Biology subjects

Goring, D. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Goring, D. R..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Assessing the relative contributions of different Arabidopsis thaliana stigma factors to pollen hydration.

Following pollination, Arabidopsis pollen grains rapidly hydrate through the transfer of water from the stigma to the pollen. Several stigma regulators of pollen hydration have been identified, and the corresponding mutants generally support milder defects in wildtype Col-0 pollen hydration, signifying the involvement of other unidentified factors in this process. Here, we uncovered a role for the stigma-specific mechanosensitive channel gene, MscS-Like 7 (MSL7), in supporting pollen hydration. While the msl7 mutant stigmas were found to support reduced hydration of wildtype Col-0 pollen, the phenotype was quite mild and very similar to that observed for other published pollen hydration mutants. Thus, we conducted a detailed comparison of different pollen hydration mutants on the stigma side (receptor kinases, PIP aquaporins) and pollen (PCP-Bs, MLS8) to compare pollen hydration mutant phenotypes and look for any additive effects of combining different mutants. Overall, all combinations resulted in the same mild hydration defect with no additional reductions in pollen hydration and no impact on pollen germination. This is in contrast to that observed for self-incompatible (SI) pollen from a transgenic Arabidopsis SI Col-0 line which shows very little pollen hydration and no pollen germination as part of the SI pollen rejection response. Together, these findings suggest that the regulation of compatible pollen hydration is quite complex and that there are likely other unknown mechanisms involved. Key MessageThe same mild pollen hydration defect is observed across very different Arabidopsis stigma mutants and it does not prevent pollen germination and pollen tube growth.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Two groups of Arabidopsis receptor kinases preferentially regulate the growth of intraspecies pollen tubes in the female reproductive tract

In flowering plants, continuous cell-cell communication between the compatible male pollen grain/growing pollen tube and the female pistil is required for successful sexual reproduction. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the later stages of this dialogue are mediated by several peptide ligands and receptor kinases that guide pollen tubes to the ovules for the release of sperm cells. Despite a detailed understanding of these processes, a key gap remains on the nature of the regulators that function at the earlier stages. Here, we report on two groups of A. thaliana receptor kinases, the LRR-VIII-2 RK subclass and the SERKs, that function in the female reproductive tract to regulate the compatible pollen grains and early pollen tube growth, both essential steps for the downstream processes leading to fertilization. Multiple A. thaliana LRR-VIII-2 RK and SERK knockout mutant combinations were created, and several phenotypes were observed such as reduced wild-type pollen hydration and reduced pollen tube travel distances. As these mutant pistils displayed a wild-type morphology, the observed altered responses of the wild-type pollen are proposed to result from the loss of these receptor kinases leading to an impaired pollen-pistil dialogue at these early stages. Furthermore, using pollen from related Brassicaceae species, we also discovered that these receptor kinases are required in the female reproductive tract to establish a reproductive barrier to interspecies pollen. Thus, we propose that the LRR-VIII-2 RKs and the SERKs play a dual role in the preferential selection and promotion of intraspecies pollen over interspecies pollen.

plant biology↗