A loss-of-function mutation in Calmodulin2 gene affects pollen germination in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plant Mol Biol. 2010 Oct;74(3):235-47. doi: 10.1007/s11103-010-9669-5. Epub 2010 Aug 4.

Abstract

Calmodulin (CAM) is an ubiquitous calcium binding protein whose function is to translate the signals, perceived as calcium concentration variations, into the appropriate cellular responses. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are 4 CAM isoforms which are highly similar, encoded by 7 genes, and one possible explanation proposed for the evolutionary conservation of the CAM gene family is that the different genes have acquired different functions so that they play possibly overlapping but non-identical roles. Here we report the characterization of the Arabidopsis mutant cam2-2, identified among the lines of the gene-trapping collection EXOTIC because of a distorted segregation of kanamycin resistance. Phenotypic analysis showed that in normal growth conditions cam2-2 plants were indistinguishable from the wild type while genetic analysis showed a reduced transmission of the cam2-2 allele through the male gametophyte and in vitro pollen germination revealed a reduced level of germination in comparison with the wild type. These results provide genetic evidence of the involvement of a CAM gene in pollen germination and support the theory of functional diversification of the CAM gene family.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / physiology*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Calmodulin / genetics
  • Calmodulin / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / physiology
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Pollen / genetics*
  • Pollen / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Plant / genetics
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Calmodulin
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Plant