Plant Diversity ›› 2009, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (04): 303-308.DOI: 10.3724 SP.J.1143.2009.09035

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Change of DNA Content in Male and Female Gametes of Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum)

LIN Mei-Zhen1 , DENG Hua2 , WEI Dong-Mei2 , TIAN Hui-Qiao2   

  1. 1 Department of Pharmacy , Zhangzhou Medical Vocational College, Zhangzhou 363000 , China;
    2 School of Life Sciences , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China
  • Received:2009-02-24 Online:2009-08-25 Published:2009-08-25
  • Contact: TIAN Hui-Qiao

Abstract: The nuclear DNA content of male and female gametes of tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum) was measured using DAPI stain and microspectrofluorimetric measurement. Tobacco pollen is bicellular at anthesis, containing a vegetative cell and a generative cell , which divides to form two sperm cells in a pollen tube. The nuclear DNA content of generative cell in a pollen tube was at 2C level and that of two sperm cells in a pollen tube, which elongated in the style, at 1C level. Two sperm cells began to synthesize DNA after both were released in the degenerated synergid , and the quantity of nuclear DNA
in both sperm cells approached 2C level before both fusing with egg and central cells . During this process , the nuclear DNA content of egg cell also began to increase and approached 2C level before fusing with sperm cell . After male and female gamete fused , the nuclear DNA content of zygote reached 4C level . Therefore , the fusion of male and female gametes of tobacco was at G2 of cell cycle, and this fusion of fertilization belonged to G2 type . This result displayed the fertilization multiformity in angiosperms .

Key words: Tobacco

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