Changing fates: rewiring gene expression in barley androgenesis

在大麦中，有可能从单个未成熟的小孢子中获得植物，这种细胞通常导致花粉粒的产生。这被称为雄性发生，即获得只携带雄性亲本遗传物质（染色体）的植物的过程。事实上，小孢子只携带每条大麦染色体的一个副本，与大麦植株通常携带的一对相反。如果这种情况在这个小孢子衍生的植物的整个发育过程中保持不变，就会导致这些植物不育。幸运的是，大多数由未成熟小孢子通过雄激素发生再生的植株将经历染色体的自发加倍，从而恢复生育能力。这种植物被称为“双单倍体”，在遗传分析和育种中都是非常有价值的工具。事实上，雄激素发生经常用于植物育种，以加快新品种和改良品种的发展。

In barley, it is possible to obtain plants derived from a single immature microspore, the type of cell that usually leads to the production of pollen grains. This is termed androgenesis, i.e. the process of obtaining a plant carrying only the genetic material (chromosomes) of the male parent. Indeed, microspores only carry a single copy of each barley chromosome, contrary to the pair normally carried in the barley plant. If this situation remains unchanged throughout the entire development of the plant derived from this microspore, it will result in these plants being sterile. Fortunately, a majority of the plants regenerated from immature microspores via androgenesis will undergo a spontaneous doubling of their chromosomes, thus restoring fertility. Such plants are termed "doubled haploid" and are highly valuable tools in both genetic analysis and breeding. Indeed, androgenesis is often used in plant breeding to expedite the development of new and improved varieties.