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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment
Published on: August 27, 2010
Transport of Cl- across the plasma membrane during pollen grain germination in tobacco
N P Matveyeva1, D S Andreyuk, I P Yermakov
1Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899, Russia. plantphys@biophys.msu.ru
Abstract:
The role of Cl- transport across the plasma membrane was studied in an early step of pollen grain germination in tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. The Cl- channel blockers, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and niflumic acid, completely suppress the germination with IC(50) approximately 8 micro M. At this concentration NPPB reduces the rate of Cl- efflux out of pollen grain by 1.8-fold in the interval 5-12 min, and niflumic acid reduces the rate 1.2-fold. 4,4;-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2;-disulfonic acid, a known inhibitor of Cl- channels and antiporters, completely suppresses germination as well (IC(50) = 240 micro M), but has no effect on the rate of Cl- efflux. Inhibitors of chloride co-transporters, such as furosemide, bumetanide, and bis(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)pentamethine oxonol, suppress the germination by less than 50%. This set of data suggests that NPPB-sensitive anion channels are involved in the activation of pollen grains in the early stage of germination.
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