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Three-Dimensional Morphological Analysis Revealed the Cell Patterning Bases for the Sexual Dimorphism Development
Yihui Cui1, Tetsuya Hisanaga1,2, Tomoaki Kajiwara3
1Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, 630-0192 Japan.
Plant & Cell Physiology
|May 24, 2023
Summary
Sexual dimorphism in land plants is better understood in sporophytes than gametophytes. This study reveals early germline precursor differentiation in Marchantia polymorpha gametophytes, controlled by MpFGMYB, impacting sexual branch development.
Area of Science:
- Plant reproductive biology
- Developmental genetics
- Evolutionary botany
Background:
- Sexual dimorphism is observed in both sporophyte and gametophyte generations of land plants.
- Research has extensively covered sporophytic sexual dimorphism in flowering plants like Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Gametophytic sexual dimorphism remains less understood due to limited model systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental processes of gametophytic sexual dimorphism in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha.
- To analyze the early stages of sexual branch differentiation in M. polymorpha gametophytes.
- To elucidate the role of MpFGMYB in regulating sexual dimorphism.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional morphological analysis of M. polymorpha gametophytic sexual branches.
- High-depth confocal imaging.
- Computational cell segmentation techniques.
Main Results:
- Germline precursor specification begins at very early stages of sexual branch development.
- Spatial distribution of germline precursors differs between male and female gametophytes from the initial primordium stage.
- MpFGMYB regulates the sex-specific distribution of germline precursors.
- Germline precursor distribution predicts mature sexual branch morphology and gametangia arrangement.
Conclusions:
- Germline segregation and sexual dimorphism development are tightly coupled in M. polymorpha.
- Early developmental events in gametophytes are crucial for establishing sexual dimorphism.
- Marchantia polymorpha serves as a valuable model for studying gametophytic sexual dimorphism.
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