Ultrastructural features of nucleus degradation during programmed cell death (PCD) of starchy endosperm cells in rice (Oryza sativa L.) were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Several distinct morphological features of PCD have been found in the developing starchy endosperm cells, e.g. nucleus deformation, chromatin condensation, nuclear envelope disruption, and nuclear matrix leakage. DNA ladder displayed a smear of large DNA fragments from nucleus and evident bands of small DNA fragments (140-180 bp) from both nucleus and cytoplasm. In contrast with the rapid nucleus degradation, cell organelles in cytoplasm, such as rough endoplasmic reticulum, a myloplast, and mitochondrion, maintained their metabolic functions for a longer time. Seed reserves were continually synthesized and accumulated in the starchy endosperm cells despite the nucleus degradation during the PCD process. These results suggest that starchy endosperm cells remain active during reserve material synthesis and accumulation in the PCD process. The specific relationships between nucleus and cytoplasm in the developing endosperm cells and the morphological changes of nucleus in the endosperm PCD process were also discussed.
水稻淀粉胚乳细胞编程性死亡中细胞核变化特征
韦存虚 蓝盛银* 徐珍秀
（华中农业大学生命科学技术学院，武汉430070）
摘要： 应用透射电子显微镜技术,观察了水稻(Oryza sativa L.)淀粉胚乳细胞编程性死亡过程中核的变化特征.伴随胚乳的发育进程,淀粉胚乳细胞核表现出衰退特征:核变形、染色质凝缩、核膜多处被降解破坏、核基质外泄等.DNA Ladder显示核内大片段DNA呈严重的弥散状拖尾现象,而核内和胞质中在140～180 bp处有明显的条带.在核衰退的同时,其胞质中的粗面内质网、淀粉质体和线粒体等细胞器具有正常的代谢功能,细胞仍在合成并积累营养物质,淀粉胚乳细胞一边衰退一边行使其功能,直至死亡.这些结果表明,水稻淀粉胚乳在核衰退的同时,细胞仍在积极合成与积累贮藏产物,表现为一种特殊形式的植物细胞编程性死亡现象.此外,对淀粉胚乳细胞特有的核质关系、植物细胞编程性死亡过程中细胞核的变化等问题进行了讨论.
关键词： 水稻；淀粉胚乳细胞；核衰退解体；细胞编程性死亡
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