title: Micropylar pollen tube guidance by egg apparatus 1 of maize.
abstract: Pollen tube guidance precedes the double fertilization of flowering plants. Here, we report the identification of a small maize protein of 94 amino acids involved in short-range signaling required for pollen tube attraction by the female gametophyte. ZmEA1 is exclusively expressed in the egg apparatus, consisting of the egg cell and two synergids. Chimeric ZmEA1 fused to green fluorescent protein (ZmEA1:GFP) was first visible within the filiform apparatus and later was localized to nucellar cell walls below the micropylar opening of the ovule. Transgenic down-regulation of the ZmEA1 gene led to ovule sterility caused by loss of close-range pollen tube guidance to the micropyle.
authors.affiliation: Biocenter Klein Flottbek, Developmental Biology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, D-22609 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mihaela L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Márton
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordts
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Broadhvest
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dresselhaus
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D017343:Genes, Plant; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D034622:RNA Interference; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins