Differential Gene Expression Profiles of Receptor- Like Kinases in Pollen Tube of Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Proper pollen tube guidance to ovules is one of crucial events in plant reproduction. Several molecules such as Rho-GTPase, actin and calcium ion have been reported to have roles on pollen germination and/or elongation. However, attractants and receptors for pollen tube guidance are still unclear. As receptor-like kinases (RLKs) were shown to be involved in various signal transduction pathways in plants, RLKs dominantly expressed in pollen tubes were searched using the microarray analyses. Total RNA was extracted from pollen grains, germinated pollen grains, and inflorescences respectively. Expression profiles were compared to each other and 45 genes were found as putative receptors dominantly expressed in pollen tubes. Characterization of pollen tube phenotype in pistils of each gene disruption lines by T-DNA insertion and/or RNA interference were compared to those of wild types, and the results will be presented.