LAP3, a novel plant protein required for pollen development, is essential for proper exine formation.
We isolated lap3-1 and lap3-2 mutants in a screen for pollen that displays abnormal stigma binding. Unlike wild-type pollen, lap3-1 and lap3-2 pollen exine is thinner, weaker, and is missing some connections between their roof-like tectum structures. We describe the mapping and identification of LAP3 as a novel gene that contains a repetitive motif found in beta-propeller enzymes. Insertion mutations in LAP3 lead to male sterility. To investigate possible roles for LAP3 in pollen development, we assayed the metabolite profile of anther tissues containing developing pollen grains and found that the lap3-2 defect leads to a broad range of metabolic changes. The largest changes were seen in levels of a straight-chain hydrocarbon nonacosane and in naringenin chalcone, an obligate compound in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway.
Dobritsa
Anna A
AA
Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Nishikawa
Shuh-Ichi
S
Preuss
Daphne
D
Urbanczyk-Wochniak
Ewa
E
Sumner
Lloyd W
LW
Hammond
Adam
A
Carlson
Ann L
AL
Swanson
Robert J
RJ
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011058:Pollen / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins