Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relationship between the generative cell and vegetative nucleus in pollen tubes of Nicotiana tabacum

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sexual Plant Reproduction Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize microtubules (Mts) and chromatin in an effort to further clarify the relationship between the generative cell (GC) and vegetative nucleus (VN) in pollen tubes of tobacco. Prominent Mt bundles are present in one or more GC extensions that can be finger-like or lamellar in form. While the VN is positioned distal to the GC in most cases, it can also straddle the cell or lie proximal to it. In all cases, however, extensions embrace, penetrate or clasp the VN. GC Mts are reorganized during the formation of the mitotic apparatus, and cell extensions are fully or partially withdrawn. By telophase in many pollen tubes, the VN shifts to a more proximal position and appears to adhere to the region of the GC containing the phragmoplast. Application of oryzalin leads to the disorganization of Mts, changes in cell shape, including the loss or alteration of cell extensions, and separation of the GC and VN in some cases. However, the position and polarity of the VN is maintained in most pollen tubes. The results indicate that GC Mts and cell extensions play a role in the association with the VN. However, the relationship appears to be controlled by other factors as well. Attention should now be directed at potential interactions involving the VN envelope, vegetative plasma membrane, GC plasma membrane and extracellular matrix.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

GC :

Generative cell

MGU :

male germ unit

Mt :

microtubule

VN :

vegetative nucleus

References

  • Akashi T, Shibaoka H (1991) Involvement of transmembrane proteins in the association of cortical microtubules with the plasma membrane in tobacco BY-2 cells. J Cell Sci 98:169–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Akashi T, Kawasaki S, Shibaoka H (1990) Stabilization of cortical microtubules by the cell wall in cultured tobacco cells. Effects of extensin on the cold-stability of cortical microtubules. Planta 182:363–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Åström H, Virtanen I, Raudaskoski M (1991) Cold-stability in the pollen-tube cytoskeleton. Protoplasma 160:99–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Baskin TI, Cande WZ (1990) The structure and function of the mitotic spindle in flowering plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 41:277–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop CJ, McGowan LJ (1953) The role of the vegetative nucleus in pollen-tube growth and in the division of the generative nucleus in Tradescantia paludosa. Am J Bot 40:658–659

    Google Scholar 

  • Brewbaker JL, Kwack BY (1963) The essential role of calcum in pollen germination and tube growth. Am J Bot 50:859–865

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgess J (1970) Cell shape and mitotic spindle formation in the generative cell of Endymion non-scriptus. Planta 95:72–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Charzynska M, Lewandowska E (1990) Generative cell division and sperm-cell association in the pollen grain of Sambucus nigra. Ann Bot 65:685–689

    Google Scholar 

  • Cresti M, Lancelle SA, Hepler PK (1987) Structure of the generative cell wall complex after freeze substitution in pollen tubes of Nicotiana and Impatiens. J Cell Sci 88:373–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Derksen J, Pierson ES, Traas JA (1985) Microtubules in vegetative and generative cells of pollen tubes. Eur J Cell Biol 38:142–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumas C, Knox RB, Gaude T (1985) The spatial association of the sperm cells and vegetative nucleus in the pollen grain of Brassica. Protoplasma 124:168–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y (1989a) Actomyosin and movement in the angiosperm pollen tube: an interpretation of some recent results. Sex Plant Reprod 2:199–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y (1989b) Conformation and movement of the vegetative nucleus of the angiosperm pollen tube: association with the actin cytoskeleton. J Cell Sci 93:299–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y (1989c) Myosin associated with the surfaces of organelles, vegetative nuclei and generative cells in angiosperm pollen grains and tubes. J Cell Sci 94:319–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison JS, Heslop-Harrison Y (1986) The comportment of the vegetative nucleus and generative cell in the pollen and pollen tubes of Helleborus foetidus L. Ann Bot 58:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J, Heslop-Harrison Y, Cresti M, Tiezzi A, Moscatelli A (1988) Cytoskeletal elements, cell shaping and movement in the angiosperm pollen tube. J Cell Sci 91:49–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu S-Y, Yu H-S (1988) Preliminary observations on the formation of the male germ unit in pollen tubes of Cyphomandra betacea Sendt. Protoplasma 147:55–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaul V, Theunis CH, Palser BF, Knox RB, Williams EG (1987) Association of the generative cell and vegetative nucleus in pollen tubes of Rhododendron. Ann Bot 59:227–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox RB, Southworth D, Singh MB (1988) Sperm cell determinants and control of fertilisation in plants. In: Chapman GP, Ainsworth CC, Chatham CJ (eds) Eukaryotic cell recognition. Concepts and model systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 175–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancelle SA, Hepler PK (1991) Association of actin with cortical microtubules revealed by immunogold localization in Nicotiana pollen tubes. Protoplasma 165:167–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancelle SA, Cresti M, Hepler PK (1987) Ultrastructure of the cytoskeleton in freeze-substituted pollen tubes of Nicotiana alata. Protoplasma 140:141–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu B, Palevitz BA (1991) Kinetochore fiber formation in dividing generative cells of Tradescantia. Kinetochore orientation associated with the transition between lateral interactions and endon kinetochore fibers. J Cell Sci 98:475–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu B, Palevitz BA (1992) Anaphase chromosome separation in dividing generative cells of Tradescantia. Changes in microtubule organization and kinetochore distribution visualized by antitubulin and CREST immunocytochemistry. Protoplasma 166:122–133

    Google Scholar 

  • McConchie CA, Jobson S, Knox RB (1985) Computer-assisted reconstruction of the male germ unit in pollen of Brassica campestris. Protoplasma 127:57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • McConchie CA, Hough T, Knox RB (1987) Ultrastructural analysis of the sperm cells of mature pollen of maize, Zea mays. Protoplasma 139:9–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Mogensen HL (1986a) Juxtaposition of the generative cell and vegetative nucleus in the mature pollen grain of amaryllis (Hippeastrum vitatum). Protoplasma 134:67–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Mogensen HL (1986b) On the male germ unit in an angiosperm with bicellular pollen, Hippeastrum vitatum. In: Mulcahy DL, Mulcahy GB, Ottaviano E (eds) Biotechnology and ecology of pollen. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 297–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Mogensen HL (1992) The male germ unit: concept, composition, and significance. Int Rev Cytol 140:129–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Mogensen HL, Wagner VT (1987) Associations among components of the male germ unit following in vivo pollination in barley. Protoplasma 138:161–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Palevitz BA (1993) Organization of the mitotic apparatus during generative cell division in Nicotiana. Protoplasma (in press)

  • Palevitz BA, Cresti M (1989) Cytoskeletal changes during generative cell division in Tradescantia. Protoplasma 150:54–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Palevitz BA, Liu B (1992) Microfilaments (F-actin) in generative cells and sperm: an evaluation. Sex Plant Reprod 5:89–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Palevitz BA, Tiezzi A (1992) The organization, composition, and function of the generative cell and sperm cytoskeleton. Int Rev Cytol 140:149–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierson ES (1989) Organization and function of the cytoskeleton in pollen and pollen tubes. PhD thesis, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, the Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierson ES, Cresti M (1992) Pollen germination, pollen-tube growth and cytoskeletal organization. Int Rev Cytol 140:73–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Raudaskoski M, Åström H, Pertilla K, Virtanen I, Louhelainen J (1987) Role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in pollen tubes: an immunocytochemical and ultrastructural approach. Biol Cell 61:177–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell SD, Cass DD (1981) Ultrastructure of the sperms of Plumbago zeylanica I. Cytology and association with the vegetative nucleus. Protoplasma 107:85–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell SD, Cresti M, Dumas C (1990) Recent progress on sperm characterization in flowering plants. Physiol Plant 80:669–676

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger JM, Jackson WT (1971) Fine structure study of pollen development in Haemanthus katherinae Baker. II. Microtubules and elongation of the generative cells. J Cell Sci 8:303–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi L, Mogensen HL, Zhu T (1991) Dynamics of nuclear pore density and distribution within developing pollen: implications for a functional relationship between the vegetative nucleus and the generative cell. J Cell Sci 99:115–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang X, Hepler PK, Scordillis SP (1989) Immunochemical and immunocytochemical identification of a myosin heavy chain polypeptide in Nicotiana pollen tubes. J Cell Sci 92:569–574

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor P, Kenrick J, Li Y, Kaul V, Gunning BES, Knox RB (1989) The male germ unit of Rhododendron: quantitative cytology, three-dimensional reconstruction, isolation and detection using fluorescent probes. Sex Plant Reprod 2:254–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Theunis CH, Pierson ES, Cresti M (1991) Isolation of male and female gametes in higher plants. Sex Plant Reprod 4:145–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Theunis CH, Pierson ES, Cresti M (1992) The microtubule cytoskeleton and the rounding of isolated generative cells of Nicotiana tabacum. Sex Plant Reprod 5:64–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiezzi A, Cresti M, Ciampolini F (1986) Microtubules in Nicotiana pollen tubes: ultrastructural, immunofluorescence and biochemical data. In: Cresti M, Dallai R (eds) Biology of reproduction and cell motility in plants and animals. University of Siena, Siena, pp 87–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari SC, Polito VS (1988a) Organization of the cytoskeleton in pollen tubes of Pyrus communis: a study employing conventional and freeze-substituted electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and rhodamine-phalloidin. Protoplasma 147:100–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari SC, Polito VS (1988b) Spatial and temporal organization of actin during hydration, activation, and germination of pollen in Pyrus communis L.: a population study. Protoplasma 147:5–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Venema G, Koopmans A (1962) A phase-contrast microscopic study of pollen grain germination, nuclear movement and pollen tube mitosis in Tradescantia virginiana. Cytologia 27:11–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner VT, Mogensen HL (1988) The male germ unit in the pollen and pollen tubes of Petunia hybrida: ultrastructural, quantitative and three-dimensional features. Protoplasma 143:101–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayne R, Staves MP, Leopold AC (1992) The contribution of the extracellular matrix to gravisensing in characean cells. J Cell Sci 101:611–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu H-S, Hu S-Y, Zhu C (1989) Ultrastructure of sperm cells and the male germ unit in pollen tubes of Nicotiana tabacum. Protoplasma 152:29–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu H-S, Hu S-Y, Russell SD (1992) Sperm cells in pollen tubes of Nicotiana tabacum L.: three-dimensional reconstruction, cytoplasmic diminution, and quantitative cytology. Protoplasma 168:172–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou C, Yang HY (1991) Microtubule changes during the development of generative cells in Hippeastrum vitatum pollen. Sex Plant Reprod 4:293–297

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, GA, USA

    B. A. Palevitz

Authors
  1. B. A. Palevitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palevitz, B.A. Relationship between the generative cell and vegetative nucleus in pollen tubes of Nicotiana tabacum . Sexual Plant Reprod 6, 1–10 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227576

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227576

Key words

Search

Navigation