In flowering plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, the transition from the sporophytic phase to the gametophytic phase consists of two sequential processes, considering sporogenesis and gametogenesis. A number of genes have been identified in several angiosperm species which play crucial functions in many different steps of the male and female gametophytes formation. In the basal lineage of land plants, bryophytes, moss Physcomitrella patens has emerged as a model organism for molecular studies to learn about the mechanisms controlling the key moments during the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase of its life cycle. Several loci, which are components of polycomb repressive complex 2, have been described as associated to these processes.

Okano and coworkers have demonstrated that PpCLF gene expression induces Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries reproductive organ development while repressing sporophytic stem cells initiation. Also the PpFIE gene has been implicated in the gametophyte development. PpFIE protein accumulates in the haploid meristematic cells and in cells that undergo Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries fate transition during dedifferentiation programs in the gametophyte. Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries In the absence of PpFIE, meristems over proliferate and are unable to develop leafy gametophytes or reach the reproductive phase. Importance of plant hormone, auxin, has also been reported to trigger different physiological Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries responses such as the chloronema to caulonema transition, stem elongation and reproductive organ development.

A critical role of moss 2 KNOTTED LIKE HOMEOBOX transcription factors was demonstrated in preventing the development Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries of gametophyte leafy shoots from diploid embryos before meiosis indicating a critical role for the evolution of KNOX2 in establishing an alternation of generation in land plants. Liverworts are considered as the oldest lineage of presently living land plant organisms. Due to their unique position in evolution, liverworts may serve as a model to investigate the molecular http://www.selleckchem.com/products/baricitinib-ly3009104.html basis of mechanisms involved in sexual reproduction. In the dioecious Marchantia polymorpha, the haploid set of chromosomes consists of eight autosomes and a single sex chromosome, an X in females and Y in males. The transition to sexual reproduction in this dioecious species is under environmental control, and can be induced by exposure to far red light or by long day conditions. To understand the mechanisms of sex determination and sexual differentiation in Marchantia, analyses of ESTs from immature female and male sexual organs were performed. Out of 1059 non redundant ESTs, 346 were selected as unique to the male library and 713 as unique to the female library. In the female EST collection, five showed similarity to members of a lectin gene family.