Effects of AG dsRNA on levels of AG mRNA
and AG protein. (A–E) An autoradiogram of the tissue
hybridized with an AG anti-mRNA probe. The tissue is
from wild-type (A and F), weak
(B and G), intermediate (C
and H), intermediate/strong (D and
I), and strong (E and J)
AG (RNAi) mutant plants.
(A–E) Hybridization signals declined gradually with
increasingly severe phenotypes. (F–J) The
bright-field/dark-field double exposures of longitudinal section
through the inflorescence meristems with stage 2–5 flowers. The silver
grains representing AG mRNA expression were made to
appear yellow with the use of a yellow filter. The number indicated
corresponds to the development stage of flowers (43). im, inflorescence
meristem. (Bar = 50 μm.) (K and L)
An autoradiogram of the tissue hybridized with an AG
sense probe. The tissue is from wild-type (K and
M) and intermediate AG (RNAi) mutant
plants (L and N). (O)
Western blot analysis of AG protein. The anti-AG antibody recognizes
the carboxyl-terminal part of the AG protein from aa 220–285 which is
absent in the AG-1 protein (27, 42); thus, ag-1 is a
control of the specificity of the antibody. Whereas AG protein is
weakly expressed in weak (w) and intermediate (i) AG
(RNAi) mutants compared with wild type (Wt), it is not
detected at levels above background in intermediate/strong (i/s)
and strong (s) AG (RNAi) mutants.