STRUCTURAL BASES OF THE ACTION OF SELF-IN COMPATIBILITY GENES IN FLOWERING PLANTS

A review of modern data concerning the genetic and molecular bases of self-incompatibility is presented. In view of these data, structural m echanisms responsible for self-incompatibility of gametophytic and spo rophytic types are analyzed. This allows formulation of a concept conc erning the type of expression of self-incompatibility genes in a polle n grain and a pistil and classification of diverse morphological manif estations of self-incompatibility. Evidence for dependence of the site and the time of this reaction on location of self-incompatibility gen e products in a pollen grain and in the pistil is provided. Succession and evolution of structural mechanisms responsible for each type of s elf-incompatibility and differences between these mechanisms are discu ssed.