Abstract

The tapetum is the tissue in the anther that is in closest contact with the developing microspores. It consists of large and frequently multinucleate, richly cytoplasmic cells that provide most of the nutrients and growth substances necessary for the developing microspore. A great deal of our knowledge on the tapetum has come from studies on malesterile mutants. We are using T-DNA insertional mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana to identify, isolate and characterize the genes that control the differentiation of the tapetum. As a first step we have identified those mutants that exhibit the sporogenous type of male sterility (relatively normal stamen development but alterations in microsporogenesis). Further analyses have identified those mutants that exhibit alterations in tapetum development that have resulted from insertional mutagenesis by the T-DNA. Through the analysis of these mutants we hope to identify the molecular signals that regulate tapetal tissue differentiation and provide molecular evidence on the role of the tapetum in microspore development.

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