Sporopollenin is one of the most structurally sophisticated and chemically recalcitrant biopolymers. In higher plants, sporopollenin is the dominant component of exine, the outer wall of pollen grains, and contains covalently linked phenolics that protect the male gametes from harsh environments. Although much has been learned about the biosynthesis of sporopollenin precursors in the tapetum, the nutritive cell layer surrounding developing microspores, little is known about how the biopolymer is assembled on the microspore surface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) proteins regulate a wide range of signaling pathways, from general plant growth to abiotic stress responses. Here, we performed a genome-wide survey in wheat () and identified 69 members that formed 24 homoeologous groups. Phylogenetic analysis clustered genes into three clades, similar to genes in () and rice ().
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Annexins are an evolutionarily conserved multigene family of calcium-dependent phospholipid binding proteins that play important roles in stress resistance and plant development. They have been relatively well characterized in model plants Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), but nothing has been reported in hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barely (Hordeum vulgare), which are the two most economically important plants.
Results: Based on available genomic and transcriptomic data, 25 and 11 putative annexin genes were found through in silico analysis in wheat and barley, respectively.