Multiple developmental processes underlie sex differentiation in angiosperms

Diggle, Pamela K.; Stilio, Verónica S. Di; Gschwend, Andrea R.; Golenberg, Edward M.; Moore, Richard C.; Russell, John; Sinclair, Jordan P.

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2011.05.003

Cited by 158 publications

(167 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Although it is not clear whether the bisexual flower is the angiosperm ancestral state (Endress and Doyle 2009), it is known that unisexual flowers have originated multiple times, from bisexual flowers, in almost 10% of angiosperms (Barret 2002;Mitchell and Diggle 2005;Diggle et al 2011). In this work, two different histories on the evolution of flower sexuality were recovered, depending on the methodology.…”

Section: Evolution Of Spikelet and Flower Morphology And Development mentioning

confidence: 90%

Evolution and Development of the Spikelet and Flower ofRhynchospora(Cyperaceae)

Lucero

Vegetti

Reinheimer

2014

International Journal of Plant Sciences

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Editor: Elizabeth A. KelloggPremise of research. Rhynchospora, one of the biggest genera of sedges, displays several spikelet and flower modifications and is one of a few genera where the pollination strategy changes from wind to insect pollination; however, the mechanisms that have promoted such diversity in the genus are unknown. We have performed a comparative study of spikelet and flower development of Rhynchospora from an evolutionary perspective to get insight into the bases of spikelet and flower evolution. Particularly, we investigate correlations between the change from wind to insect pollination that occur in the genus and the spikelet and flower traits.Methodology. The spikelet and flower development of nine species of Rhynchospora were studied using SEM images. Parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian reconstruction analyses were conducted to evaluate the evolutionary history of flower and spikelet developmental programs.Pivotal results. We identified seven morphological and developmental traits that vary among Rhynchospora species; ancestral character reconstructions show that the spikelet and flower morphology and their developmental pathways support the diversification of Rhynchospora lineages. Conclusions.Our results suggest that the evolution of spikelet and flower developmental programs in Rhynchospora may be related to the evolution of its pollination type and mating system. The evolution toward a bisexual spikelet and flowers in which the androecium develops faster than the gynoecium may represent important steps for the transition from a wind-to insect-pollination system. In addition, we found new traits of spikelets and flowers that may help to distinguish natural groups within Rhynchospora.

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Section: Evolution Of Spikelet and Flower Morphology And Development mentioning

confidence: 90%

Evolution and Development of the Spikelet and Flower ofRhynchospora(Cyperaceae)

Lucero

Vegetti

Reinheimer

2014

International Journal of Plant Sciences

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“…This is in contrast to cucumber (Cucumis sativus), where organ abortion occurs in a whorl-specific manner regardless of organ identity (Kater et al, 2001). This is not altogether surprising, however, considering that floral unisexuality has evolved numerous times by recruitment of a diverse array of developmental processes (Diggle et al, 2011). Reduced expression of C class genes in the gynoecium of the wild type and in the transformed third whorl organs of sts1 indicate that the maize carpel abortion pathway eventually abolishes C class-directed organ identity, which helps explain the palea/lemma identity in the sts1 whorl.…”

Section: Carpel Abortion Is a Complex Process Involving Gt1 And Actinmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Maize PI/GLO Ortholog Zmm16/sterile tassel silky ear1 Interacts with the Zygomorphy and Sex Determination Pathways in Flower Development

et al. 2015

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In monocots and eudicots, B class function specifies second and third whorl floral organ identity as described in the classic ABCE model. Grass B class APETALA3/DEFICIENS orthologs have been functionally characterized; here, we describe the positional cloning and characterization of a maize (Zea mays) PISTILLATA/GLOBOSA ortholog Zea mays mads16 (Zmm16)/ sterile tassel silky ear1 (sts1). We show that, similar to many eudicots, all the maize B class proteins bind DNA as obligate heterodimers and positively regulate their own expression. However, sts1 mutants have novel phenotypes that provide insight into two derived aspects of maize flower development: carpel abortion and floral asymmetry. Specifically, we show that carpel abortion acts downstream of organ identity and requires the growth-promoting factor grassy tillers1 and that the maize B class genes are expressed asymmetrically, likely in response to zygomorphy of grass floral primordia. Further investigation reveals that floral phyllotactic patterning is also zygomorphic, suggesting significant mechanistic differences with the wellcharacterized models of floral polarity. These unexpected results show that despite extensive study of B class gene functions in diverse flowering plants, novel insights can be gained from careful investigation of homeotic mutants outside the core eudicot model species.

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“…No master sex determination gene has been identified in dioecious plants, but genes that affect flower sex determination have been found [86],[87]. Indeed, many genes may serve as potential targets for sex determination in plants, given that male or female sterility can evolve in various ways [86].…”

Section: Myth 2 Revisited—multiple and Various Genes Can Determine Sexmentioning

confidence: 99%