Skip to main content
Log in

A clearing technique for histochemical location of GUS activity in pollen tubes and ovules ofLycopersicon

  • Commentary
  • Published:
Plant Molecular Biology Reporter Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe a protocol to locate GUS activity, remove browning due to polyphenolics and clear floral tissue fromLycopersicon species. Suggestions are given to adapt this protocol for samples from other species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

GUS:

β-glucuronidase

References

  • Benfey, P.N., L. Ren, and N.-H. Chua. 1989. The CaMV 35S enhancer contains at least two domains which can confer different developmental and tissue-specific expression patterns. EMBO J. 8: 2195–2202.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, M.D., R.A. Finch, J.B. Smith, and M.K. Rao. 1973. The time and duration of female meiosis in wheat, rye and barley. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B 183: 301–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blackburn, D. T. and D.C. Christophel. 1976. A method of permanently mounting biological tissue clearing in Herr's four-and-a-half clearing fluid. Stain Technol. 51: 125–130.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, S. 1992. The GUS reporter gene—application to light and transmission electron microscopy. In:GUS Protocols: Using the GUS Gene as a Reporter of Gene Expression, (ed. S.R. Gallagher), pp. 115–124. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Czako, M., J.-C. Jang, J.M. Herr, Jr., and L. Marton. 1992. Differential manifestation of seed mortality induced by seed-specific expression of the gene for diptheria toxin A chain inArabidopsis and tobacco. Mol. Gen. Genet. 235: 33–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J.W. and G.M. Coruzzi. 1990. Cell-specific gene expression in plants. Annu. Rev. Genet. 24: 275–303.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farence, D.R., Jr. and B.B. Smith. 1975. Effects of chemical pretreatments onLudwigia alternifolia L. ovules prior to immersion in Herr's clearing fluid. Proc. Pa. Acad. Sci. 49: 89–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnegan, E.J. 1992. Sensitive assay for the excision of transposable elements using β-glucuronidase reporter gene. In:GUS Protocols: Using the GUS Gene as a Reporter of Gene Expression, (ed S.R. Gallagher), pp. 151–162. Academic Press, Inc. San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, R.O. 1975. Anoverview of botanical clearing technique. Stain Technol. 50: 90–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1971. A new clearing-squash technique for the study of ovule development in angiosperms. Amer. J. Bot. 58: 785–790.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1972. An extended investigation of the megagmetophyte inOxalis corniculata L. Adv. Plant Morph. 1972: 92–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1973. The use of Nomarski interference microscopy for the study of structural features in cleared ovules. Acta Bot. Ind. 1: 35–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1974. A clearing squash technique for the study of ovule and megagametophyte development in angiosperms. In:Vascular Plant Systematics, (ed. A.E. Radford, W.C. Dickison, J.R. Massey, and C.R. Bell), pp. 230–235. Harper & Row, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1982. An analysis of methods for permanently mounting ovules clearing in four-and-a-half type clearing fluids. Stain Technol. 57: 161–169.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1985. The removal of phlobaphenes for improved clearing of sections and whole structures. Amer. J. Bot. 72: 817.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr, J.M., Jr. 1992. Recent advances in clearing techniques for study of ovule and female gametophyte development. InAngiosperm Pollen and Ovules, (ed. E. Ottaviano, D.L. Mulcahy, M. Sari-Gorla, and G.B. Mulcahy), pp. 149–154. Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, C.Y., P.P. Chee, R.H. Chesney, J.H. Zhou, P.D. Miller, and W.T. O'Brien. 1990. Intrinsic GUS like activity in seed plants. Plant Cell Rpt. 9: 1–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jefferson, R.A. 1987. Assaying chimeric genes in plants: The GUS gene-fusion system. Plant Mol. Biol. Reptr. 5: 387–405.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jefferson, R.A., T.A. Kavanagh, and M.W. Bevan. 1987. GUS fusions: β-Glucuronidase as a sensitive and versatile gene fusion marker in higher plants. EMBO J. 6: 3901–3906.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen, D.A. 1940.Plant Microtechnique. 1st ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kavanagh, T.A., R.A. Jefferson, and M.W. Bevan. 1988. Targeting a foreign protein to chloroplasts using fusions to the transit peptide of a chlorophyll a/b protein. Mol. Gen. Genet. 215: 38–45.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosugi, S., Y. Ohashi, K. Nakajima, and Y. Arai. 1990. An improved assay for β-glucuronidase in transformed cells: Methanol almost completely suppresses a putative endogenous β-glucuronidase activity. Plant Sci. 70: 133–140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lersten, N.R. 1967. An annotated bibliography of botanical clearing methods. Iowa State J. Sci. 41: 481–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mutschler, M.A. and B.E. Liedl. in press. Interspecific crossing barriers inLycopersicon and their relationship to self incompatibility. In:Genetic Control of Self Incompatibility and Reproductive Development in Flowering Plants, (ed. E.G. Williams, R.B. Knox, and A.E. Clarke), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

