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Fertilization in Torenia fournieri: Actin organization and nuclear behavior in the central cell and primary endosperm

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Abstract

Studies of the living embryo sacs of Torenia fournieri reveal that the actin cytoskeleton undergoes dramatic changes that correlate with nuclear migration within the central cell and the primary endosperm. Before pollination, actin filaments appear as short bundles randomly distributed in the cortex of the central cell. Two days after anthesis, they become organized into a distinct actin network. At this stage the secondary nucleus, which is located in the central region of the central cell, possesses an associated array of short actin filaments. Soon after pollination, the actin filaments become fragmented in the micropylar end and the secondary nucleus is located next to the egg apparatus. After fertilization, the primary endosperm nucleus moves away from the egg cell and actin filaments reorganize into a prominent network in the cytoplasm of the primary endosperm. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton with latrunculin A and cytochalasin B indicates that actin is involved in the migration of the nucleus in the central cell. Our data also suggest that the dynamics of actin cytoskeleton may be responsible for the reorganization of the central cell and primary endosperm cytoplasm during fertilization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China

    Ming Yuan, Ying Fu, Bingquan Huang & Zee Sze-Yong

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100094, Beijing, China

    Ming Yuan & Feng Wang

  3. Research Center for Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, China

    Ying Fu

  4. Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, 01003, Amberst, Massachusetts, USA

    Peter K. Hepler

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  1. Ming Yuan
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  2. Ying Fu
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  3. Feng Wang
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  4. Bingquan Huang
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  5. Zee Sze-Yong
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  6. Peter K. Hepler
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Correspondence to Zee Sze-Yong.

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Yuan, M., Fu, Y., Wang, F. et al. Fertilization in Torenia fournieri: Actin organization and nuclear behavior in the central cell and primary endosperm. Sci. China Ser. C.-Life Sci. 45, 211–224 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1360/02yc9024

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1360/02yc9024

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