Ca2+ participates in programmed cell death by modulating ROS during pollen cryopreservation.
Ruifen Ren1,2, Hao Zhou1, Lingling Zhang1
1Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing Municipal Education Commission, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
Plant Cell Reports
|February 22, 2022
Summary
Cryopreservation increases pollen calcium (Ca2+) levels, impacting reactive oxygen species (ROS) and programmed cell death (PCD), leading to reduced viability. Understanding Ca2+ regulation is key to improving pollen cryopreservation success.
Area of Science:
- Plant reproductive biology
- Cellular and molecular biology
- Cryobiology
Background:
- Programmed cell death (PCD) contributes to reduced pollen viability after cryopreservation.
- The specific role of calcium ions (Ca2+) in pollen PCD during cryopreservation remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Ca2+ fluctuations on PCD and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cryopreserved Paeonia lactiflora 'Fen Yu Nu' pollen.
- To elucidate the mechanism by which Ca2+ influences PCD during pollen cryopreservation.
Main Methods:
- Cryopreservation of Paeonia lactiflora 'Fen Yu Nu' pollen.
- Measurement of Ca2+ content, PCD indices (e.g., mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase activity, apoptosis rate), and ROS levels.
- Application of Ca2+ carrier (A23187) and Ca2+-chelating agent (EGTA) to modulate Ca2+ levels.
- Analysis of pro-PCD and anti-PCD gene expression.
Main Results:
- Cryopreservation led to increased Ca2+ content and decreased pollen viability.
- Ca2+ modulation significantly affected PCD indices, with A23187 accelerating PCD and EGTA showing opposite effects.
- Ca2+ levels influenced ROS production and clearance systems, with A23187 increasing ROS and EGTA decreasing it.
- Gene expression analysis revealed altered regulation of PCD-related genes.
Conclusions:
- Increased Ca2+ content after cryopreservation is linked to enhanced ROS production and subsequent PCD in pollen.
- Ca2+ plays a critical role in regulating ROS homeostasis and PCD pathways during pollen cryopreservation.
- Targeting Ca2+ signaling pathways presents a potential strategy to improve pollen cryopreservation outcomes.
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