About this Research Topic
In all sexually reproducing organisms, meiosis creates the genetic diversity upon which selection takes place, driving the evolution of species and their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. While evolution is a slow process, climate changes have an immediate impact on meiosis and gametogenesis, as reported for genetic models as well as several crop species. Specifically, changes in temperature that deviate from regular conditions have been shown to affect meiotic recombination, chromosome dynamics, and the viability and development of gametes. Given the high sensitivity of the plant reproductive system to changing climate conditions, it is predicted that the productivity of seed and fruit crops is at risk, raising major concerns regarding food security and social stability. Hence, investigating the impact of environmental conditions on the plant reproductive system, including meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis, is of great significance. In this special focus issue, we bring together a series of papers that address the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of changing climate conditions on meiosis and gametogenesis.
This Research Topic aims to address the following issues:
1. The conservation and divergence of responsive patterns of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis under a wide range of abiotic stresses across different plant species, and the underlying mechanisms.
2. The genetic and molecular mechanisms, including natural genetic variation, that regulate the tolerance and/or response of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis to abiotic stress.
3. The response and/or adaptation of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis to abiotic stresses in polyploid plants.
4. The innovation of techniques and methodologies, including but not limited to: advances in cytological approaches for dissecting meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis; tissue/cell type-specific single-cell genome sequencing and spatial multi-omics; profiling of recombination and chromatin modification landscapes; high-throughput phenotyping and machine learning-based prediction of reproductive development traits and stress responses.
5. Genetic manipulations and breeding practices for generating abiotic stress-resistant plants at the reproductive stage.
We encourage the submission of manuscripts that provide cytological, molecular, genetic and physiological insights into the understanding of the above-mentioned themes, and are within the scope of meiosis, recombination, polyploidy, DNA damage response, and flower and pollen development under abiotic stresses. Studies conducted on model plant species, crops, and horticultural and non-model species are all welcome. This research topic accepts Original Research, Opinion, Review, Mini Review, Methods, and Perspective articles.
This Research Topic aims to address the following issues:
1. The conservation and divergence of responsive patterns of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis under a wide range of abiotic stresses across different plant species, and the underlying mechanisms.
2. The genetic and molecular mechanisms, including natural genetic variation, that regulate the tolerance and/or response of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis to abiotic stress.
3. The response and/or adaptation of meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis to abiotic stresses in polyploid plants.
4. The innovation of techniques and methodologies, including but not limited to: advances in cytological approaches for dissecting meiosis, flower development, and gametogenesis; tissue/cell type-specific single-cell genome sequencing and spatial multi-omics; profiling of recombination and chromatin modification landscapes; high-throughput phenotyping and machine learning-based prediction of reproductive development traits and stress responses.
5. Genetic manipulations and breeding practices for generating abiotic stress-resistant plants at the reproductive stage.
We encourage the submission of manuscripts that provide cytological, molecular, genetic and physiological insights into the understanding of the above-mentioned themes, and are within the scope of meiosis, recombination, polyploidy, DNA damage response, and flower and pollen development under abiotic stresses. Studies conducted on model plant species, crops, and horticultural and non-model species are all welcome. This research topic accepts Original Research, Opinion, Review, Mini Review, Methods, and Perspective articles.
Keywords: meiosis, recombination, flower development, gametogenesis, polyploidy, DNA damage response, fertility, abiotic stress
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
