Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: The outer layer of the pollen grain, the exine, plays a key role in the survival of terrestrial plant life. However, the exine structure in different groups of plants remains enigmatic. Here, modern and fossil coniferous bisaccate pollen were examined to investigate the detailed three-dimensional structure and properties of the pollen wall. X-ray nanotomography and volume electron microscopy are used to provide high-resolution imagery, revealing a solid nanofoam structure. Atomic force microscopy measurements were used to compare the pollen wall with other natural and synthetic foams and to demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the wall in this type of pollen are retained for millions of years in fossil specimens. The microscopic structure of this robust biological material has potential applications in materials sciences and also contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary success of conifers and other plants over geological time.
Source: Science Advances
Institutions: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Natural History Museum, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, CEA Grenoble, Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement
Language: English
Topic: Plant Reproductive Biology
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,853
Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche
OpenAlex ID: W4220922195