title: ScORK17, a transmembrane receptor-like kinase predominantly expressed in ovules is involved in seed development.
abstract: The mRNA expression of the Solanum chacoense Ovule Receptor Kinase 17 (ScORK17), a receptor kinase of the LRR-VI subfamily, is highly specific to the female reproductive tissues. No LRR-VI subfamily members in any plant species have yet been attributed a function. A phylogenetic tree inferred using the kinase domain of LRR-VI subfamily members separated the family into two clades: one containing an average of 8.2 LRR per protein and a second clade containing an average of 2.7. In situ hybridization analyses showed that the ScORK17 signal was mainly detected in the single ovule integument and in the endothelium. Transient expression analysis also revealed that ScORK17 was N-glycosylated in planta. Overexpression of ScORK17 in S. chacoense did not produce plants with an altered phenotype. However, when heterologous transformation was performed with a full-length ScORK17 clone in A. thaliana, the resulting transgenic plants showed reduced seed set, mainly due to aberrant embryo sac development, thus supporting a developmental role for ScORK17 in ovule and seed development.
authors.affiliation: Département de Sciences Biologiques, Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale (IRBV), Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B2, Canada.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gray-Mitsumune
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lafleur
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Matton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006031:Glycosylation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D032322:Solanum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins