Flavanols in somatic cell division and male meiosis of tea (Camellia sinensis) anthers.
Young anthers excised from closed tea flower buds ( Camellia sinensis L.) were stained as fresh tissues with p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde reagent to localize flavanols associated with nuclei and chromosomes, apart from those flavanols stored in vacuoles. This staining reagent yields a blue colour for flavanols. In the nonsporogenic somatic cells of developing anthers, flavanols were found to be attached to chromosomes at all mitotic stages. Male meiosis started at a bud size of about 3.5 mm in diameter in pollen mother cells which displayed generally more or less pronounced blue nuclei and cytoplasm. The meiotic divisions from prophase I to telophase II were characterized by blue stained nuclei and chromosomes, but within the cytoplasm there was, if any, a random and very poor reaction for flavanols. Metaphase and telophase of meiotic divisions showed maximally condensed chromosomes staining dark blue. Early in telophase II, the cytoplasm was again stained blue; this faded at late tetrad stage. Flavanols of young mitotic and older non-mitotic anthers were determined using high pressure liquid chromatography--chemical reaction detection (HPLC-CRD). Catechin, epicatechin, B2, and epigallocatechin were minor compounds, whereas epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate were found in higher amounts. The major flavanol compound of the anthers, epicatechin gallate, exhibited a significant affinity to histone sulphate, as shown by UV-VIS spectroscopic titration.
Feucht
W
W
Department für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Fachgebiet Obstbau, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan (WZW), Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising, Germany.
Treutter
D
D
Dithmar
H
H
Polster
J
J
D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000502:physiology*; D035264:Flowers / Q000502:physiology*; D006657:Histones / Q000502:physiology; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*
D005419:Flavonoids; D006657:Histones; D002392:Catechin; C062669:epicatechin gallate