses a key step in the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthetic pathway that exists in numerous organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and plants, but not humans. In Arabidopsis thaliana, DHAD is encoded by a single gene (AT3G23940), but its biological function in controlling plant development remains uncharacterized. In this study, we showed that DHAD is highly expressed in most vegetative and reproductive tissues. It is an essential gene, and complete disruption caused partial sterility in both male and female gametophyte phases. In addition, reduced expression of DHAD in knockdown mutants resulted in a reduction in the accumulation of all three BCAAs in roots and, as a consequence, led to a shorter root phenotype, which could be restored by an exogenous supplement of free BCAAs. Interestingly, the knockdown mutants became hypersensitive to salt stress, not to heavy metal stress, implying that BCAAs may act as osmolytes in salt tolerance. This would be the second amino acid shown to confer such a function in addition to the well-documented proline. Our results provide evidence that BCAA biosynthesis plays important roles in gametophyte and root development, and BCAA homeostasis contributes to the adaptation of Arabidopsis to salinity stress.

High-efficiency stable transformation of the model fern species Ceratopteris richardii via microparticle bombardment

Ferns represent the most closely related extant lineage to seed plants. The aquatic fern Ceratopteris richardii has been subject to research for a considerable period of time, but analyses of the genetic programs underpinning developmental processes have been hampered by a large genome size, a lack of available mutants, and an inability to create stable transgenic lines. In this paper, we report a protocol for efficient stable genetic transformation of C. richardii and a closely related species Ceratopteris thalictroides using microparticle bombardment. Indeterminate callus was generated and maintained from the sporophytes of both species using cytokinin treatment. In proof-of-principle experiments, a 35S::β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression cassette was introduced into callus cells via tungsten microparticles, and stable transformants were selected via a linked hygromycin B resistance marker. The presence of the transgene in regenerated plants and in subsequent generations was validated using DNA-blot analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and GUS staining. GUS staining patterns in most vegetative tissues corresponded with constitutive gene expression. The protocol described in this paper yields transformation efficiencies far greater than those previously published and represents a significant step toward the establishment of a tractable fern genetic model.

Fern spore longevity in saline water: can sea bottom sediments maintain a viable spore bank?

Freshwater and marine sediments often harbor reservoirs of plant diaspores, from which germination and establishment may occur whenever the sediment falls dry. Therewith, they form valuable records of historical inter- and intraspecific diversity, and are increasingly exploited to facilitate diversity establishment in new or restored nature areas. Yet, while ferns may constitute a considerable part of a vegetation's diversity and sediments are known to contain fern spores, little is known about their longevity, which may suffer from inundation and--in sea bottoms--salt stress. We tested the potential of ferns to establish from a sea or lake bottom, using experimental studies on spore survival and gametophyte formation, as well as a spore bank analysis on sediments from a former Dutch inland sea. Our experimental results revealed clear differences among species. For Asplenium scolopendrium and Gymnocarpium dryopteris, spore germination was not affected by inundated storage alone, but decreased with rising salt concentrations. In contrast, for Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens germination decreased following inundation, but not in response to salt. Germination rates decreased with time of storage in saline water. Smaller and less viable gametophytes were produced when saline storage lasted for a year. Effects on germination and gametophyte development clearly differed among genotypes of A. scolopendrium. Spore bank analyses detected no viable spores in marine sediment layers. Only two very small gametophytes (identified as Thelypteris palustris via DNA barcoding) emerged from freshwater sediments. Both died before maturation. We conclude that marine, and likely even freshwater sediments, will generally be of little value for long-term storage of fern diversity. The development of any fern vegetation on a former sea floor will depend heavily on the deposition of spores onto the drained land by natural or artificial means of dispersal.

Mycorrhizal fungi modify element distribution in gametophytes and sporophytes of a fern Pellaeaviridis from metaliferous soils

In the present study, the element distribution within mycothallic and nonmycothallic gametophytes and the early stages of sporophyte development of Pellaea viridis (Pteridaceae) were investigated. Gametophytes of this fern were collected from soil samples originating in the ultramafic area of the Agnes Mine near Barberton, South Africa. The gametophytes were grown on both the original soil and on a plant growth substratum obtained from the local botanical garden. Gametophytes and young sporophytes grown on substratum inoculated with Glomus tenue or non-inoculated were freeze-dried, and the distribution of elements was studied using micro-PIXE. The GeoPIXE II software package was used for quantitative elemental mapping complemented by data extracted from arbitrarily selected micro-areas. The obtained results suggest that although the fern itself avoids the uptake of large amounts of heavy metals, increased levels of Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Ti were found in the part of the gametophyte that hosted the fungal endophyte. This finding suggests that the fungus might be active in the immobilisation of certain potentially toxic metals that are taken up from the soil by the plant, although other mechanisms cannot be excluded. For the first time, precise, quantitative measurements of the concentration of individual elements in the fern gametophytes and young sporophytes were obtained, along with their distribution within the plant parts.

