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This report describes the isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone representing a gene specifically expressed in pollen. A cDNA library was constructed against mRNA from mature pollen of Nicotiana tabacum. It was screened differentially against cDNA from mRNA of leaf and of pollen. One clone, NTPc303, was further characterized. On northern blot this clone hybridizes to a transcript 2100 nucleotides in length. NTPc303 is abundant in pollen. Expression of the corresponding gene is restricted to pollen, because no other generative or vegetative tissue contains transcripts hybridizing to NTPc303. Expression of NTP303 is evolutionarily conserved: homologous transcripts are present in pollen from various plant species. The first NTP303 transcripts are detectable on northern blot at the early bi-nucleate stage and accumulate until the pollen has reached maturity. During germination and pollen tube growth in vitro new NTP303 transcripts appear. This transcription has been proved by northern blots as well as by pulse labelling experiments. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that NTPc303 has an open reading frame coding for a predicted protein of 62 kDa. This protein shares homology to ascorbate oxidase and other members of the blue copper oxidase family. A possible function for this clone during pollen germination is discussed.

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Regulatory elements within the promoter of the pollen-specific NTP303 gene from tobacco were analysed by transient and stable expression analyses. Analysis of precisely targeted mutations showed that the NTP303 promoter is not regulated by any of the previously described pollen-specific cis-regulatory elements. However, two adjacent regions from -103 to -86 bp and from -86 to -59 bp were shown to contain sequences which positively regulated the NTP303 promoter. Both of these regions were capable of driving pollen-specific expression from a heterologous promoter, independent of orientation and in an additive manner. The boundaries of the minimal, functional NTP303 promoter were determined to lie within the region -86 to -51 bp. The sequence AAATGA localized from -94 to -89 bp was identified as a novel cis-acting element, of which the TGA triplet was shown to comprise an active part. This element was shown to be completely conserved in the similarly regulated promoter of the Bp 10 gene from Brassica napus encoding a homologue of the NTP303 gene.

Homogeneous populations of developing microspores and pollen from anthers of lily (Lilium longiflorum Thumb.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) show a continuous production of biomass, reaching a maximum in young pollen. The rate of RNA synthesis was 460 fg · h(-1) in young binucleate cells, 138 fg · h(-1) in late binucleate cells and 56 fg · h(-1) in microspores. The mRNA population in developing pollen can be separated into three groups. In the first group, certain types of mRNAs are present at a constant level during all stages of development. A second group is characteristic of young pollen and increases quantitatively until anthesis. A third group is seen transiently; to this belong mRNAs present only before mitosis or at a distinct cell stage after mitosis. Some of the translation products of this latter group of mRNAs showed similarities between lily and tobacco on two-dimensional gels in respect of molecular weight and isolectric point, indicating that those mRNAs and proteins play a role in the regulation of pollen development.

Isochorismate is an important metabolite formed at the end of the shikimate pathway, which is involved in the synthesis of both primary and secondary metabolites. It is synthesized from chorismate in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme isochorismate synthase (ICS; EC 5.4.99.6). We have purified ICS to homogeneity from elicited Catharanthus roseus cell cultures. Two isoforms with an apparent molecular mass of 64 kD were purified and characterized. The K m values for chorismate were 558 and 319 M for isoforms I and II, respectively. The isoforms were not inhibited by aromatic amino acids and required Mg 2؉ for enzyme activity. Polymerase chain reaction on a cDNA library from elicited C. roseus cells with a degenerated primer based on the sequence of an internal peptide from isoform II resulted in an amplification product that was used to screen the cDNA library. This led to the first isolation, to our knowledge, of a plant ICS cDNA. The cDNA encodes a protein of 64 kD with an N-terminal chloroplast-targeting signal. The deduced amino acid sequence shares homology with bacterial ICS and also with anthranilate synthases from plants. Southern analysis indicates the existence of only one ICS gene in C. roseus.

To study the molecular regulation of nectary development, we cloned NEC1, a gene predominantly expressed in the nectaries of Petunia hybrida, by using the differential display RT-PCR technique. The secondary structure of the putative NEC1 protein is reminiscent of a transmembrane protein, indicating that the protein is incorporated into the cell membrane or the cytoplast membrane. Immunolocalization revealed that NEC1 protein is present in the nectaries. Northern blot analyses showed that NEC1 is highly expressed in nectary tissue and weakly in the stamen. GUS expression driven by the NEC1 promoter revealed GUS activity in the outer nectary parenchyma cells, the upper part of the filament and the anther stomium. The same expression pattern was observed in Brassica napus. GUS expression was observed as blue spots on the surface of very young nectaries that do not secrete nectar and do accumulate starch. GUS expression was highest in open flowers in which active secretion of nectar and starch hydrolysis had taken place. Ectopic expression of NEC1 resulted in transgenic plants that displayed a phenotype with leaves having 3-4 times more phloem bundles in mid-veins than the wild-type Petunia. The possible role of NEC1 gene in sugar metabolism and nectar secretion is discussed.