Cytokinins Induce Photomorphogenic Development in Dark-grown Gametophytes of Ceratopteris richardii

2004 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1252-1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Spiro ◽  
Behzad Torabi ◽  
Catharine N. Cornell
Botany ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (8) ◽  
pp. 799-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Alongi ◽  
Jeffrey P. Hill ◽  
Matthew J. Germino

Fern gametophytes are extremely shade-tolerant, potentially existing for long periods under conditions of extreme light limitation. Many previous studies have demonstrated an increase in gametophyte growth and incidence of spontaneous transition to sporophyte morphology (apogamy) under culture on media containing exogenous sugar. However, these studies did not verify sugar uptake or quantify relative growth on media containing different sugar types. Here, we examine the extent of heterotrophy and underlying mechanisms of sugar transport in photosynthetic gametophytes of the fern Ceratopteris richardii Brongn. Exogenous sugar uptake, growth, and sugar transport were evaluated with assays of exogenous glucose depletion, experimental culture of gametophytes under different sugar and light conditions, and bioinformatic approaches. The glucose from the growth media was significantly depleted by gametophytes growing under all conditions, especially those in the dark compared with those exposed to higher light. Gametophyte area increased similarly when cultured on equimolar concentrations of either glucose or the disaccharide sucrose, likely due to preferential uptake of one of the monomers of sucrose. Although at least one gene with similarity to sucrose transporters is expressed in germinating spores, our results suggest a reliance on monosaccharide transport for exogenous sugar uptake. Glucose assimilation in both light and dark conditions constitutes nutritional opportunism and may enhance gametophyte survival in very low light.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Blaine Marchant ◽  
Emily B. Sessa ◽  
Paul G. Wolf ◽  
Kweon Heo ◽  
W. Brad Barbazuk ◽  
...  

AbstractFerns are notorious for possessing large genomes and numerous chromosomes. Despite decades of speculation, the processes underlying the expansive genomes of ferns are unclear, largely due to the absence of a sequenced homosporous fern genome. The lack of this crucial resource has not only hindered investigations of evolutionary processes responsible for the unusual genome characteristics of homosporous ferns, but also impeded synthesis of genome evolution across land plants. Here, we used the model fern species Ceratopteris richardii to address the processes (e.g., polyploidy, spread of repeat elements) by which the large genomes and high chromosome numbers typical of homosporous ferns may have evolved and have been maintained. We directly compared repeat compositions in species spanning the green plant tree of life and a diversity of genome sizes, as well as both short- and long-read-based assemblies of Ceratopteris. We found evidence consistent with a single ancient polyploidy event in the evolutionary history of Ceratopteris based on both genomic and cytogenetic data, and on repeat proportions similar to those found in large flowering plant genomes. This study provides a major stepping-stone in the understanding of land plant evolutionary genomics by providing the first homosporous fern reference genome, as well as insights into the processes underlying the formation of these massive genomes.


1987 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 1872-1877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney J. Scott ◽  
Leslie G. Hickok

2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (6) ◽  
pp. 1295-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Eeckhout ◽  
Olivier Leroux ◽  
William G. T. Willats ◽  
Zoë A. Popper ◽  
Ronald L. L. Viane

2007 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Kamachi ◽  
Orie Iwasawa ◽  
Leslie G. Hickok ◽  
Masaaki Nakayama ◽  
Munenori Noguchi ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney J. Scott ◽  
Gerald J. Gastony ◽  
Jeremy W. Weatherford ◽  
Takuya Nakazato

Botany ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Ganger ◽  
Tiffany Sturey

In many plants females invest more in reproduction than males. In organisms that exhibit environmental sex determination, individuals in low-quality environments or who are slow growing are expected to develop into males. The gametophytes of Ceratopteris richardii Brongn., a homosporous fern, may develop as males or hermaphrodites. Hermaphrodites secrete a pheromone called antheridiogen that induces undifferentiated spores to develop as males. Given that induction is not 100% in the presence of antheridiogen, it is hypothesized that resources may alter C. richardii gender decisions. An experiment was undertaken to determine (i) whether spore size predicts gender, (ii) whether spore size predicts gametophyte size, (iii) whether antheridiogen negatively affects the growth of C. richardii, and (iv) whether wild-type C. richardii and him1 mutants (genetic mutants disposed to male development regardless of antheridiogen presence) behave similarly in their response to antheridiogen. Spore size was not predictive of gender but was positively related to both male and hermaphrodite gametophyte size. Antheridiogen was found to slow the growth of male and hermaphrodite gametophytes of the wild type and male gametophytes of the him1 mutant. These results are supportive of the idea that gender may be determined indirectly through antheridiogen’s effect on gametophyte growth.


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