Cytomixis impairs meiosis and influences reproductive success in Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb) Jacq. - an additional strategy and possible implications.

ABSTRACT

Spontaneous intercellular chromatin migration/cytomixis was observed to occur in the pollen mother cells (PMCs) of the Chlorophytum comosum for the first time. The migration through cytomictic channels was more pronounced in meiosis-I and very rare in meiosis-II. The process was associated with erratic meiosis, which was characterized by defects in chromosome organization and segregation. Cytomixis was more intense in the month of April than in July and consequently the frequency of meiotic irregularities was much more pronounced during the month of April. As a consequence of abnormal meiosis, fertility was drastically reduced resulting in meager seed efficiency of 17% only. Recombination system also does not guarantee the release of sufficient variability. We view the phenomenon of cytomixis as genetically controlled mechanism involving meiotic genes and operating through signal transduction pathway triggered by the environmental stimuli. The evolutionary significance and tenable hypothesis in the backdrop of existing literature is also proposed.