Environmental Sex Determination in the Genus <i>Equisetum</i>: Sugars Induce Male Sex Expression in Cultured Gametophytes

Guillon, Jean‐Michel; Raquin, Christian

doi:10.1086/341229

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Slight differences in spore size in homosporous plants have been correlated with stored food, time to germination, and gametophyte development; large spores produce rapidly growing bisexual gametophytes that, in turn, influence smaller spores to produce slower-growing gametophytes with only antheridia. In Equisetum, patterns of sex determination are controlled by various environmental parameters (45). In vitro studies show that crowding, mineral deficiency, high temperatures, drought, and increased sucrose concentrations result in the production of more gametophytes with antheridia.…”

Section: Sexuality In Early Land-plant Gametophytesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life history biology of early land plants: Deciphering the gametophyte phase

Taylor

Kerp

Hass

2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

167

104

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The ca. 400-million-year-old Rhynie chert biota represents a benchmark for studies of early terrestrial ecosystems. The exquisite preservation of the organisms documents an ancient biodiversity that also includes various levels of biological interaction. Absent from the picture until recently has been detailed information about the development of the gametophyte phase and the alternation of generations of the macroplants in this ecosystem. Here, we trace the development of the gametophyte phase of Aglaophyton, an early land plant with an unusual complement of structural and morphological characters. Mature gametophytes consist of a fleshy protocorm attached to the substrate by basal rhizoids; arising from the upper surface are one to several upright gametangiophores bearing multiple gametangia. Stomata are present on the upper surface of the protocorm and gametangiophore, and endomycorrhizal fungi extend throughout the gametophyte. Gametophytes are unisexual, producing either antheridiophores or archegoniophores. There is no evidence that gametophytes later become hermaphroditic. The sexual dimorphism of the Rhynie chert gametophytes is inconsistent with theoretical ideas about the haploid phase of early land plants. The gametophyte phase of early land plants can now be considered within an ecological and evolutionary framework that, in turn, can be used to develop hypotheses about some aspects of the population dynamics and growth of these early land plants.Early Devonian ͉ fossil gametophytes ͉ Rhynie chert ͉ spore development ͉ alteration of generations

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Section: Sexuality In Early Land-plant Gametophytesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life history biology of early land plants: Deciphering the gametophyte phase

Taylor

Kerp

Hass

2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

167

104

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“…The influence of other environmental factors, such as light availability, nutrient availability, culture density or presence of sucrose in the culture media, has received some attention. An increase in photon irradiance can modify the sex ratio in Equisetum gametophytes favouring development of females ( Guillon and Fievet 2003 ), while the presence of sugar in the culture media favoured the development of males ( Guillon and Raquin 2002 ). Limited nutrient supply favoured maleness in Woodwardia ( DeSoto et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of water availability on gender determination of gametophytes in a diploid–polyploid complex of a xerophytic fern genus

et al. 2015

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Environmental sex determination is present in several animal and plant lineages, in which gender depends on diverse factors such as temperature, light and water availability. This study examines effects of water availability and pheromones on the production of female and male organs by three fern species adapted to dry habitats. Isolated individuals become first female and then bisexual, irrespective of the degree of soil moisture, and, consequently, may self-fertilize. However, female individuals release pheromones that induce maleness in nearby individuals, thus favouring cross-fertilization.

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“…unisexual Aspidoscelis/Cnemidophorus lizards (Parker and Selander 1976;Crews et al 1986, Cullum 2000, hybridogenetic water frogs (Vorburger 2001;Pagano et al 2003;Schmeller et al 2005) and fishes (Schartl et al 1995;Angers and Schlosser 2007) or males when cultured in the presence of sucrose (Guillon & Raquin 2002). Finally, some amphibians and many reptiles depend on environmental cues to determine sex and in some fish, this process can persist throughout life, so Crews (2012) argued that most eukaryotic Lodé Th.…”

Section: Asexual Lineages Page 12mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Significance and Long-Term Survival of Asexual Lineages

Lodé

2012

Evol Biol

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International audienceImportant questions remain about the long-term survival and adaptive significance of eukaryotic asexual lineages. Numerous papers dealing with sex advantages still continued to compare parthenogenetic populations versus sexual populations arguing that sex demonstrates a better fitness. Because asexual lineages do not possess any recombination mechanisms favoring rapid changes in the face of severe environmental conditions, they should be considered as an evolutionary dead-end. Nevertheless, reviewing literature dealing with asexual reproduction, it is possible to draw three stimulating conclusions. (1) Asexual reproduction in eukaryotes considerably differs from prokaryotes which experience recombination but neither meiosis nor syngamy. Recombination and meiosis would be a driving force for sexual reproduction. Eukaryotes should therefore be considered as a continuum of sexual organisms that are more or less capable (and sometimes incapable) of sexual reproduction. (2) Rather than revealing ancestral eukaryotic forms, most known lineages of asexual eukaryotes have lost sex due to a genomic conflict affecting their sexual capacity. Thus, it could be argued that hybridization is a major cause of their asexuality. Asexuality may have evolved as a reproductive mechanism reducing conflict within organisms. (3) It could be proposed that, rather than being generalists, parthenogenetic hybrid lineages could be favored when exploiting peculiar restricted ecological niches, following the "frozen niche variation" model. Although hybrid events may result in sex loss, probably caused by genomic conflict, asexual hybrids could display new original adaptive traits, and the rapid colonization of environments through clonal reproduction could favor their long-term survival, leading to evolutionary changes and hybrid speciation. Examination of the evolutionary history of asexual lineages reveals that evolutionary processes act through transitional stages in which even very small temporary benefits may be enough to counter the expected selective disadvantages

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Environmental Sex Determination in the Genus Equisetum: Sugars Induce Male Sex Expression in Cultured Gametophytes

Cited by 7 publications

References 23 publications

Life history biology of early land plants: Deciphering the gametophyte phase

Life history biology of early land plants: Deciphering the gametophyte phase

Influence of water availability on gender determination of gametophytes in a diploid–polyploid complex of a xerophytic fern genus

Adaptive Significance and Long-Term Survival of Asexual Lineages

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