Hygrometrically controlled programmed cell death drives anther opening and pollen release

2025/05/16 by Anna Kampová, Moritz K. Nowack, Matyáš Fendrych +1 · 2 voices
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant Molecular Biology Research #Plant Reproductive Biology #Plant and animal studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1073/pnas.2420132122

openalex publication_date 2025/05/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Anther dehiscence is the process that facilitates pollen release from mature anthers in flowering plants. Despite its crucial importance to reproduction, the underlying developmental mechanism and its integration with environmental cues remain poorly understood. Establishing noninvasive, controlled humidity treatments of Arabidopsis thaliana flowers, we show here that high humidity prevents anthers from opening. Manipulation of stomatal densities alters dehiscence dynamics, suggesting a contribution of controlled transpiration. Furthermore, analyses of subcellular markers revealed the occurrence of a developmentally prepared and environmentally triggered programmed cell death (PCD) process in specific anther tissues, epidermis and endothecium. Notably, genetic inhibition of PCD delays anther dehiscence, whereas precocious PCD induction promotes it. Our data reveal a rapid PCD execution process modulated by ambient humidity as instrumental for timely pollen release in the flowering plant Arabidopsis .

Citations

• Signaling mechanisms in abscisic acid‐mediated stomatal closure
• Programmed Cell Death Controlled by ANAC033/SOMBRERO Determines Root Cap Organ Size in Arabidopsis
• The DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE1 Gene Encodes a Novel Phospholipase A1 Catalyzing the Initial Step of Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis, Which Synchronizes Pollen Maturation, Anther Dehiscence, and Flower Opening in Arabidopsis

Discussions

• Proud to see the work of my friends and colleagues out in PNAS🥲 Plants actively regulate their pollen release and here is how: doi.org/10.1073/pnas... 🌼 🌞 🌼 [bsky, 3 points, 1 comments]
• Wow, when I saw @svosolsobe.bsky.social and @kampova.bsky.social starting working on anthers opening as on a completely new topic some years ago, I did not expect that they will push it so far. Congra [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]

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