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Cells
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Pollen Development
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Pollen Development

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant, Algae and Fungi Cell Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 15299

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jianxin Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: plant developmental biology; plant genetics; plant metabolomics; plant cuticle biology; plant–environment interaction; molecular characterization of genetically modified and genome edited organisms
Dr. Jun Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecule Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Interests: molecular and regulatory mechanisms of the development of anther; pollen regulatory aspects of male fertility

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Pollen plays an indispensable role in crop production, which is of great significance for global food security. Pollen development, a postmeiotic process that produces immature pollen grains from microspores, is the most delicate reproductive stage that is generally continuous and occurs during a relative short window of time. Thanks to the advances in omics science and bioinformatics, molecular studies in pollen tissues, ranging from model plants to major crop plants, have identified key molecular processes in pollen development and viability under both normal and stressful conditions. The disruption of any processes will result in abnormal pollen development and loss of crop yield. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying pollen development, particularly under environmental stresses, will be a crucial step to develop effective breeding strategies for crops with high and stable yield.

The present Special Issue aims to summarize some of the newest advances in genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, evolutionary, and molecular aspects of pollen development under both normal and stressful conditions, focusing on major developmental processes such as vacuolization, pollen wall formation, pollen aperture formation, tapetum and pollen interaction, programmed dehydration, and pollen maturation. On the other hand, we aim to explore molecular aspects of pollen biodiversity and evolution. 

Dr. Jianxin Shi
Dr. Jun Zhu 
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aperture
  • biodiversity
  • exine
  • evolution
  • intine
  • sporopollenin
  • tapetum
  • transporter
  • tryphine

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3794 KiB  
Article
Ethylene Activates the EIN2-EIN3/EIL1 Signaling Pathway in Tapetum and Disturbs Anther Development in Arabidopsis
by Ben-Shun Zhu, Ying-Xiu Zhu, Yan-Fei Zhang, Xiang Zhong, Keng-Yu Pan, Yu Jiang, Chi-Kuang Wen, Zhong-Nan Yang and Xiaozhen Yao
Cells 2022, 11(19), 3177; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11193177 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2206
Abstract
Ethylene was previously reported to repress stamen development in both cucumber and Arabidopsis. Here, we performed a detailed analysis of the effect of ethylene on anther development. After ethylene treatment, stamens but not pistils display obvious developmental defects which lead to sterility. [...] Read more.
Ethylene was previously reported to repress stamen development in both cucumber and Arabidopsis. Here, we performed a detailed analysis of the effect of ethylene on anther development. After ethylene treatment, stamens but not pistils display obvious developmental defects which lead to sterility. Both tapetum and microspores (or microsporocytes) degenerated after ethylene treatment. In ein2-1 and ein3-1 eil1-1 mutants, ethylene treatment did not affect their fertility, indicating the effects of ethylene on anther development are mediated by EIN2 and EIN3/EIL1 in vivo. The transcription of EIN2 and EIN3 are activated by ethylene in the tapetum layer. However, ectopic expression of EIN3 in tapetum did not induce significant anther defects, implying that the expression of EIN3 are regulated post transcriptional level. Consistently, ethylene treatment induced the accumulation of EIN3 in the tapetal cells. Thus, ethylene not only activates the transcription of EIN2 and EIN3, but also stabilizes of EIN3 in the tapetum to disturb its development. The expression of several ethylene related genes was significantly increased, and the expression of the five key transcription factors required for tapetum development was decreased after ethylene treatment. Our results thus point out that ethylene inhibits anther development through the EIN2-EIN3/EIL1 signaling pathway. The activation of this signaling pathway in anther wall, especially in the tapetum, induces the degeneration of the tapetum and leads to pollen abortion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollen Development)
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19 pages, 10906 KiB  
Article
The Loss-Function of the Male Sterile Gene ZmMs33/ZmGPAT6 Results in Severely Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Disorder in Maize Anthers
by Ziwen Li, Shuangshuang Liu, Taotao Zhu, Xueli An, Xun Wei, Juan Zhang, Suowei Wu, Zhenying Dong, Yan Long and Xiangyuan Wan
Cells 2022, 11(15), 2318; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11152318 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1740
Abstract
In plants, oxidative stress and metabolic reprogramming frequently induce male sterility, however our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanism is far from complete. Here, a maize genic male-sterility (GMS) mutant (ms33-6038) with a loss-of-function of the ZmMs33 gene encoding glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase [...] Read more.
In plants, oxidative stress and metabolic reprogramming frequently induce male sterility, however our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanism is far from complete. Here, a maize genic male-sterility (GMS) mutant (ms33-6038) with a loss-of-function of the ZmMs33 gene encoding glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 6 (GPAT6) displayed severe deficiencies in the development of a four-layer anther wall and microspores and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in anthers. In ms33-6038 anthers, transcriptome analysis identified thousands of differentially expressed genes that were functionally enriched in stress response and primary metabolism pathways. Further investigation revealed that 64 genes involved in ROS production, scavenging, and signaling were specifically changed in expression levels in ms33-6038 anthers compared to the other five investigated GMS lines. The severe oxidative stress triggered premature tapetal autophagy and metabolic reprogramming mediated mainly by the activated SnRK1-bZIP pathway, as well as the TOR and PP2AC pathways, proven by transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, 20 reported maize GMS genes were altered in expression levels in ms33-6038 anthers. The excessive oxidative stress and the metabolic reprogramming resulted in severe phenotypic deficiencies in ms33-6038 anthers. These findings enrich our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which ROS and metabolic homeostasis impair anther and pollen development in plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollen Development)
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15 pages, 6214 KiB  
Article
Use of CRISPR/Cas9-Based Gene Editing to Simultaneously Mutate Multiple Homologous Genes Required for Pollen Development and Male Fertility in Maize
by Xinze Liu, Shaowei Zhang, Yilin Jiang, Tingwei Yan, Chaowei Fang, Quancan Hou, Suowei Wu, Ke Xie, Xueli An and Xiangyuan Wan
Cells 2022, 11(3), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11030439 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4102
Abstract
Male sterility represents an important trait for hybrid breeding and seed production in crops. Although the genes required for male fertility have been widely studied and characterized in many plant species, most of them are single genic male-sterility (GMS) genes. To investigate the [...] Read more.
Male sterility represents an important trait for hybrid breeding and seed production in crops. Although the genes required for male fertility have been widely studied and characterized in many plant species, most of them are single genic male-sterility (GMS) genes. To investigate the role of multiple homologous genes in anther and pollen developments of maize, we established the CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing method to simultaneously mutate the homologs in several putative GMS gene families. By using the integrated strategies of multi-gene editing vectors, maize genetic transformation, mutation-site analysis of T0 and F1 plants, and genotyping and phenotyping of F2 progenies, we further confirmed gene functions of every member in ZmTGA9-1/-2/-3 family, and identified the functions of ZmDFR1, ZmDFR2, ZmACOS5-1, and ZmACOS5-2 in controlling maize male fertility. Single and double homozygous gene mutants of ZmTGA9-1/-2/-3 did not affect anther and pollen development, while triple homozygous gene mutant resulted in complete male sterility. Two single-gene mutants of ZmDFR1/2 displayed partial male sterility, but the double-gene mutant showed complete male sterility. Additionally, only the ZmACOS5-2 single gene was required for anther and pollen development, while ZmACOS5-1 had no effect on male fertility. Our results show that the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system is a highly efficient and convenient tool for identifying multiple homologous GMS genes. These findings enrich GMS genes and mutant resources for breeding of maize GMS lines and promote deep understanding of the gene family underlying pollen development and male fertility in maize. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollen Development)
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Review

