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Over-expression of a flower-specific transcription factor gene AtMYB24 causes aberrant anther development

  • Physiology and Biochemistry
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Abstract

In plants, MYB transcription factors play important roles in many developmental processes and various defense responses. AtMYB24, as a member of R2R3-MYB gene family in Arabidopsis, was found mainly expressed in flowers, especially in microspores and ovules using Northern blots and in situ hybridization. It was further found that the expression of AtMYB24 was tightly regulated during anther development. Over-expression of AtMYB24 in transgenic plants resulted in pleiotropic phenotypes, including dwarfism and flower development defects, in particular, producing abnormal pollen grains and non-dehiscence anthers. Further analysis showed that the anther development of the AtMYB24-ox lines was retarded starting from the anther developmental stages 10–11. At stages 12 and 13, the septum and stomium cells of anthers would not break, and fewer or no fibrous bands were found in the endothecium and connective cells in the AtMYB24-ox plants. Similar aberrant anther phenotype was also observed in the AtMYB24-GR-ox lines treated with dexamethasone (DEX). Quantitative real-time PCR showed expression of genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, such as CHS and DFR, and AtGTP2 were altered in AtMYB24-ox lines. These results suggest an important role of AtMYB24 in the normal development of anthers in Arabidopsis.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Priority Basic Research Programs of People's Republic of China: Biosafety Study on GMOs of Agricultural Importance (GN 001CB10902 to Qu), National Natural Science Foundation of China (GN 30470358), and the Excellent Young Teachers Program of MOE, China (to Qu L-J). We thank Professor Hongwei Guo (Peking University) for valuable comments and Ms. Li Zhang and Professor Meihua Liu (Peking University) for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peking-Yale Joint Center for Plant Molecular Genetics and Agro-Biotechnology, National Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China

    X. Y. Yang, J. G. Li, M. Pei, H. Gu, Z. L. Chen & L.-J. Qu

  2. National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing, 100084, P. R. China

    H. Gu, Z. L. Chen & L.-J. Qu

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  1. X. Y. Yang
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  2. J. G. Li
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  3. M. Pei
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  4. H. Gu
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  5. Z. L. Chen
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  6. L.-J. Qu
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Correspondence to L.-J. Qu.

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Communicated by W. -H. Wu

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Yang, X.Y., Li, J.G., Pei, M. et al. Over-expression of a flower-specific transcription factor gene AtMYB24 causes aberrant anther development. Plant Cell Rep 26, 219–228 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0229-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0229-z

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