Viability and Action of CPL Lectin on <i>in Vitro</i> Germinability of Pollen Grains of <i>Malpighia emarginata</i> DC.—(Malpighiaceae)

Abstract

This study aimed to observe the viability of the pollen grains of Malpighia emarginata DC. (West Indian cherry) and the action of a lectin in their germination. Lectins are proteins that specifically interact with carbohydrates, but don't modify them and bind with high affinity and specificity, promoting a transfer of information that is clearly central to many cellular processes in living beings. For the viability test was used aniline blue in lactophenol. The in vitro germination test used was the hanging drop method, in control medium containing sucrose, boric acid, calcium nitrate and agar. The experiment dealt with three different treatments in order to pollen germination: growing medium without addition of lectin, with 1.0 µg/ml and with 3.0 µg/ml CPL lectin. This lectin is extracted from seeds of Crotalaria pallida L.-Leguminosae. Data on pollen grains were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, with 95% reliability and comparison of averages by Turkey test at 5% probability. It was found that despite previous high viability of the pollen grains (c. 70%), a germinability rate has been low, yet exceptionally larger in pollen samples placed on a growing medium with addition of 3.0 µg/ml of CPL lectin (24%). There was no significant difference among the pollen grains germinate in medium without lectin and those in medium with the addition of only 1.0 µg/ml. According to data obtained in the treatments, CPL lectin, with concentration of 3.0 µg/ml, influenced the formation of the pollen tube and thus more pollen germinated in Malpighia emarginata.

Functional Characterization of an Amaranth Natterin-4-Like-1 Gene in Arabidopsis thaliana

“…In another study, the expression of an agglutinin gene in the stems and both male and female flowers of Castanea crenata trees was interpreted as a possible regulatory step controlling the interaction between male gametophyte and pistil sporophytic tissues (Nakamura et al, 2004). This evidence concurs with other reports describing the localization of lectins in floral tissues of several other plant species where they have been proposed to play roles in diverse reproduction-related processes such as pollen and pollen tube development, pollen germination, male fertility and self and nonself pollen-stigma interactions (Clarke and Knox, 1978;Wu et al, 1993;Santos Sousa et al, 2013;Vakhania et al, 2014;Peng et al, 2020). Additionally, the localization of AhN4L-1 in the abscission zone of the stigma and stamens suggested the possibility that this protein could also be involved in the abscission of floral organs in plants, which is a process that requires the generation of weakened abscission zones produced, among other factors, by the activity of cell wall remodeling hemicellulose-and pectindegrading proteins (González-Carranza et al, 2002.…”

Morphology, viability, and longevity of pollen of National Type and Trinitarian (CCN-51) clones of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) on the Coast of Ecuador

“…This pollen was sown on the same day of the collection and was kept for 24 h at 25 °C. The estimated number of germinated pollen grains was determined using an optical microscope, considering as germinated those grains of which pollen tube was longer than twice its diameter (Sousa et al 2013).…”