Antisense transgenesis of tobacco with a flax pectin methylesterase affects pollen ornamentation

Summary. Antisense transgenesis of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) with a partial flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) pectin methylesterase (Lupme3) cDNA sequence yielded plants with altered pollen content. Moreover, the characteristically sculptured cell wall surrounding the pollen grains was modified in transgenic tobacco plants: the wavy ornamentation was dramatically reduced, suggesting the involvement of the demethylation of pectin in the pollen cell wall-specific structure. Germination of pollen was decreased and the pollen tube surface aspect was also different in transgenic plants.Correspondence and reprints: Laboratoire de Biotechnologies et Physiologie Végétales, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 33 rue Saint-Leu, 80039 Amiens Cedex, France.