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Apomeiotic pollen mother cell development in the apomictic Boechera species

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Pollen mother cell (PMC) development in the apomictic Boechera species B. holboellii, B. gunnisoniana and B. divaricarpa were investigated by various cytological methods. In prophase I, in triploid species B. holboellii and B. gunnisoniana the individual chromosomes condensed into long strands within the nucleus. Then, in metaphase I, each PMC formed a restitutional nucleus thereby bypassing the rest of the first meiotic division. This is interpreted as representing apomeiosis. Subsequently, the restitution nuclei underwent a single cytokinesis as evidenced by the production of dyads. The cells within each dyad were separated by a callose wall. Most of the PMC in B. holboellii and B. gunnisoniana produced dyads, but a small proportion generated conspicuous tetrads. In contrast, diploid apomict B. divaricarpa produced only tetrads by simultaneous cytokinesis.

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Abbreviations

DAPI:

4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole

FAA:

formaldehyde + ethanol + acetic acid

FCSS:

flow cytometric seed screen

m:

maternal

p:

paternal

PMC:

pollen mother cell

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100, Canakkale, Turkey

    K. M. Taskin

  2. Department of Field Crops, Akdeniz University, 07100, Antalya, Turkey

    K. Turgut

  3. Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, Avon, England

    R. J. Scott

Authors
  1. K. M. Taskin
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  2. K. Turgut
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  3. R. J. Scott
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Correspondence to K. M. Taskin.

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Acknowledgements: The authors thank to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey and the British Council for financial supports. The author also thank to Dr. Roy and Dr. Schranz for seeds.

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Taskin, K.M., Turgut, K. & Scott, R.J. Apomeiotic pollen mother cell development in the apomictic Boechera species. Biol Plant 53, 468–474 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-009-0087-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-009-0087-y

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