The Arabidopsis thaliana F-Box Protein FBL17 Is Essential for Progression through the Second Mitosis during Pollen Development
2009

FBL17 Protein's Role in Pollen Development in Arabidopsis

Sample size: 198 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Gusti Andi, Baumberger Nicolas, Nowack Moritz, Pusch Stefan, Eisler Herfried, Potuschak Thomas, De Veylder Lieven, Schnittger Arp, Genschik Pascal

Primary Institution: Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

Hypothesis

FBL17 is essential for cell cycle regulation during male gametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Conclusion

FBL17 is crucial for the progression of pollen development, and its absence leads to the production of non-viable pollen with only one sperm cell.

Supporting Evidence

  • FBL17 expression is significantly increased in plants co-expressing E2Fa and DPa.
  • Loss-of-function mutants of FBL17 fail to undergo the second pollen mitosis, resulting in bicellular pollen.
  • FBL17 interacts with ASK11, suggesting its role in forming SCF-type complexes involved in cell cycle regulation.

Takeaway

Plants need a special protein called FBL17 to make healthy pollen. Without it, they can only make one sperm cell, which can't help seeds grow properly.

Methodology

The study involved creating and analyzing T-DNA insertion mutants of FBL17 and assessing pollen viability and development through genetic crosses and microscopy.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in the interpretation of results due to reliance on specific genetic backgrounds and experimental conditions.

Limitations

The study primarily focused on two specific T-DNA insertion mutants, which may not represent all possible mutations affecting FBL17.

Participant Demographics

Arabidopsis thaliana plants, specifically the Columbia-0 accession.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0004780

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