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14 pages, 1082 KiB  
Review
Comprehensive Insight into Tapetum-Mediated Pollen Development in Arabidopsis thaliana
by Shuaijie Wei and Ligeng Ma
Cells 2023, 12(2), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12020247 - 07 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2897
Abstract
In flowering plants, pollen development is a key process that is essential for sexual reproduction and seed set. Molecular and genetic studies indicate that pollen development is coordinatedly regulated by both gametophytic and sporophytic factors. Tapetum, the somatic cell layer adjacent to the [...] Read more.
In flowering plants, pollen development is a key process that is essential for sexual reproduction and seed set. Molecular and genetic studies indicate that pollen development is coordinatedly regulated by both gametophytic and sporophytic factors. Tapetum, the somatic cell layer adjacent to the developing male meiocytes, plays an essential role during pollen development. In the early anther development stage, the tapetal cells secrete nutrients, proteins, lipids, and enzymes for microsporocytes and microspore development, while initiating programmed cell death to provide critical materials for pollen wall formation in the late stage. Therefore, disrupting tapetum specification, development, or function usually leads to serious defects in pollen development. In this review, we aim to summarize the current understanding of tapetum-mediated pollen development and illuminate the underlying molecular mechanism in Arabidopsis thaliana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollen Development)
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30 pages, 2608 KiB  
Review
Genetic Structure and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Formation of Tassel, Anther, and Pollen in the Male Inflorescence of Maize (Zea mays L.)
by Yanbo Wang, Jianxi Bao, Xun Wei, Suowei Wu, Chaowei Fang, Ziwen Li, Yuchen Qi, Yuexin Gao, Zhenying Dong and Xiangyuan Wan
Cells 2022, 11(11), 1753; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11111753 - 26 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3683
Abstract
Maize tassel is the male reproductive organ which is located at the plant’s apex; both its morphological structure and fertility have a profound impact on maize grain yield. More than 40 functional genes regulating the complex tassel traits have been cloned up to [...] Read more.
Maize tassel is the male reproductive organ which is located at the plant’s apex; both its morphological structure and fertility have a profound impact on maize grain yield. More than 40 functional genes regulating the complex tassel traits have been cloned up to now. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the whole process, from male inflorescence meristem initiation to tassel morphogenesis, are seldom discussed. Here, we summarize the male inflorescence developmental genes and construct a molecular regulatory network to further reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying tassel-trait formation in maize. Meanwhile, as one of the most frequently studied quantitative traits, hundreds of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and thousands of quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) related to tassel morphology have been identified so far. To reveal the genetic structure of tassel traits, we constructed a consensus physical map for tassel traits by summarizing the genetic studies conducted over the past 20 years, and identified 97 hotspot intervals (HSIs) that can be repeatedly mapped in different labs, which will be helpful for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in improving maize yield as well as for providing theoretical guidance in the subsequent identification of the functional genes modulating tassel morphology. In addition, maize is one of the most successful crops in utilizing heterosis; mining of the genic male sterility (GMS) genes is crucial in developing biotechnology-based male-sterility (BMS) systems for seed production and hybrid breeding. In maize, more than 30 GMS genes have been isolated and characterized, and at least 15 GMS genes have been promptly validated by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis within the past two years. We thus summarize the maize GMS genes and further update the molecular regulatory networks underlying male fertility in maize. Taken together, the identified HSIs, genes and molecular mechanisms underlying tassel morphological structure and male fertility are useful for guiding the subsequent cloning of functional genes and for molecular design breeding in maize. Finally, the strategies concerning efficient and rapid isolation of genes controlling tassel morphological structure and male fertility and their application in maize molecular breeding are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollen Development)
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