Abstract: Plant fertility is highly sensitive to elevated temperature. Here, we report that hot spells induce the formation of dyads and triads by disrupting the biogenesis or stability of the radial microtubule arrays (RMAs) at telophase II. Heat-induced meiotic restitution in Arabidopsis is predominantly SDR-type (Second Division Restitution) indicating specific interference with RMAs formed between separated sister chromatids. In addition, elevated temperatures caused distinct deviations in cross-over formation in male meiosis. Synapsis at pachytene was impaired and the obligate cross-over per chromosome was discarded, resulting in partial
univalency in meiosis I (MI). At diakinesis, interconnections between non-homologous chromosomes tied separate bivalents together, suggesting heat induces ectopic events of non-homologous recombination. Summarized, heat interferes with male meiotic cross-over designation and cell wall formation, providing a mechanistic basis for plant karyotype change and genome evolution under high temperature conditions.
Nico De Storme1,2 & Danny Geelen1
1 Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University (UGent), Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
2 Present address: Laboratory for Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement (PGCI), Division of Crop Biotechnics, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Heverlee, Leuven, Belgium.
✉email: Danny.Geelen@ugent.be