Abstract
The molecular bases of self-incompatibility have been intensively studied in a restricted number of model species, but for most families the expression and distribution of S-proteins is unknown. In this work, pistil cryosections from apple were used for in situ detection of S-proteins. Two specific antibodies, one against the S3-protein and another against all apple S-proteins were used. S-proteins were shown to be localised in the intercellular space of the transmitting tissue, both in the stigma and style, which agrees with the proposed mechanism of action for S-RNases in gametophytic self-incompatibility. Some intracellular labelling was also observed in all ovary sections, confined to one layer of the nucellus surrounding the embryo sac, but this labelling was found to be non-S-allele-specific. Nevertheless, the signal in the ovary was tissue-specific, which may indicate that some component not encoded by the S-locus but similar to S-proteins was detected. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the precise distribution of S-RNases in a rosaceous species.
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Received: 15 July 1998 / Revision accepted: 29 December 1998
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Certal, A., Sanchez, A., Kokko, H. et al. S-RNases in apple are expressed in the pistil along the pollen tube growth path. Sex Plant Reprod 12, 94–98 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004970050177
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004970050177