This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data All Versions of this Article: 138/2/744    most recent pp.104.057935v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (64) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pina, C. Articles by Becker, J. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pina, C. Articles by Becker, J. D. Agricola Articles by Pina, C. Articles by Becker, J. D.

DEVELOPMENT AND HORMONE ACTION

Gene Family Analysis of the Arabidopsis Pollen Transcriptome Reveals Biological Implications for Cell Growth, Division Control, and Gene Expression Regulation^1,[w]

Centro de Biologia do Desenvolvimento, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, PT–2780–156 Oeiras, Portugal (C.P., J.A.F., J.D.B.); Biomathematics Group, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, PT–2780–156 Oeiras, Portugal (F.P.); and Faculdade de Ciências, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, PT–1749–016 Lisbon, Portugal (J.A.F.)

Upon germination, pollen forms a tube that elongates dramatically through female tissues to reach and fertilize ovules. While essential for the life cycle of higher plants, the genetic basis underlying most of the process is not well understood. We previously used a combination of flow cytometry sorting of viable hydrated pollen grains and GeneChip array analysis of one-third of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome to define a first overview of the pollen transcriptome. We now extend that study to approximately 80% of the genome of Arabidopsis by using Affymetrix Arabidopsis ATH1 arrays and perform comparative analysis of gene family and gene ontology representation in the transcriptome of pollen and vegetative tissues. Pollen grains have a smaller and overall unique transcriptome (6,587 genes expressed) with greater proportions of selectively expressed (11%) and enriched (26%) genes than any vegetative tissue. Relative gene ontology category representations in pollen and vegetative tissues reveal a functional skew of the pollen transcriptome toward signaling, vesicle transport, and the cytoskeleton, suggestive of a commitment to germination and tube growth. Cell cycle analysis reveals an accumulation of G2/M-associated factors that may play a role in the first mitotic division of the zygote. Despite the relative underrepresentation of transcription-associated transcripts, nonclassical MADS box genes emerge as a class with putative unique roles in pollen. The singularity of gene expression control in mature pollen grains is further highlighted by the apparent absence of small RNA pathway components.

² Present address: Medical Research Council Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.

^[w] The online version of this article contains Web-only data.

Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.104.057935.

^* Corresponding author; e-mail jfeijo{at}fc.ul.pt; fax 351–21–4407970.

Received December 8, 2004; returned for revision February 2, 2005; accepted February 3, 2005.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Krishnan and A. Pereira Integrative approaches for mining transcriptional regulatory programs in Arabidopsis Brief Funct Genomic Proteomic, July 16, 2008; (2008) eln035v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Prado, R. Colaco, N. Moreno, A. C. Silva, and J. A. Feijo Targeting of Pollen Tubes to Ovules Is Dependent on Nitric Oxide (NO) Signaling Mol Plant, July 1, 2008; 1(4): 703 - 714. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Zhang and S. McCormick A distinct mechanism regulating a pollen-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small GTPase Rop in Arabidopsis thaliana PNAS, November 20, 2007; 104(47): 18830 - 18835. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Becker and J. A. Feijo How Many Genes are Needed to Make a Pollen Tube? Lessons from Transcriptomics Ann. Bot., November 1, 2007; 100(6): 1117 - 1123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Alves-Ferreira, F. Wellmer, A. Banhara, V. Kumar, J. L. Riechmann, and E. M. Meyerowitz Global Expression Profiling Applied to the Analysis of Arabidopsis Stamen Development Plant Physiology, November 1, 2007; 145(3): 747 - 762. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. S. Sheoran, A. R. S. Ross, D. J. H. Olson, and V. K. Sawhney Proteomic analysis of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, formerly hycopersicon esculentum) pollen J. Exp. Bot., October 5, 2007; (2007) erm199v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Xing and S. Zachgo Pollen Lethality: A Phenomenon in Arabidopsis RNA Interference Plants Plant Physiology, October 1, 2007; 145(2): 330 - 333. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Frietsch, Y.-F. Wang, C. Sladek, L. R. Poulsen, S. M. Romanowsky, J. I. Schroeder, and J. F. Harper A cyclic nucleotide-gated channel is essential for polarized tip growth of pollen PNAS, September 4, 2007; 104(36): 14531 - 14536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Grennan An Analysis of the Arabidopsis Pollen Transcriptome Plant Physiology, September 1, 2007; 145(1): 3 - 4. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Malik, F. Wang, J. M. Dirpaul, N. Zhou, P. L. Polowick, A. M.R. Ferrie, and J. E. Krochko Transcript Profiling and Identification of Molecular Markers for Early Microspore Embryogenesis in Brassica napus Plant Physiology, May 1, 2007; 144(1): 134 - 154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Joosen, J. Cordewener, E. D. J. Supena, O. Vorst, M. Lammers, C. Maliepaard, T. Zeilmaker, B. Miki, T. America, J. Custers, et al. Combined Transcriptome and Proteome Analysis Identifies Pathways and Markers Associated with the Establishment of Rapeseed Microspore-Derived Embryo Development Plant Physiology, May 1, 2007; 144(1): 155 - 172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Lionetti, A. Raiola, L. Camardella, A. Giovane, N. Obel, M. Pauly, F. Favaron, F. Cervone, and D. Bellincampi Overexpression of Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitors in Arabidopsis Restricts Fungal Infection by Botrytis cinerea Plant Physiology, April 1, 2007; 143(4): 1871 - 1880. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Aluri and M. Buttner Identification and functional expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana vacuolar glucose transporter 1 and its role in seed germination and flowering PNAS, February 13, 2007; 104(7): 2537 - 2542. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Dai, T. Chen, K. Chong, Y. Xue, S. Liu, and T. Wang Proteomics Identification of Differentially Expressed Proteins Associated with Pollen Germination and Tube Growth Reveals Characteristics of Germinated Oryza sativa Pollen Mol. Cell. Proteomics, February 1, 2007; 6(2): 207 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Bushart and S. J. Roux Conserved Features of Germination and Polarized Cell Growth: A Few Insights from a Pollen-Fern Spore Comparison Ann. Bot., January 1, 2007; 99(1): 9 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Verelst, H. Saedler, and T. Munster MIKC* MADS-Protein Complexes Bind Motifs Enriched in the Proximal Region of Late Pollen-Specific Arabidopsis Promoters Plant Physiology, January 1, 2007; 143(1): 447 - 460. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Drakakaki, O. Zabotina, I. Delgado, S. Robert, K. Keegstra, and N. Raikhel Arabidopsis Reversibly Glycosylated Polypeptides 1 and 2 Are Essential for Pollen Development Plant Physiology, December 1, 2006; 142(4): 1480 - 1492. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Brady, T. A. Long, and P. N. Benfey Unraveling the dynamic transcriptome. PLANT CELL, September 1, 2006; 18(9): 2101 - 2111. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. E. Dowd, S. Coursol, A. L. Skirpan, T.-h. Kao, and S. Gilroy Petunia Phospholipase C1 Is Involved in Pollen Tube Growth PLANT CELL, June 1, 2006; 18(6): 1438 - 1453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Hoen, K. C. Park, N. Elrouby, Z. Yu, N. Mohabir, R. K. Cowan, and T. E. Bureau Transposon-Mediated Expansion and Diversification of a Family of ULP-like Genes Mol. Biol. Evol., June 1, 2006; 23(6): 1254 - 1268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Lemaitre and M. Hodges Expression Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana NAD-dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Genes Shows the Presence of a Functional Subunit That Is Mainly Expressed in the Pollen and Absent from Vegetative Organs Plant Cell Physiol., May 1, 2006; 47(5): 634 - 643. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. W. Bock, D. Honys, J. M. Ward, S. Padmanaban, E. P. Nawrocki, K. D. Hirschi, D. Twell, and H. Sze Integrating Membrane Transport with Male Gametophyte Development and Function through Transcriptomics. Plant Physiology, April 1, 2006; 140(4): 1151 - 1168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bosch and P. K. Hepler Pectin Methylesterases and Pectin Dynamics in Pollen Tubes PLANT CELL, December 1, 2005; 17(12): 3219 - 3226. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. H.J. de Graaf, A. Y. Cheung, T. Andreyeva, K. Levasseur, M. Kieliszewski, and H.-m. Wu Rab11 GTPase-Regulated Membrane Trafficking Is Crucial for Tip-Focused Pollen Tube Growth in Tobacco PLANT CELL, September 1, 2005; 17(9): 2564 - 2579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L.-z. Tao, A. Y. Cheung, C. Nibau, and H.-m. Wu RAC GTPases in Tobacco and Arabidopsis Mediate Auxin-Induced Formation of Proteolytically Active Nuclear Protein Bodies That Contain AUX/IAA Proteins PLANT CELL, August 1, 2005; 17(8): 2369 - 2383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bosch, A. Y. Cheung, and P. K. Hepler Pectin Methylesterase, a Regulator of Pollen Tube Growth Plant Physiology, July 1, 2005; 138(3): 1334 - 1346. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]