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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Preparation of Intact Tissue for Microscopic Analysis of the Endosperm Cell Layer in Developing and Mature Arabidopsis Seeds
Published on: May 16, 2025
LAP3, a novel plant protein required for pollen development, is essential for proper exine formation
Anna A Dobritsa1, Shuh-Ichi Nishikawa, Daphne Preuss
1Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Abstract:
We isolated lap3-1 and lap3-2 mutants in a screen for pollen that displays abnormal stigma binding. Unlike wild-type pollen, lap3-1 and lap3-2 pollen exine is thinner, weaker, and is missing some connections between their roof-like tectum structures. We describe the mapping and identification of LAP3 as a novel gene that contains a repetitive motif found in beta-propeller enzymes. Insertion mutations in LAP3 lead to male sterility. To investigate possible roles for LAP3 in pollen development, we assayed the metabolite profile of anther tissues containing developing pollen grains and found that the lap3-2 defect leads to a broad range of metabolic changes. The largest changes were seen in levels of a straight-chain hydrocarbon nonacosane and in naringenin chalcone, an obligate compound in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway.
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