Abnormal Programmed Cell Death of Tapetum Leads to the Pollen Abortion of <i>Lycium barbarum</i> Linnaeus
Xin Zhang,
Zhanlin Bei,
Haijun Ma,
Zhaojun Wei,
Jun Zhou,
Yufeng Ren,
Wendi Xu,
Peng Nan,
Yuguo Wang,
Linfeng Li,
Wenju Zhang,
Ji Yang,
Yang Zhong,
Zhiping Song
Affiliations
Xin Zhang
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Zhanlin Bei
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Haijun Ma
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Zhaojun Wei
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Jun Zhou
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Yufeng Ren
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Wendi Xu
College of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Peng Nan
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Yuguo Wang
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Linfeng Li
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Wenju Zhang
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Ji Yang
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Yang Zhong
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Zhiping Song
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Programmed cell death (PCD) in tapetum provides nutrients for pollen development. Once this process becomes abnormal, the pollen will be aborted, and sterile lines will be formed. Lycium barbarum L. is a well-known medicinal and edible plant, and male sterile lines play an important role in the cultivation of its new varieties by utilizing hybrid vigor. However, the male sterility mechanism of L. barbarum is poorly understood. In this study, the main characteristic changes during the pollen development of L. barbarum sterile line (Ningqi No. 5) and fertile line (Ningqi No. 1) were compared through anatomical observation, physiological detection and gene expression analysis. Anatomical observation showed that compared with that of the fertile line, the tapetum of the sterile line persisted during pollen development, the organelle morphology and number of tapetal cells changed remarkably, and the PCD was remarkably delayed. Membranous peroxidation caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the sterile line occurred from the late tetrad to the pollen grain stage, and that in Ningqi No. 1 transpired in the tetrad stage. This difference in the dynamic changes of ROS affected the redox balance of microspore development. qPCR detection of DYT1 and MS1 genes regulating tapetum development showed that compared with those in the fertile line, the expression levels of both genes in the sterile line changed significantly from pollen mother cell stage to pollen grain stage. This finding may be associated with the start-up delay of tapetal PCD. All these results suggested that abnormal tapetal PCD is an important mechanism leading to male sterility in L. barbarum.