Mutant Name: vgd1
| Gene Name | VGD1 |
| Protein Name | pectin methylesterase (homolog) |
| Mutagen | Ds |
| Category | forward genetics |
| Organism | Arabidopsis thaliana |
| Ecotype | Lb |
| Donor | |
| General Description |
1.The homozygous vgd1 plant produced smaller and shorter siliques with fewer seeds compared wild-type plants. No morphological abnormality in other floral and vegetative parts was observed. 2.the vgd1 mutation resulted in defects of male gametophytic function but did not affect female gametophytic function. Mutants showed significantly retarded growth of pollen tubes in the style and transmitting tract. Mutant pollen tubes were unstable and burst more frequently when germinated and grown on in vitro culture medium. |
| Organ Specificity | VGD1 was expressed specifically in pollen grain and the pollen tube. The VGD1 protein was distributed throughout the pollen grain and pollen tube, including the plasma membrane and cell wall. |
| Impact on Wall |
1.The vgd1 pollen tube is morphologically normal when germinated on stigma and is not defective in guidance. 2.total pectin demethylesterification activity of PMEs in the vgd1 pollen grain decreased 18% compared with that of wild-type pollen grain. |
| Impact on Sugar Composition | |
| Reference | Jiang L, Yang SL, Xie LF, Puah CS, Zhang XQ, Yang WC, Sundaresan V, Ye D. VANGUARD1 Encodes a Pectin Methylesterase That Enhances Pollen Tube Growth in the Arabidopsis Style and Transmitting Tract. Plant Cell. 2005 Feb;17(2):584-96. |