Transcriptome analyses show changes in gene expression to accompany pollen germination and tube growth in Arabidopsis.
Pollen germination, along with pollen tube growth, is an essential process for the reproduction of flowering plants. The germinating pollen with tip-growth characteristics provides an ideal model system for the study of cell growth and morphogenesis. As an essential step toward a detailed understanding of this important process, the objective of this study was to comprehensively analyze the transcriptome changes during pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Using Affymetrix Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ATH1 Genome Arrays, this study is, to our knowledge, the first to show the changes in the transcriptome from desiccated mature pollen grains to hydrated pollen grains and then to pollen tubes of Arabidopsis. The number of expressed genes, either for total expressed genes or for specifically expressed genes, increased significantly from desiccated mature pollen to hydrated pollen and again to growing pollen tubes, which is consistent with the finding that pollen germination and tube growth were significantly inhibited in vitro by a transcriptional inhibitor. The results of Gene Ontology analyses showed that expression of genes related to cell rescue, transcription, signal transduction, and cellular transport was significantly changed, especially for up-regulation, during pollen germination and tube growth. In particular, genes of the calmodulin/calmodulin-like protein, cation/hydrogen exchanger, and heat shock protein families showed the most significant changes during pollen germination and tube growth. These results demonstrate that the overall transcription of genes, both in the number of expressed genes and in the levels of transcription, was increased. Furthermore, the appearance of many novel transcripts during pollen germination as well as tube growth indicates that these newly expressed genes may function in this complex process.
Wang
Yi
Y
State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, National Plant Gene Research Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Zhang
Wen-Zheng
WZ
Song
Lian-Fen
LF
Zou
Jun-Jie
JJ
Su
Zhen
Z
Wu
Wei-Hua
WH
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018525:Germination; D011058:Pollen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003609:Dactinomycin
Nucleic Acids Res. 2004 Oct 14;32(18):5539-45
15486203
J Exp Bot. 2001 Aug;52(361):1603-14
11479325
Plant Physiol. 2005 Jun;138(2):744-56
15908605
Plant Physiol. 2004 Sep;136(1):2532-47
15347787
Plant Physiol. 1990 Oct;94(2):665-70
16667763
New Phytol. 1989 Mar;111(3):323-358
33874021
Plant Mol Biol. 2005 Mar;57(4):487-502
15821976
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Sep 2;100(18):10558-63
12928497
Genome Biol. 2004;5(11):R85
15535861
J Exp Bot. 2003 Jan;54(380):93-101
12456759
Plant Cell. 1993 Oct;5(10):1265-1275
12271026
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 22;101(25):9502-7
15197266
Plant Physiol. 2002 Jul;129(3):1138-49
12114568
Plant Cell. 2004;16 Suppl:S142-53
15037731
Plant J. 2007 Nov;52(3):570-82
17764500
Plant J. 1999 Oct;20(1):101-8
10571869
Plant Physiol. 2000 Jun;123(2):699-710
10859200
Plant Physiol. 2003 Jun;132(2):640-52
12805594
Bioessays. 2001 Jan;23(1):86-94
11135313
Planta. 2006 Jan;223(2):374-80
16228244
Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2004 Oct;7(5):589-98
15337103
J Exp Bot. 2004 Feb;55(396):485-95
14739270
Plant Cell. 2005 Feb;17(2):584-96
15659637
Plant Cell. 2004 Jan;16(1):229-40
14671020
Zygote. 1994 Feb;2(1):63-8
7881918
Results Probl Cell Differ. 1991;17:85-105
1803426
New Phytol. 2003 Sep;159(3):585-598
33873603
Nucleic Acids Res. 2002 Jan 1;30(1):207-10
11752295
Plant J. 2004 Mar;37(6):914-39
14996223
Trends Plant Sci. 2005 Aug;10(8):383-9
16023399
New Phytol. 2003 Sep;159(3):539-563
33873604
Plant Physiol. 2004 Jul;135(3):1765-75
15247381
Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2001;17:159-87
11687487
Plant Physiol. 2001 Aug;126(4):1646-67
11500563
Genome Biol. 2003;5(1):205
14709169
Plant Physiol. 1999 Nov;121(3):695-703
10557217
Plant J. 2004 Jun;38(6):887-97
15165182
Ann Bot. 2007 Dec;100(6):1117-23
17951360
J Cell Biol. 1999 Feb 8;144(3):483-96
9971743
Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol. 1997 Jun;48:461-491
15012271
Plant Physiol. 1996 Aug;111(4):1085-1096
12226349
Plant Physiol. 2001 Nov;127(3):777-91
11706162
Plant Physiol. 2003 Jun;132(2):517-29
12805584
Plant Cell. 1989 Jul;1(7):657-664
12359904
Plant Cell. 1999 Sep;11(9):1731-42
10488239
Plant J. 2004 Sep;39(5):761-75
15315637
Plant Physiol. 2006 Apr;140(4):1151-68
16607029
Plant Physiol. 2003 Oct;133(2):713-25
14500793
Plant Cell. 1999 Apr;11(4):727-38
10213789
Plant Physiol. 2007 Sep;145(1):3-4
17823270