Loss of FIM5 Function Decreases Pollen Germination, Inhibits Pollen Tube Growth, and Increases the Frequency of Morphologically Abnormal Pollen Tubes in Vitro.
Pollen grains from wild-type Col-0 and fim5 mutants were germinated on Arabidopsis pollen germination medium; the germination percentage, pollen tube length, and morphology were analyzed.
(A) Representative image of wild-type Col-0 pollen germinated for 3 h.
(B) Representative image of fim5-1 pollen germinated for 3 h.
(C) Representative image of fim5-2 pollen germinated for 3 h. Bar = 100 μm.
(D) Graph of the pollen germination percentage at 3 and 6 h. Black columns represent germination percentage of pollen at 3 h; white columns represent germination percentage of pollen at 6 h. Error bars represent ± se, **P < 0.01, by χ2 test. WT, wild type.
(E) Graph of pollen tube length at 3 and 6 h. Black columns represent lengths of pollen tubes at 3 h; white columns represent lengths of pollen tubes at 6 h. Error bars represent ± se, **P < 0.01, by Kruskal-Wallis test.
(F) Enlarged images of pollen tubes. (a) Normal pollen tube from wild-type Col-0; (b) to (g) different types of curled pollen tubes from fim5 mutants. Bar = 20 μm.
(G) Graph showing the frequency of curled pollen tubes. Black bar represents wild-type Col-0, gray bar represents fim5-1, and white bar represents fim5-2. Error bars represent ± sd, **P < 0.01, by χ2 test.
(H) Graph showing the percentage of pollen tubes with normal clear zones. Black bar represents wild-type Col-0, gray bar represents fim5-1, and white bar represents fim5-2. Error bars represent ± sd, **P < 0.01, by χ2 test.