title: Gamete Dialogs in Green Lineages.
abstract: Gamete fusion is a core process of sexual reproduction and, in both plants and animals, different sex gametes fuse within species. Although most of the molecular factors involved in gamete interaction are still unknown in various sex-possessing eukaryotes, reports of such factors in algae and land plants have been increasing in the past decade. In particular, knowledge of gamete interaction in flowering plants and green algae has increased since the identification of the conserved gamete fusion factor generative cell specific 1/hapless 2 (GCS1/HAP2). GCS1 was first identified as a pollen generative cell-specific transmembrane protein in the lily (Lilium longiflorum), and was then shown to function not only in flowering plant gamete fusion but also in various eukaryotes, including unicellular protists and metazoans. In addition, although initially restricted to Chlamydomonas, knowledge of gamete attachment in flowering plants was also acquired. This review focuses on recent progress in the study of gamete interaction in volvocine green algae and flowering plants and discusses conserved mechanisms of gamete recognition, attachment, and fusion leading to zygote formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: moritoshi@bs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawai-Toyooka
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, 648 Matsudo, Matsudo, Chiba 271-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: nozaki@bs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nozaki
mesh_terms: D002696:Chlamydomonas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D055993:Germ Cells, Plant / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D027762:Lilium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: evolution; flowering plants; gamete fusion; green algae; sexual reproduction