Figure 11.

Overexpression of AtUCP1 impacts the expression of anther-specific transcription factors but does not affect tapetum PCD during drought stress. We evaluated the expression of transcription factors that regulate the beginning of tapetum development, tapetal maturation and anther maturation. The values of (A) DYT1, (B) TDF1, (C) bHLH89, (D) AMS, (E) MS1, and (F) MYB26 are displayed as the amounts of relative expression compared to those of WT under control conditions. (G) A TUNEL assay was performed in WT and P07 lines under both control and drought stress conditions. A TUNEL signal can be seen in the tapetum cells; autofluorescence/TUNEL signal was observed in the pollen grains. V, vascular bundle; PG, pollen grains; T, tapetum. Bars represent the means of 5 plants ± SD. Points with ^* and ^** differ significantly from the WT (P < 0.1 and P < 0.05, respectively). Scale bars = 150 μm.