Temporal gene expression patterns during microsporogenesis in sunflower

The objective of this study was to characterize the transcriptional variation of a selected set of genes in fertile sunflower (Helianthus annuus) anthers by quantifying their expression levels using Ral-time PCR across four stages of microsporogenesis. The results reveal that over 90% of the analyzed genes exhibit dynamic or oscillatory expression patterns, reflecting stage-specific regulatory responses. A moderate increase in gene expression variability during the tetrad and microspore stages, compared to the earlier phases of microsporogenesis, such as pachytene and meiotic division, was observed. The prevalence of dynamic expression highlights complex transcriptional regulation required for maintaining physiological homeostasis during microsporogenesis. These results contribute to the functional validation of candidate genes and offer insights into the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying male fertility in sunflower.