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Growth inhibition and recovery in freeze-substitutedLilium longiflorum pollen tubes: structural effects of caffeine

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Summary

In an attempt to correlate structural effects with the known dissipation of the tip-focused Ca2+ gradient caused by caffeine, we have examined the ultrastructure of caffeine-treated lily pollen tubes prepared by rapid freeze fixation and freeze substitution. We show that treatment with caffeine results in a rapid rearrangement of secretory vesicles at the pollen tube tip; the normal cone-shaped array of vesicles is rapidly dispersed. In addition, microfilament bundles appear in the tip region, where they had previously been excluded. Delocalized vesicle fusion continues in the presence of caffeine but tube extension ceases. Removal of caffeine from the growth medium initially causes tip swelling, delocalized vesicle fusion and presence of microfilaments well into the tip before normal structure and growth resume, concurrent with the previously reported return to a normal Ca2+ gradient.

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Abbreviations

ER:

endoplasmic reticulum

MES:

2-[N-morpholino] ethanesulfonic acid

MFs:

microfilaments

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, 01003, Amherst, MA, USA

    S. A. Lancelle & P. K. Hepler

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Universitá di Siena, Siena

    M. Cresti

Authors
  1. S. A. Lancelle
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  2. M. Cresti
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  3. P. K. Hepler
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Lancelle, S.A., Cresti, M. & Hepler, P.K. Growth inhibition and recovery in freeze-substitutedLilium longiflorum pollen tubes: structural effects of caffeine. Protoplasma 196, 21–33 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281055

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281055

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