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DELLA activity is required for successful pollen development in the Columbia ecotype of Arabidopsis
Author(s) -
Plackett Andrew R. G.,
Ferguson Alison C.,
Powers Stephen J.,
WanchooKohli Aakriti,
Phillips Andrew L.,
Wilson Zoe A.,
Hedden Peter,
Thomas Stephen G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12571
Subject(s) - arabidopsis , ecotype , pollen , tapetum , biology , arabidopsis thaliana , sterility , phenotype , oryza sativa , mutant , gibberellin , botany , genetics , stamen , gene , microspore
Summary Excessive gibberellin ( GA ) signalling, mediated through the DELLA proteins, has a negative impact on plant fertility. Loss of DELLA activity in the monocot rice ( Oryza sativa ) causes complete male sterility, but not in the dicot model Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) ecotype Landsberg erecta (L er ), in which DELLA function has been studied most extensively, leading to the assumption that DELLA activity is not essential for Arabidopsis pollen development. A novel DELLA fertility phenotype was identified in the Columbia (Col‐0) ecotype that necessitates re‐evaluation of the general conclusions drawn from L er . Fertility phenotypes were compared between the Col‐0 and L er ecotypes under conditions of chemical and genetic GA overdose, including mutants in both ecotypes lacking the DELLA paralogues REPRESSOR OF ga1‐3 ( RGA ) and GA INSENSITIVE ( GAI ). L er displays a less severe fertility phenotype than Col‐0 under GA treatment. Col‐0 rga gai mutants, in contrast with the equivalent L er phenotype, were entirely male sterile, caused by post‐meiotic defects in pollen development, which were rescued by the reintroduction of DELLA into either the tapetum or developing pollen. We conclude that DELLA activity is essential for Arabidopsis pollen development. Differences between the fertility responses of Col‐0 and L er might be caused by differences in downstream signalling pathways or altered DELLA expression.