Five Gametophytic Mutations Affecting Pollen Development and Pollen Tube Growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Corresponding author: Sandrine Bonhomme, INRA Station de Génétique et d'Amélioration des Plantes, Centre de Versailles-Grignon, Route de Saint-Cyr 78026, Versailles Cedex, France., bonhomme{at}versailles.inra.fr (E-mail)

Communicating editor: V. SUNDARESAN

Mutant analysis represents one of the most reliable approaches to identifying genes involved in plant development. The screening of the Versailles collection of Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA insertion transformants has allowed us to isolate different mutations affecting male gametophytic functions and viability. Among several mutated lines, five have been extensively studied at the genetic, molecular, and cytological levels. For each mutant, several generations of selfing and outcrossing have been carried out, leading to the conclusion that all these mutations are tagged and affect only the male gametophyte. However, only one out of the five mutations is completely penetrant. A variable number of T-DNA copies has integrated in the mutant lines, although all segregate at one mutated locus. Two mutants could be defined as "early mutants": the mutated genes are presumably expressed during pollen grain maturation and their alteration leads to the production of nonfunctional pollen grains. Two other mutants could be defined as "late mutant" since their pollen is able to germinate but pollen tube growth is highly disturbed. Screening for segregation ratio distortions followed by thorough genetic analysis proved to be a powerful tool for identifying gametophytic mutations of all phases of pollen development.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Guermonprez, A. Smertenko, M.-T. Crosnier, M. Durandet, N. Vrielynck, P. Guerche, P. J. Hussey, B. Satiat-Jeunemaitre, and S. Bonhomme The POK/AtVPS52 protein localizes to several distinct post-Golgi compartments in sporophytic and gametophytic cells J. Exp. Bot., August 1, 2008; 59(11): 3087 - 3098. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Frietsch, Y.-F. Wang, C. Sladek, L. R. Poulsen, S. M. Romanowsky, J. I. Schroeder, and J. F. Harper A cyclic nucleotide-gated channel is essential for polarized tip growth of pollen PNAS, September 4, 2007; 104(36): 14531 - 14536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-J. Han, K.-H. Jung, G. Yi, D.-Y. Lee, and G. An Rice Immature Pollen 1 (RIP1) is a Regulator of Late Pollen Development Plant Cell Physiol., November 1, 2006; 47(11): 1457 - 1472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. K. Jakobsen,, L. R. Poulsen,, A. Schulz,, P. Fleurat-Lessard,, A. Moller,, S. Husted,, M. Schiott,, A. Amtmann,, and M. G. Palmgren, Pollen development and fertilization in Arabidopsis is dependent on the MALE GAMETOGENESIS IMPAIRED ANTHERS gene encoding a Type V P-type ATPase Genes & Dev., November 15, 2005; 19(22): 2757 - 2769. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Gass, T. Glagotskaia, S. Mellema, J. Stuurman, M. Barone, T. Mandel, U. Roessner-Tunali, and C. Kuhlemeier Pyruvate Decarboxylase Provides Growing Pollen Tubes with a Competitive Advantage in Petunia PLANT CELL, August 1, 2005; 17(8): 2355 - 2368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Cole, L. Synek, V. Zarsky, and J. E. Fowler SEC8, a Subunit of the Putative Arabidopsis Exocyst Complex, Facilitates Pollen Germination and Competitive Pollen Tube Growth Plant Physiology, August 1, 2005; 138(4): 2005 - 2018. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. R. Robertson, K. Clark, J. C. Young, and M. R. Sussman An Arabidopsis thaliana Plasma Membrane Proton Pump Is Essential for Pollen Development Genetics, November 1, 2004; 168(3): 1677 - 1687. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Johnson, K. von Besser, Q. Zhou, E. Smith, G. Aux, D. Patton, J. Z. Levin, and D. Preuss Arabidopsis hapless Mutations Define Essential Gametophytic Functions Genetics, October 1, 2004; 168(2): 971 - 982. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Lalanne, C. Michaelidis, J. M. Moore, W. Gagliano, A. Johnson, R. Patel, R. Howden, J.-P. Vielle-Calzada, U. Grossniklaus, and D. Twell Analysis of Transposon Insertion Mutants Highlights the Diversity of Mechanisms Underlying Male Progamic Development in Arabidopsis Genetics, August 1, 2004; 167(4): 1975 - 1986. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Lobstein, A. Guyon, M. Ferault, D. Twell, G. Pelletier, and S. Bonhomme The Putative Arabidopsis Homolog of Yeast Vps52p Is Required for Pollen Tube Elongation, Localizes to Golgi, and Might Be Involved in Vesicle Trafficking Plant Physiology, July 1, 2004; 135(3): 1480 - 1490. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. F. Edlund, R. Swanson, and D. Preuss Pollen and Stigma Structure and Function: The Role of Diversity in Pollination PLANT CELL, June 1, 2004; 16(suppl_1): S84 - S97. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Arthur, Z. Vejlupkova, R. B. Meeley, and J. E. Fowler Maize ROP2 GTPase Provides a Competitive Advantage to the Male Gametophyte Genetics, December 1, 2003; 165(4): 2137 - 2151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Golovkin and A. S. N. Reddy A calmodulin-binding protein from Arabidopsis has an essential role in pollen germination PNAS, September 2, 2003; 100(18): 10558 - 10563. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Steinebrunner, J. Wu, Y. Sun, A. Corbett, and S. J. Roux Disruption of Apyrases Inhibits Pollen Germination in Arabidopsis Plant Physiology, April 1, 2003; 131(4): 1638 - 1647. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Lalanne and D. Twell Genetic Control of Male Germ Unit Organization in Arabidopsis Plant Physiology, June 1, 2002; 129(2): 865 - 875. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]