  • Palser, B.F., J.L. Rouse, and E.G. Williams. 1989. Coordinated timetables for megagametophyte development and pollen tube growth inRhododendron nuttallii, from anthesis to early postfertilization. Amer. J. Bot. 76: 1167–1202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palser, B.F., J.L. Rouse, and E.G. Williams. 1992. Techniques for clearing ovules for studies of megagametophyte and early postfertilization development inRhododendron. Biotech. Histochem. 67: 207–218.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Plegt, L. and R.J. Bino. 1989. β-Glucuronidase activity during development of the male gametophyte from transgenic and non-transgenic plants. Mol. Gen. Genet. 216: 321–327.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash, N. and J.M. Herr, Jr. 1979. Embryological study ofGlottidium vesicarium through the use of clearing technique. Phytomorphology 29: 71–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato, T., M.K. Thorsness, M.K. Kandasamy, T. Nishio, M. Hirai, J.B. Narsallah, and M.E. Nasrallah. 1991. Activity of an S-locus gene promoter in pistils and anthers of transgenicBrassica. Plant Cell 3: 867–876.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, R. 1977. Stock well's bleach, an effective remover of tannin from plant tissues. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 98: 278–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B.B. 1973. The use of a new clearing technique for the study of early ovule development, megasporogenesis, and megagametogenesis in five species ofCornus L. Amer. J. Bot. 60: 322–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stelly, D.M., S.J. Peloquin, R.G. Palmer, and C.F. Crane. 1984. Mayer's hemalum methyl-salicylate: A stain-clearing technique for observations within whole ovules. Stain Technol. 59: 155–161.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stomp, A.-M. 1992. Histochemical location of β-glucuronidase. In:GUS protocols: Using the GUS gene as a reporter of gene expression, (ed. S.R. Gallagher), pp. 103–113. Academic Press, Inc. San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teeri, T.H., H. Lehvaslaiho, M. Franck, J. Uotila, P. Heino, E.T. Palva, M. Van Montagu, and L. Herrera-Estrella. 1989. Gene fusions tolacZ reveal new expression patterns of chimeric genes in transgenic plants. EMBO J. 8: 343–350.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toriyama, K., M.K. Thorsness, J.B. Nasrallah, and M.E. Narsallah. 1991. ABrassica S locus gene promoter directs sporophytic expression in the anther tapetum of transgenicArabidopsis. Dev. Biol. 143: 427–431.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Twell, D., J. Yamaguchi, R.A. Wing, J. Ushiba, and S. McCormick. 1991. Promoter analysis of genes that are coordinately expressed during pollen development reveals pollen specific enhancer sequences and shared regulatory elements. Genes Develop. 5: 496–507.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liedl, B.E., McCormick, S. & Mutschler, M.A. A clearing technique for histochemical location of GUS activity in pollen tubes and ovules ofLycopersicon . Plant Mol Biol Rep 11, 194–201 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02669844

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02669844

Key Words

Navigation