NETWORKED2‐Subfamily Proteins Regulate the Cortical Actin Cytoskeleton of Growing Pollen Tubes and Polarised Pollen Tube Growth

Duckney, Patrick; Kroon, Johan T.; Dixon, Martin R.; Hawkins, Timothy J.; Deeks, Michael J.; Hussey, Patrick J.

Abstract

We have recently characterised NET2A as a pollen‐specific actin‐binding protein which binds F‐actin at the plasma membrane of growing pollen tubes. However, the role of NET2 proteins in pollen development and fertilisation have yet to be elucidated. To further characterise the role of Arabidopsis NET2 proteins in pollen development and fertilisation, we analysed the subcellular localisation of NET2A over the course of pollen grain development, and investigated the role of the NET2 family using net2 loss‐of‐function mutants. We observed NET2A to localise to the F‐actin cytoskeleton in developing pollen grains as it underwent striking structural reorganisations at specific stages of development and during germination, and pollen tube growth. Furthermore, net2 loss‐of‐function mutants exhibited striking morphological defects in the early stages of pollen tube growth, arising from frequent alterations to pollen tube growth trajectory. We observed defects in the cortical actin cytoskeleton and actin‐driven subcellular processes in net2 mutant pollen tubes. We demonstrate that NET2 proteins are essential for normal actin‐driven pollen development highlighting an important role for the NET2 family members in regulating pollen tube growth during fertilisation.

Citation

Duckney, P., Kroon, J. T., Dixon, M. R., Hawkins, T. J., Deeks, M. J., & Hussey, P. J. (2021). NETWORKED2‐Subfamily Proteins Regulate the Cortical Actin Cytoskeleton of Growing Pollen Tubes and Polarised Pollen Tube Growth. New Phytologist, 231(1), 152-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17391

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 29, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 16, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Deposit Date: Apr 21, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 17, 2021
• Journal: New Phytologist
• Print ISSN: 0028-646X
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8137
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 231
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 152-164
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17391
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1249614