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Figure 5 | BMC Plant Biology

Figure 5

From: Over-expression of miR172 causes loss of spikelet determinacy and floral organ abnormalities in rice (Oryza sativa)

Figure 5

Phenotypes of spikelets and mature seeds of plants over-expressing miR172b. A, A wild-type spikelet comprising a single floret enclosed by lemma and palea, a pair of rudimentary glumes (indicated by pink arrow heads) and a pair of empty glumes (indicated by white arrow heads). B to I, Individual spikelets from plants over-expressing miR172b. All of these spikelets do not have empty glumes but have multiple bract-like structures (top pair indicated by a pair of pink arrow heads). B, Fertile spikelet with a pair of lemma and palea (indicated by red *, same for C to G). C, Sterile spikelet with two pairs of lemma and palea. D, Sterile spikelet with multiple pairs of lemma and palea. The boxed part still contains multiple layers of lemma and palea. E, Sterile spikelet with a pair of twisted lemma and palea. F, Sterile spikelet with a normal-looking lemma or palea and a degenerated lemma or palea (indicated by blue *, same for H). G, Sterile spikelet with elongated lemma or palea. H, Sterile spikelet with multiple layers of degenerated lemma or palea. I, Sterile spikelet without floret. J, Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of wild-type spikelet to show the surface features of empty glumes and rudimentary glumes. K, SEM of the bract-like structures of a spikelet from a miR172b over-expression plant. Green arrows in J and K indicate trichomes. L, Part of a wild-type panicle with normal spikelets. M, Part of a panicle from a miR172b over-expression plant with a strongly altered spikelet phenotype. N to P, Part of panicles from a miR172b over-expression plant with a moderately altered spikelet phenotype. White arrows in L to P indicate individual spikelets. Spikelets indicated by pink arrows in O and P represent spikelets with degenerated lemma or palea. Q, Wild-type mature seed. R to T, Mature seeds from plants over-expressing miR172b showing naked single grain (R and S) or double grains (T). EG: empty glume. LE: lemma. PA: palea. RG: rudimentary glume. Bars in A to I, and Q to T are 1 mm. Bars in J and K are 100 μm.

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