TY - JOUR

T1 - Pectic arabinan side chains are essential for pollen cell wall integrity during pollen development

AU - Cankar, Katarina

AU - Kortstee, Anne

AU - Toonen, Marcel A.J.

AU - Wolters-Arts, Mieke

AU - Houbein, Rudolf

AU - Mariani, Celestina

AU - Ulvskov, Peter

AU - Jørgensen, Bodil

AU - Schols, Henk A.

AU - Visser, Richard G.F.

AU - Trindade, Luisa M.

N1 - © 2014 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Pectin is a complex polysaccharide and an integral part of the primary plant cell wall and middle lamella, contributing to cell wall mechanical strength and cell adhesion. To understand the structure-function relationships of pectin in the cell wall, a set of transgenic potato lines with altered pectin composition was analysed. The expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in pectin acetylation, degradation of the rhamnogalacturonan backbone and type and length of neutral side chains, arabinan and galactan in particular, has been altered. Upon crossing of different transgenic lines, some transgenes were not transmitted to the next generation when these lines were used as a pollen donor, suggesting male sterility. Viability of mature pollen was severely decreased in potato lines with reduced pectic arabinan, but not in lines with altered galactan side chains. Anthers and pollen of different developmental stages were microscopically examined to study the phenotype in more detail. Scanning electron microscopy of flowers showed collapsed pollen grains in mature anthers and in earlier stages cytoplasmic protrusions at the site of the of kin pore, eventually leading to bursting of the pollen grain and leaking of the cytoplasm. This phenomenon is only observed after the microspores are released and the tapetum starts to degenerate. Timing of the phenotype indicates a role for pectic arabinan side chains during remodelling of the cell wall when the pollen grain is maturing and dehydrating.

AB - Pectin is a complex polysaccharide and an integral part of the primary plant cell wall and middle lamella, contributing to cell wall mechanical strength and cell adhesion. To understand the structure-function relationships of pectin in the cell wall, a set of transgenic potato lines with altered pectin composition was analysed. The expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in pectin acetylation, degradation of the rhamnogalacturonan backbone and type and length of neutral side chains, arabinan and galactan in particular, has been altered. Upon crossing of different transgenic lines, some transgenes were not transmitted to the next generation when these lines were used as a pollen donor, suggesting male sterility. Viability of mature pollen was severely decreased in potato lines with reduced pectic arabinan, but not in lines with altered galactan side chains. Anthers and pollen of different developmental stages were microscopically examined to study the phenotype in more detail. Scanning electron microscopy of flowers showed collapsed pollen grains in mature anthers and in earlier stages cytoplasmic protrusions at the site of the of kin pore, eventually leading to bursting of the pollen grain and leaking of the cytoplasm. This phenomenon is only observed after the microspores are released and the tapetum starts to degenerate. Timing of the phenotype indicates a role for pectic arabinan side chains during remodelling of the cell wall when the pollen grain is maturing and dehydrating.

KW - Cell Wall

KW - Chromosome Segregation

KW - Crosses, Genetic

KW - Gene Dosage

KW - Monosaccharides

KW - Pectins

KW - Phenotype

KW - Plant Infertility

KW - Plant Tubers

KW - Plants, Genetically Modified

KW - Pollen

KW - Polysaccharides

KW - Solanum tuberosum

KW - Transformation, Genetic

KW - Transgenes

U2 - 10.1111/pbi.12156

DO - 10.1111/pbi.12156

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24428422

VL - 12

SP - 492

EP - 502

JO - Plant Biotechnology Journal

JF - Plant Biotechnology Journal

SN - 1467-7644

IS - 4

ER -