title: Identification and characterization of TcCRP1, a pollen tube attractant from Torenia concolor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During sexual reproduction in higher angiosperms, the pollen tubes are directed to the ovules in the pistil to deliver sperm cells. This pollen tube attraction is highly species specific, and a group of small secreted proteins, TfCRPs, are necessary for this process in Torenia fournieri.
  
  
  METHODS
  A candidate pollen tube attractant protein in Torenia concolor, a related species of T. fournieri, was isolated and the attractant abilities between them were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TcCRP1, an orthologous gene of TfCRP1 from T. concolor, is expressed predominantly in the synergid cell. The gene product attracted pollen tubes in a concentration-dependent manner, but attracted fewer pollen tubes from the other species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that this class of CRP proteins is a common pollen tube attractant in Torenia species. The sequence diversity of these proteins is important for species-specific pollen tube attraction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan. mkanaoka@bio.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masahiro M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kanaoka
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Daichi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Susaki
authors.forename: Satohiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Narie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higashiyama
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D056771:Ovule / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D053205:Pollen Tube / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins