Summary
The pattern of RNA synthesis during maturation and germination of pollen grains ofHyoscyamus niger was studied using3H-uridine autoradiography. Incorporation of label during pollen maturation was periodic with peak RNA synthesis occurring in the uninucleate, nonvacuolate pollen grains and in the vegetative cell of the bicellular pollen grains. During the early stages of germination, isotope incorporation occurred predominantly in the nucleus of the vegetative cell with little or no incorporation in the generative cell. With the appearance of the pollen tube, incorporation of3H-uridine in the vegetative cell nucleus decreased and completely disappeared at later stages of germination. No incorporation of isotope was observed in the sperms formed in the pollen tube by the division of the generative cell. From a comparison of the results of this study with those of previous works on RNA synthesis during pollen embryogenesis in cultured anthers ofH. niger, it is concluded that in contrast to embryogenic development, there is no requirement for sustained RNA synthesis by the generative cell nucleus for normal gametophytic development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Biddle, J. A., 1979: Anther and pollen development in garden pea and cultivated lentil. Canad. J. Bot.57, 1883–1900.
Bourgin, J.-P., Nitsch, J. P., 1967: Obtention deNicotiana haploïdes á partir d'étamines cultivéesin vitro. Ann. Physiol. Vég.9, 277–382.
Brawerman, G., 1974: Eukaryotic messenger RNA. Ann. Rev. Biochem.43, 621–642.
Darnell, J. E., 1976: mRNA structure and function. Prog. Nucl. Acid Res. Mol. Biol.19, 493–511.
Horner, H. T., Jr., 1977: A comparative light- and electronmicroscopic study of microsporogenesis in male-fertile and cytoplasmic male-sterile sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Amer. J. Bot.64, 745–759.
—,Rogers, M. A., 1974: A comparative light and electron microscopic study of microsporogenesis in male-fertile and cytoplasmic male-sterile pepper (Capsicum annuum). Canad. J. Bot.52, 435–441.
Jalouzot, R., 1969 a: Différentiation nucléaire et cytoplasmique du grain de pollen deLilium candidum. Exp. Cell Res.55, 1–8.
—, 1969 b: Aspects cytochimiques des deux cellules du grain de pollen deCrocus longiflorus. Rev. Cytol. Biol. Vég.32, 115–120.
La Cour, L. F., 1949: Nuclear differentiation in the pollen grain. Heredity3, 319–337.
Maheshwari, P., 1950: An Introduction to the embryology of angiosperms. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Mascarenhas, J. P., 1966: Pollen tube growth and ribonucleic acid synthesis by vegetative and generative nuclei ofTradescantia. Amer. J. Bot.53, 563–569.
—, 1975: The biochemistry of angiosperm pollen development. Bot. Rev.41, 259–314.
—,Bell, E., 1970: RNA synthesis during development of the male gametophyte ofTradescantia. Dev. Biol.21, 475–490.
Ogur, M., Erickson, R. O., Rosen, G. U., Sax, K. B., Holden, C., 1951: Nucleic acid in relation to cell division inLilium longiflorum. Exp. Cell Res.2, 73–89.
Raghavan, V., 1975: Induction of haploid plants from anther cultures of henbane. Z. Pflanzenphysiol.76, 89–92.
—, 1976 a: Role of the generative cell in androgenesis in henbane. Science191, 388–389.
—, 1976 b: Experimental embryogenesis in vascular plants. London: Academic Press.
—, 1978: Origin and development of pollen embryoids and pollen calluses in cultured anther segments ofHyoscyamus niger. Amer. J. Bot.65, 984–1002.
—, 1979 a: Embryogenic determination and ribonucleic acid synthesis in pollen grains ofHyoscyamus niger. Amer. J. Bot.66, 36–39.
—, 1979 b: An autoradiographic study of RNA synthesis during pollen embryogenesis inHyoscyamus niger (henbane). Amer. J. Bot.66, 784–795.
—, 1981: Distribution of poly(A)-containing RNA during normal pollen development and during induced pollen embryogenesis inHyoscyamus niger. J. Cell Biol.89, 593–606.
Sauter, J. J., 1969: Autoradiographische Untersuchungen zur RNS- und Proteinsynthese in Pollenmutterzellen, jungen Pollen und Tapetumzellen während der Mikrosporogenese vonPaeonia tenuifolia L. Z. Pflanzenphysiol.61, 1–19.
—,Marquardt, H., 1969: Die Rolle des Nukleohistones bei der RNS- und Proteinsynthese während der Mikrosporogenese vonPaeonia tenuifolia L. Z. Pflanzenphysiol.58, 126–137.
Steffensen, D. M., 1966: Synthesis of ribosomal RNA during growth and division inLilium. Exp. Cell Res.44, 1–12.
Taylor, J. H., 1953 a: Autoradiographic detection of incorporation of32P into chromosomes during meiosis and mitosis. Exp. Cell Res.4, 164–173.
—, 1953 b: Incorporation of phosphorous-32 into nucleic acids and proteins during microgametogenesis ofTulbaghia. Amer. J. Bot.45, 123–131.
Woodard, J. W., 1958: Intracellular amounts of nucleic acids and protein during pollen grain growth inTradescantia. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol.4, 383–389.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reynolds, T.L., Raghavan, V. An autoradiographic study of RNA synthesis during maturation and germination of pollen grains ofHyoscyamus niger . Protoplasma 111, 177–188 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281965
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281965