On the origin and consequences of angiosperm self-incompatibility

摘要

Self-incompatibility (SI) comprises various mechanisms that prevent self-fertilization in hermaphroditic plants. In homomorphic systems, mating types share a common floral morphology but pollen express different specificities determined by the genotype of the gametophyte (GSI) or the spor-ophyte (SSI). The recent characterization on the molecular level of genes (S-loci) that cosegregate with GSI and SSI in several systems has permitted examination of the process of mating system evolution at an unprecedented level of detail. This discussion addresses the origins of self-incompatibility and the nature of the process of S-locus evolution.