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Research on Microspore Embryogenesis

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Introduction

Research on Microspore Embryogenesis

Plants exhibit remarkable developmental plasticity, and their ability to regenerate embryos by in vitro culture has been widely used for plant propagation, breeding, and conservation. Gametophytic embryogenesis is a form of plant regeneration that includes androgenesis, microspore embryogenesis, and pollen embryogenesis. Among these, microspore embryogenesis represents a unique single-cell reprogramming system in plants in which highly specialized cells, microspores, are treated with specific stresses that cause microspores already destined to develop into male gametophytes to change their developmental pathway to the embryogenesis pathway.

Haploid embryos produced through microspore embryogenesis can germinate and grow into mature plants, but these plants are sterile. Haploid plants regenerated from cultured anthers or microspores can have their chromosome numbers replicated by using chemicals such as colchicine or other in vitro techniques that can restore the ploidy levels and fertility of the derived plants. Thus, the utilization of microspore embryogenesis as a biotechnological tool has been extended to a relatively diverse range of plants and is of great practical value for the development of purely congenic breeding lines in a relatively short period of time.

Services

For microsporulation to deviate from the normal gametogenic pathway and shift to the embryogenic pathway, it must be carried out under specific conditions. We can provide several conditions to induce microsporulation embryogenesis as follows:

  • Genotype optimization.
  • Physiological conditions of the anther donor plant, including light intensity, photoperiod, temperature, nutrient, and CO2 concentrations, and seasonal variations.
  • The exact stage of microsporulation.
  • Pretreatment of plants for another culture, including irradiation, high humidity, anaerobic treatment, electrical stimulation, high medium pH, ethanol, and heavy metal treatment.
  • Specific media and culture conditions.

Double haploid (DH) microspore culture has become a routine biotechnological tool for crop value addition. Still, the major bottleneck in DH production is the lack of or inefficient induction of haploid embryos and poor transformation of embryos to seedlings. Lifeasible has established well-established model systems for canola, tobacco, barley, and wheat to analyze the developmental and molecular changes that occur during microspore embryogenesis, including:

  • Changes in the cellular landscape of microspores during embryogenic induction.
  • Changes in the cytoskeletal rearrangement and divisional symmetry.
  • Biochemical changes and cytoplasmic remodeling.
  • Nuclear rearrangements.
  • Changes in gene expression.

Our Strategies

Here, our plant biologists develop multiple strategies to provide effective microspore embryogenesis research services to our clients worldwide.

  1. We use different starting materials, types and durations of induction treatments, and gene expression platforms to probe embryogenic microspores.
  2. We combine real-time imaging with cellular and molecular analysis to directly compare embryogenic microspores from different model systems.
  3. We use high-throughput DNA and protein sequencing technologies to identify and compare transcripts in microspores and pollen and in embryogenic and stressed non-embryogenic microspores.
  4. We use genetic and genomic approaches and time-lapse imaging of candidates and other pathway markers in living cells to identify genes associated with the microspore embryogenesis pathway.

Advantages

  • The breeding process can be significantly shortened.
  • Can improve selection efficiency, with fully pure plants established in just one generation.
  • Can be used as a parent for hybrid production.
  • Harmful recessive alleles are eliminated at an early stage of the breeding program.
  • Genetic gain is increased.
  • Combined with other breeding methods (e.g., mutation or gene transformation), thus greatly accelerating variety development.
  • The microspore in vitro embryogenesis system is widely used to generate new allelic lines for breeding programs rapidly.

Lifeasible can meet any reasonable needs of the client, taking time and budget into consideration for you. Our customer service representatives are enthusiastic and trustworthy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us for more information or a detailed discussion.

Reference

  1. Soriano M, et al. Microspore embryogenesis: establishment of embryo identity and pattern in culture. Plant Reprod. 2013, 26(3): 181-96.

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