[Role of ethylene in the control of gametophyte-sporophyte interactions in the course of the progamic phase of fertilization]

We investigated dynamics of the content of 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) and ethylene production in male gametophyte development and germination in fertile (self-compatible and self-incompatible) and sterile clones of petunia. Fertile male gametophyte development was accompanied by two peaks of ethylene production by anther tissues. The first peak occurred during the microspore development simultaneously with the degeneration of both the tapetal tissues and the middle layers of the anther wall. The second peak coincided with dehydration and maturation of pollen grains. In the anther tissues of the sterile line of petunia, tenfold higher ethylene production was observed at the meiosis stage compared with that in fertile male gametophytes. This fact correlated with the degeneration of both microsporocytes and tapetal tissues. Exogenously applied ethylene (1-100 ppm) induced a degradation of the gametophytic generation at the meiosis stage. According to the obtained data, ethylene synthesis in germinating male gametophyte is provided by a 100-fold ACC accumulation in mature pollen grains. The male gametophyte germination, both in vitro, on the culture medium, and in vivo, on the stigma surface, was accompanied by an increase in ethylene production. Depending on the type of pollination, germination of pollen on the stigma surface and the pollen tube growth in the tissues of style were accompanied by various levels ofACC and ethylene release. The male gametophyte germination after self-compatible pollination was accompanied by higher content of ACC as compared with the self-incompatible clone, whereas, after the self-incompatible pollination, we observed a higher level of ethylene production compared with compatible pollination. For both types of pollination, ACC and ethylene were predominantly produced in the stigma tissues. Inhibitor of ethylene action, 2,5-norbornadiene (NBN), blocked both the development and germination of the male gametophyte. These results suggest that ethylene is an important factor in male gametophyte development, germination, and growth at the progamic phase of fertilization.

Non-cell autonomous regulation of life cycle transitions in the model brown alga Ectocarpus

The model brown alga Ectocarpus has a haploid-diploid life cycle, involving alternation between two independent multicellular generations, the gametophyte and the sporophyte. Recent work has shown that alternation of generations is not determined by ploidy but is rather under genetic control, involving at least one master regulatory locus, OUROBOROS (ORO). Using cell biology approaches combined with measurements of generation-specific transcript abundance we provide evidence that alternation of generations can also be regulated by non-cell autonomous mechanisms. The Ectocarpus sporophyte produces a diffusible factor that causes major developmental reprogramming in gametophyte cells. Cells become resistant to reprogramming when the cell wall is synthetized, suggesting that the cell wall may play a role in locking an individual into the developmental program that has been engaged. A functional ORO gene is necessary for the induction of the developmental switch. Our results highlight the role of the cell wall in maintaining the differentiated generation stage once the appropriate developmental program has been engaged and also indicate that ORO is a key member of the developmental pathway triggered by the sporophyte factor. Alternation between gametophyte and sporophyte generations in Ectocarpus is surprisingly labile, perhaps reflecting an adaptation to the variable seashore environment inhabited by this alga.

The rice RAD51C gene is required for the meiosis of both female and male gametocytes and the DNA repair of somatic cells

The RecA/RAD51 family of rice (Oryza sativa) consists of at least 13 members. However, the functions of most of these members are unknown. Here the functional characterization of one member of this family, RAD51C, is reported. Knockout (KO) of RAD51C resulted in both female and male sterility in rice. Transferring RAD51C to the RAD51C-KO line restored fertility. Cytological analyses showed that the sterility of RAD51C-KO plants was associated with abnormal early meiotic processes in both megasporocytes and pollen mother cells (PMCs). PMCs had an absence of normal pachytene chromosomes and had abnormal chromosome fragments. The RAD51C-KO line showed no obvious difference from wild-type plants in mitosis in the anther wall cells, which was consistent with the observation that the RAD51C-KO line did not have obviously abnormal morphology during vegetative development. However, the RAD51C-KO line was sensitive to different DNA-damaging agents. These results suggest that RAD51C is essential for reproductive development by regulating meiosis as well as for DNA damage repair in somatic cells.

