Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica

We have investigated the diversity of serine esterases in pollen and stigma tissues of Brassica napus and the role of these enzymes in pollen germination and pollen tube penetration of the stigma. The serine esterase-specific inhibitor diisopropyl fluorophosphate was used as a probe in a tritiated f...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hiscock, S, Bown, D, Gurr, S, Dickinson, H
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2002
_version_ 1826304065630371840
author Hiscock, S
Bown, D
Gurr, S
Dickinson, H
author_facet Hiscock, S
Bown, D
Gurr, S
Dickinson, H
author_sort Hiscock, S
collection OXFORD
description We have investigated the diversity of serine esterases in pollen and stigma tissues of Brassica napus and the role of these enzymes in pollen germination and pollen tube penetration of the stigma. The serine esterase-specific inhibitor diisopropyl fluorophosphate was used as a probe in a tritiated form, [3H]-DIPF, to determine the number and diversity of serine esterases in crude protein extracts from pollen and stigma. Seven serine esterases were identified in pollen and at least seven serine esterases were identified in stigma. The most abundant enzymes had molecular weights of 30-50 kDa. In the pollen extract a serine esterase was detected with the same molecular weight, 22 kDa, as an esterase previously shown to be a cutinase. Only one serine esterase (40 kDa) appeared to be shared between pollen and stigma extracts. Butyrate esterase activity in pollen and stigma extracts was assayed using p-nitrophenyl butyrate (PNB), an ester substrate frequently used in 'cutinase' assays. Total PNBase activity in pollen and stigma extracts was shown to be significantly reduced by the serine esterase inhibitors DIPF and ebelactone B. When DIPF and ebelactone B were applied to stigmas prior to pollination, pollen germination was not significantly affected but, at the highest inhibitor concentrations, up to 70% of germinating pollen tubes failed to penetrate the stigma surface. These data demonstrate that serine esterases, most probably cutinase(s), are required for pollen tube penetration of the dry cuticularised Brassica stigma.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T06:12:10Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:efe4387c-5a32-478b-b55b-7e4e1ca88655
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T06:12:10Z
publishDate 2002
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:efe4387c-5a32-478b-b55b-7e4e1ca886552022-03-27T11:43:30ZSerine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in BrassicaJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:efe4387c-5a32-478b-b55b-7e4e1ca88655EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2002Hiscock, SBown, DGurr, SDickinson, HWe have investigated the diversity of serine esterases in pollen and stigma tissues of Brassica napus and the role of these enzymes in pollen germination and pollen tube penetration of the stigma. The serine esterase-specific inhibitor diisopropyl fluorophosphate was used as a probe in a tritiated form, [3H]-DIPF, to determine the number and diversity of serine esterases in crude protein extracts from pollen and stigma. Seven serine esterases were identified in pollen and at least seven serine esterases were identified in stigma. The most abundant enzymes had molecular weights of 30-50 kDa. In the pollen extract a serine esterase was detected with the same molecular weight, 22 kDa, as an esterase previously shown to be a cutinase. Only one serine esterase (40 kDa) appeared to be shared between pollen and stigma extracts. Butyrate esterase activity in pollen and stigma extracts was assayed using p-nitrophenyl butyrate (PNB), an ester substrate frequently used in 'cutinase' assays. Total PNBase activity in pollen and stigma extracts was shown to be significantly reduced by the serine esterase inhibitors DIPF and ebelactone B. When DIPF and ebelactone B were applied to stigmas prior to pollination, pollen germination was not significantly affected but, at the highest inhibitor concentrations, up to 70% of germinating pollen tubes failed to penetrate the stigma surface. These data demonstrate that serine esterases, most probably cutinase(s), are required for pollen tube penetration of the dry cuticularised Brassica stigma.
spellingShingle Hiscock, S
Bown, D
Gurr, S
Dickinson, H
Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title_full Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title_fullStr Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title_full_unstemmed Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title_short Serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in Brassica
title_sort serine esterases are required for pollen tube penetration of the stigma in brassica
work_keys_str_mv AT hiscocks serineesterasesarerequiredforpollentubepenetrationofthestigmainbrassica
AT bownd serineesterasesarerequiredforpollentubepenetrationofthestigmainbrassica
AT gurrs serineesterasesarerequiredforpollentubepenetrationofthestigmainbrassica
AT dickinsonh serineesterasesarerequiredforpollentubepenetrationofthestigmainbrassica