Male and female flowers of the dioecious plant sorrel (Rumex acetosa) each produce three whorls of developed floral organs: two similar whorls of three perianth segments and either six stamens (in the male) or a gynoecium consisting of a fertile carpel and two sterile carpels (in the female). In the developing male flower, there is no significant proliferation of cells in the center of the flower, in the position normally occupied by the carpels of a hermaphrodite plant. In the female flower, small stamen primordia are formed. To determine whether the organ differences are associated with differences in the expression of organ identity genes, cDNA clones representing the putative homologs of B and C function MADS box genes were isolated and used in an in situ hybridization analysis. The expression of R A D l and RADP (two different DEFlClENS homologs) in males and females was confined to the stamen whorl; the lack of expression in the second, inner perianth whorl correlated with the sepaloid nature of the inner whorl of perianth segments. Expression of R A P l (a PLENA homolog) occurred in the carpel and stamen whorls in very young flower primordia from both males and females. However, as soon as the inappropriate set of organs ceased to develop, R A P l expression became undetectable in those organs. The absence of expression of R A P l may be the cause of the arrest in organ development or may be a consequence.

Male and female flowers of the dioecious plant sorrel (Rumex acetosa) each produce three whorls of developed floral organs: two similar whorls of three perianth segments and either six stamens (in the male) or a gynoecium consisting of a fertile carpel and two sterile carpels (in the female). In the developing male flower, there is no significant proliferation of cells in the center of the flower, in the position normally occupied by the carpels of a hermaphrodite plant. In the female flower, small stamen primordia are formed. To determine whether the organ differences are associated with differences in the expression of organ identity genes, cDNA clones representing the putative homologs of B and C function MADS box genes were isolated and used in an in situ hybridization analysis. The expression of R A D l and RADP (two different DEFlClENS homologs) in males and females was confined to the stamen whorl; the lack of expression in the second, inner perianth whorl correlated with the sepaloid nature of the inner whorl of perianth segments. Expression of R A P l (a PLENA homolog) occurred in the carpel and stamen whorls in very young flower primordia from both males and females. However, as soon as the inappropriate set of organs ceased to develop, R A P l expression became undetectable in those organs. The absence of expression of R A P l may be the cause of the arrest in organ development or may be a consequence.

Differential screening of a meiocyte subtractive cDNA library from Lilium henryi L. has identified a group of 16 anther-specific partial cDNAs. Three of these sequences, LHM2, LHM6 and LHM7 have been further characterised. Hybridisation in situ with antisense riboprobes of LHM2, LHM6, and LHM7 gives a strong, clear signal which, contrary to expectations, is localised to the tapetal layer surrounding the meiocytes and not the meiocytes themselves. Developmental slot blots demonstrate that mRNAs corresponding to the three LHM cDNAs are transcribed from prophase of meiosis I to the uninucleate microspore stage, while Northern analysis reveals these tapetally expressed cDNAs to correspond with transcripts of some 500 bp. Although LHM2 is less abundant than LHM6 and LHM7, the pattern of developmental expression, and the size range of the transcripts suggests that all three cDNAs may be related. The deduced polypeptide products of LHM6 and LHM7 share 71% identity over a conserved region of 38 residues. Inverse polymerase chain reaction was used to obtain the full sequence for LHM7. Its deduced protein sequence has a signal peptide indicating it may be secreted; the cleaved protein has a molecular weight of 8.9 kDa. Furthermore, the LHM7 protein has significant levels of homology with tapetally expressed proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, Antirrhinum majus and Lycopersicon esculentum. All contain a highly conserved pattern of cysteine residues present in seed and non-specific lipid transfer proteins. The function of this gene product is discussed in the perspective of current models of another development.

Rirmt.s acetnsa is dioecious, bearing male and female flowers on separate plants. This is a breeding mechanism which ensures for out-crossing and thus increases genetic variation in the population. The identification of those genes responsible for dioecious flower development may eventually be applicable to plant breeding programmes of other species to facilitate the production of hybrid plants.