Positional cues and cell division dynamics drive meristem development and archegonium formation in Ceratopteris gametophytes

Yuan Geng; An Yan; Yun Zhou

doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03627-y

Positional cues and cell division dynamics drive meristem development and archegonium formation in Ceratopteris gametophytes

Commun Biol. 2022 Jul 1;5(1):650. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03627-y.

Authors

Yuan Geng^{1

2}, An Yan^{3

4}, Yun Zhou^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
² Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
³ Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
⁴ Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
⁵ Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. zhouyun@purdue.edu.
⁶ Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. zhouyun@purdue.edu.

Abstract

Fern gametophytes are autotrophic and independent of sporophytes, and they develop pluripotent meristems that drive prothallus development and sexual reproduction. To reveal cellular dynamics during meristem development in fern gametophytes, we performed long-term time-lapse imaging and determined the real-time lineage, identity and division activity of each single cell from meristem initiation to establishment in gametophytes of the fern Ceratopteris richardii. Our results demonstrate that in Ceratopteris gametophytes, only a few cell lineages originated from the marginal layer contribute to meristem initiation and proliferation, and the meristem lacks a distinguishable central zone or apical cell with low division activity. Within the meristem, cell division is independent of cell lineages and cells at the marginal layer are more actively dividing than inner cells. Furthermore, the meristem triggers differentiation of adjacent cells into egg-producing archegonia in a position-dependent manner. These findings advance the understanding of diversified meristem and gametophyte development in land plants.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Cell Division
Cues
Ferns*
Germ Cells, Plant*
Meristem