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Nuclear behavior is defective in the maize ( Zea mays L.) lethal ovule2 female gametophyte
Author(s) -
Sheridan William F.,
Huang BingQuan
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.1997.11051029.x
Subject(s) - gametophyte , biology , megaspore , ovule , microspore , mutant , genetics , embryo , egg cell , meiosis , mutation , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , stamen , pollen , gene
It has long been known that the maize lethal ovule2 mutation results in ovule abortion but has a much smaller effect on pollen development or function. The behavior of the nuclei, the microtubular cytoskeleton and other events were examined in normal and lo2 mutant female gametophytes in order to obtain an understanding the role of this gene in embryo sac formation. The effect of the lo2 mutation is manifested following meiosis. When the surviving single megaspore carries the mutant lo2 allele, often both the megaspore and its nucleus greatly enlarge, but the nucleus either fails to divide or divides only once or twice. Micronuclei are frequently present, nuclei are often clustered and the abundance and patterns of microtubules are abnormal in the mutant embryo sacs. The mutant female gametophytes are blocked at the one‐, two‐ or four‐nucleate stage. Nearly all the embryo sacs containing the lo2 allele fail to function as evidenced by the failure of transmission of closely linked loci. When mutant female gametophyte development is arrested, the immature embryo sac degenerates. This mutation appears to identify a gene that is essential in the female gametophyte for normal nuclear division and migration and the normal accompanying tubulin cytoskeleton behavior.