Sunday, February 26, 2012

BOW 1: Double Fertilization

Photo Credit: Lynette Brownfield and David Twell, University of Leicester.

In order to reproduce, angiosperms, or flowering plants require double fertilization to reproduce. Therefore, they require two sperm cells instead of one to continue their process of reproduction, such as seed production. Animals and other plants do not go through double fertilization, because they do not require two sperm cells.  Two such sperm cells are required, because they are needed to produce an embryo and an endosperm.  An embryo created as one sperm cell attaches to an egg cell.  An endosperm is created in the same way; however the sperm cell is attached to an egg cell in the ovary of the flower.  In addition, a gene, FBL17 is also introduced to break and protein, in order to begin cell division.  Therefore, double fertilization is important for angiosperm's reproduction and seed production. The picture above and below represent double fertilization.  



Sources: http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp39/3902001.html http://www.science20.com/news_releases/fbl17_discovery_gene_behind_%E2%80%98plant_sex_mystery%E2%80%99

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