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ABSTRACT: Background
The conserved SNF1/AMPK/SnRK1 complexes are global regulators of metabolic responses in eukaryotes and play a key role in the control of energy balance. Although ?-type subunits of the SnRK1 complex have been characterized in several plant species, the biological function of ?-type and ?-type subunits remains largely unknown. Here, we characterized AtPV42a and AtPV42b, the two homologous genes in Arabidopsis, which encode cystathionine-?-synthase (CBS) domain-containing proteins that belong to the PV42 class of ?-type subunits of the plant SnRK1 complexes.Methodology/principal findings
Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression of AtPV42a and AtPV42b in various tissues. Transgenic plants that expressed artificial microRNAs targeting these two genes were created. Reproductive organ development and fertilization in these plants were examined by various approaches, including histological analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and phenotypic analyses of reciprocal crosses between wild-type and transgenic plants. We found that AtPV42a and AtPV42b were expressed in various tissues during different developmental stages. Transgenic plants where AtPV42a and AtPV42b were simultaneously silenced developed shorter siliques and reduced seed sets. Such low fertility phenotype resulted from deregulation of late stamen development and impairment of pollen tube attraction conferred by the female gametophyte.Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that AtPV42a and AtPV42b play redundant roles in regulating male gametogenesis and pollen tube guidance, indicating that the Arabidopsis SnRK1 complexes might be involved in the control of reproductive development.
SUBMITTER: Fang L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3080427 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Fang Lei L Hou Xingliang X Lee Li Yen Candy LY Liu Lu L Yan Xiaojing X Yu Hao H
PloS one 20110420 4
<h4>Background</h4>The conserved SNF1/AMPK/SnRK1 complexes are global regulators of metabolic responses in eukaryotes and play a key role in the control of energy balance. Although α-type subunits of the SnRK1 complex have been characterized in several plant species, the biological function of β-type and γ-type subunits remains largely unknown. Here, we characterized AtPV42a and AtPV42b, the two homologous genes in Arabidopsis, which encode cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) domain-containing protei ...[more]