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Science 24 August 2001:
Vol. 293. no. 5534, pp. 1441 - 1442
DOI: 10.1126/science.1065051
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Perspectives

PLANT BIOLOGY:
Pollen Tube Guidance--Right on Target

Alice Y. Cheung and Hen-ming Wu

How does the pollen tube emanating from a pollen grain on the stigma of a female plant know in which direction to migrate on its long journey down to the depths of the ovary? According to Cheung and Wu in their Perspective, the paired synergid cells that "guard" the entrance to the embryo sac of the ovule release guidance cues that direct the pollen tip toward the entrance. As the tip enters the embryo sac it ruptures, releasing the two male gametes into the vicinity of the egg cell, and also ruptures one of the synergid cells resulting in the halting of guidance cue release and preventing other pollen tubes from entering the fertilized ovule.

The authors are in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. E-mail: acheung{at}biochem.umass.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Analyses of Advanced Rice Anther Transcriptomes Reveal Global Tapetum Secretory Functions and Potential Proteins for Lipid Exine Formation.
M.-D. Huang, F.-J. Wei, C.-C. Wu, Y.-I. C. Hsing, and A. H.C. Huang (2009)
Plant Physiology 149, 694-707
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Combined Proteomic and Cytological Analysis of Ca2+-Calmodulin Regulation in Picea meyeri Pollen Tube Growth.
T. Chen, X. Wu, Y. Chen, X. Li, M. Huang, M. Zheng, F. Baluska, J. Samaj, and J. Lin (2009)
Plant Physiology 149, 1111-1126
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Structural and functional compartmentalization in pollen tubes.
A. Y. Cheung and H.-M. Wu (2007)
J. Exp. Bot. 58, 75-82
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nitric oxide is involved in growth regulation and re-orientation of pollen tubes.
A. M. Prado, D. M. Porterfield, and J. A. Feijo (2004)
Development 131, 2707-2714
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Overexpression of an Arabidopsis Formin Stimulates Supernumerary Actin Cable Formation from Pollen Tube Cell Membrane.
A. Y. Cheung and H.-m. Wu (2004)
PLANT CELL 16, 257-269
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Actin-Depolymerizing Factor Mediates Rac/Rop GTPase-Regulated Pollen Tube Growth.
C. Y.-h. Chen, A. Y. Cheung, and H.-m. Wu (2003)
PLANT CELL 15, 237-249
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Regulation of Actin Organization by Actin-Depolymerizing Factor in Elongating Pollen Tubes.
C. Y. Chen, E. I. Wong, L. Vidali, A. Estavillo, P. K. Hepler, H.-m. Wu, and A. Y. Cheung (2002)
PLANT CELL 14, 2175-2190
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Rab2 GTPase Regulates Vesicle Trafficking between the Endoplasmic Reticulum and the Golgi Bodies and Is Important to Pollen Tube Growth.
A. Y. Cheung, C. Y.-h. Chen, R. H. Glaven, B. H. J. de Graaf, L. Vidali, P. K. Hepler, and H.-m. Wu (2002)
PLANT CELL 14, 945-962
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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