Involvement of PpDof1 transcriptional repressor in the nutrient condition-dependent growth control of protonemal filaments in Physcomitrella patens

In higher plants, the Dof transcription factors that harbour a conserved plant-specific DNA-binding domain function in the regulation of diverse biological processes that are unique to plants. Although these factors are present in both higher and lower plants, they have not yet been characterized in lower plants. Here six genes encoding Dof transcription factors in the moss Physcomitrella patens are characterized and two of these genes, PpDof1 and PpDof2, are functionally analysed. The targeted disruption of PpDof1 caused delayed or reduced gametophore formation, accompanied by an effect on development of the caulonema from the chloronema. Furthermore, the ppdof1 disruptants were found to form smaller colonies with a reduced frequency of branching of protonemal filaments, depending on the nutrients in the media. Most of these phenotypes were not apparent in the ppdof2 disruptant, although the ppdof2 disruptants also formed smaller colonies on a particular medium. Transcriptional repressor activity of PpDof1 and PpDof2 and modified expression of a number of genes in the ppdof disruptant lines were also shown. These results thus suggest that the PpDof1 transcriptional repressor has a role in controlling nutrient-dependent filament growth.

[Allelopathic effects of companion species on spore germination and gametophyte development in Cibotium barometz]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between Cibotium barometz and its companion species, Arachniodes falcate and Alpinia japonica, we used aqueous leachates of the two companions to deal with C. barometz spores.

METHOD

Spores of C. barometz were translated on MS culture which contained different concentration of aqueous extracts of the two companions, the germination and gametophyte development were observed and recorded.

RESULT

All extracts inhibited and delayed the C. barometz spores germination and rhizoid elongation was inhibited. It also had obvious inhibition to the prothallus formation and sexual differentiation. And the higher concentration, the more obvious inhibition of aqueous extracts of the two companion species.

CONCLUSION

The two companion species have allelopathic effects on the spore germination and gametophyte development of C. barometz. And it may have an influence on sporogon ontogenesis and the population expansion.

MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 regulates seed germination and fertility relevant to the brassinosteroid signaling pathway

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a family of plant steroid hormones that play diverse roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. For example, BRs promote seed germination by counteracting the inhibitory effect of ABA and regulate plant reproductive development, thus affecting seed yield. We have recently reported that MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (MFT) regulates seed germination through a negative feedback loop modulating ABA signaling in Arabidopsis. Here, we show that MFT function is also relevant to the BR signaling pathway. In mft loss-of-function mutants, the application of BR could not fully antagonize the inhibitory effect of exogenous ABA on seed germination, suggesting that BR promotes seed germination against ABA partly through MFT. In addition, mft enhances the low-fertility phenotype of det2 in which BR biosynthesis is blocked. This phenotype, together with the observation that MFT is expressed in gametophytes and developing seeds, suggests that MFT and BR play redundant roles in regulating fertility. Therefore, these results suggest that MFT affects seed germination and fertility relevant to the BR signaling pathway.

A vacuolar arsenite transporter necessary for arsenic tolerance in the arsenic hyperaccumulating fern Pteris vittata is missing in flowering plants

The fern Pteris vittata tolerates and hyperaccumulates exceptionally high levels of the toxic metalloid arsenic, and this trait appears unique to the Pteridaceae. Once taken up by the root, arsenate is reduced to arsenite as it is transported to the lamina of the frond, where it is stored in cells as free arsenite. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of two P. vittata genes, ACR3 and ACR3;1, which encode proteins similar to the ACR3 arsenite effluxer of yeast. Pv ACR3 is able to rescue the arsenic-sensitive phenotypes of yeast deficient for ACR3. ACR3 transcripts are upregulated by arsenic in sporophyte roots and gametophytes, tissues that directly contact soil, whereas ACR3;1 expression is unaffected by arsenic. Knocking down the expression of ACR3, but not ACR3;1, in the gametophyte results in an arsenite-sensitive phenotype, indicating that ACR3 plays a necessary role in arsenic tolerance in the gametophyte. We show that ACR3 localizes to the vacuolar membrane in gametophytes, indicating that it likely effluxes arsenite into the vacuole for sequestration. Whereas single-copy ACR3 genes are present in moss, lycophytes, other ferns, and gymnosperms, none are present in angiosperms. The duplication of ACR3 in P. vittata and the loss of ACR3 in angiosperms may explain arsenic tolerance in this unusual group of ferns while precluding the same trait in angiosperms.

