Cloning of a novel maize endosperm-specific protein with partial sequence homology to a pollen surface protein

A gene encoding a novel maize endosperm protein has been cloned and sequenced. The gene encodes a 43 135 Da polypeptide which is 42% identical over two segments of an alfalfa pollen protein sequence. The gene is expressed in developing endosperm tissue, and not in other tissues such as shoot, pollen, or embryo.