Exine development and pattern formation , unifying ultrastructural and genetic approaches

Date: August 28 Place: Room 5336 (oral), Room 6302 (poster) Organizers: Stephen Blackmore, Nina Gabarayeva & Michael Hesse Contact email address: [email protected] Purpose: The science of palynology is founded entirely upon the extraordinary organisational diversity and resistance to decay of the exine. Not surprisingly therefore, there has always been great interest in understanding how the complex, elaborate and often taxon-specific patterns of exine organisation are developed and have evolved. Traditionally these questions have been addressed by microscopy: first optical microscopy and later electron microscopy. There has also been a strong interest in the theoretical basis of pollen and spore symmetry control, number and placement of germination sites, and surface pattern formation. However, in spores the control of perispore (or perine) sculpturing remains poorly understood with more information urgently needed. More recently, there have been dramatic advances in the molecular genetics of pollen development based on insights from the model plant, Arabidopsis. Much of this new research has been undertaken in Japan. The symposium aims to bring together experts from the ultrastructural, theoretical and genetic research areas in order to develop a unified understanding of exine organisation. In doing so it hopes to overcome the tendency in modern science for disciplines to specialise and diverge, each developing its own audience and terminology. Whilst the symposium will be primarily of interest to those with an interest on the development of pollen grains and spores, the insights it generates will also assist in interpreting forms encountered in palaeopalynological or systematic investigations.