Replication protein A (RPA1a) is required for meiotic and somatic DNA repair but is dispensable for DNA replication and homologous recombination in rice

Replication protein A (RPA), a highly conserved single-stranded DNA-binding protein in eukaryotes, is a stable complex comprising three subunits termed RPA1, RPA2, and RPA3. RPA is required for multiple processes in DNA metabolism such as replication, repair, and homologous recombination in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and human. Most eukaryotic organisms, including fungi, insects, and vertebrates, have only a single RPA gene that encodes each RPA subunit. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), however, possess multiple copies of an RPA gene. Rice has three paralogs each of RPA1 and RPA2, and one for RPA3. Previous studies have established their biochemical interactions in vitro and in vivo, but little is known about their exact function in rice. We examined the function of OsRPA1a in rice using a T-DNA insertional mutant. The osrpa1a mutants had a normal phenotype during vegetative growth but were sterile at the reproductive stage. Cytological examination confirmed that no embryo sac formed in female meiocytes and that abnormal chromosomal fragmentation occurred in male meiocytes after anaphase I. Compared with wild type, the osrpa1a mutant showed no visible defects in mitosis and chromosome pairing and synapsis during meiosis. In addition, the osrpa1a mutant was hypersensitive to ultraviolet-C irradiation and the DNA-damaging agents mitomycin C and methyl methanesulfonate. Thus, our data suggest that OsRPA1a plays an essential role in DNA repair but may not participate in, or at least is dispensable for, DNA replication and homologous recombination in rice.

Replication protein A (RPA1a) is required for meiotic and somatic DNA repair but is dispensable for DNA replication and homologous recombination in rice

Replication protein A (RPA), a highly conserved single-stranded DNA-binding protein in eukaryotes, is a stable complex comprising three subunits termed RPA1, RPA2, and RPA3. RPA is required for multiple processes in DNA metabolism such as replication, repair, and homologous recombination in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and human. Most eukaryotic organisms, including fungi, insects, and vertebrates, have only a single RPA gene that encodes each RPA subunit. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), however, possess multiple copies of an RPA gene. Rice has three paralogs each of RPA1 and RPA2, and one for RPA3. Previous studies have established their biochemical interactions in vitro and in vivo, but little is known about their exact function in rice. We examined the function of OsRPA1a in rice using a T-DNA insertional mutant. The osrpa1a mutants had a normal phenotype during vegetative growth but were sterile at the reproductive stage. Cytological examination confirmed that no embryo sac formed in female meiocytes and that abnormal chromosomal fragmentation occurred in male meiocytes after anaphase I. Compared with wild type, the osrpa1a mutant showed no visible defects in mitosis and chromosome pairing and synapsis during meiosis. In addition, the osrpa1a mutant was hypersensitive to ultraviolet-C irradiation and the DNA-damaging agents mitomycin C and methyl methanesulfonate. Thus, our data suggest that OsRPA1a plays an essential role in DNA repair but may not participate in, or at least is dispensable for, DNA replication and homologous recombination in rice.

Cryopreservation strategies for Cyathea australis (R. BR.) domin

The influence of liquid nitrogen (LN) on the germination of C. australis spores and survival of gametophytes at various stages of development was investigated. Exposure to LN did not change the viability of mature spores (80 percent) but stimulated the germination of immature spores from 1.9 percent to 41 percent. Disinfection before cryopreservation contributed to loss of spore survival. However, some germination capacity was regained (48 percent) if the sterilized spores were enclosed in alginate capsules and subsequently exposed to osmotic desiccation and 5-hour air drying. Development of gametophytes derived from frozen and non-frozen spores was similar. Preculture factors (the period, type and abscisic acid treatment) affected gametophyte viability and growth. A two week preculture on agar significantly increased survival compared to preculture in a liquid medium. Addition of abscisic acid (ABA) to solid or liquid media stimulated explant survival. Highest viability (85 percent) of frozen-thawed gametophytes was achieved by a 2-week preculture in agar with 0.25 M sucrose and 10 muM ABA. Gametophytes developed directly from spores grew and multiplied in vitro at a uniform rate. Young, intensively growing gametophytes and large, proliferating ones survived better (73-80 percent) following cryoexposure than mature, non proliferating gametophytes (50 percent). Less than one quarter of the explant surface was alive in 60-80 percent of the gametophytes that survived cryoexposure.

[Phenotypic and epigenetic adaptation of the moss clone to mercury]

On agar-Knop medium containing 0.5 microM HgCl2 about one third of microregenerants of the clone from the individual gametophyte cell of the moss Pottia intermedia survived and gave rise to protonemal mats. The high survival percentage testifies to epigenetic nature of adaptation. The latter proved to be correlated to the increase of leaf cell number and of peroxidase activity as well as to intensification of activity zone of peroxidase isoform with MM in limits of 66 kD and to appearance of two isoforms of the enzyme on electrophoregrams. The increase of peroxidase activity, though considerably weaker expressed, has been stated at 0.2 microM HgCl2 when practically all regenerants survived and on the mercury-free medium epigenetically adapted regenerants differed from physiologically adapted ones only in intensification of activity zone of peroxidase isoform with 66 kD. This gives reason to regard the adaptation of the regenerants to 0.5 microM HgCl2 as intensified epigenocopy of modification and indicates the generality of mechanisms of both types of adaptation.