SHUKR Gene

SHUKR Gene : Recently, the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) discovered a gene named SHUKR (meaning “sperm” in several Indian languages) in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana a model flowering plant.

o The CCMB team uncovered clues to Darwin’s “abominable mystery” through this common plant.

• About SHUKR: Gene found in flowering plants & essential for pollen development.

o It functions during the sporophyte stage, aiding the production of healthy and viable pollen necessary for plant reproduction.

o When SHUKR is absent or nonfunctional, plants produce poor-quality pollen, leading to reduced or failed reproduction.

o The gene regulates F-box genes that help remove old proteins and replace them with new ones, supporting proper pollen growth.

o SHUKR and related F-box genes evolve rapidly, helping plants adapt to environmental stresses like heat, cold, and drought.

o Originating around 125 million years ago in eudicots, SHUKR is present in most flowering plants today.

o Its discovery reveals a close connection between pollen formation and the overall plant development, revising previous assumptions of separation.

o Given that climate change causes heat-related damage to pollen, SHUKR holds potential for breeding crops resilient to such stresses.

• Darwin’s “abominable mystery”: He was puzzled by the sudden rise and rapid spread of flowering plants about 130 million years ago, calling it an “abominable mystery.”

o The SHUKR gene discovery offers a genetic reason for this rapid adaptation and reproduction in flowering plants.