Poster: Reproductive development

Abs # 373: The cloning and characterization of the maize male-sterility 26, a gene encoding a putative P450 enzyme required for male fertility

Presenter:	Wu, Yongzhong , yongzhong.wu@pioneer.com
Authors	Wu, Yongzhong  (A)   Fox, Tim  (A)   Trimnell, Mary  (A)   Loussaert, Dale  (A)   Meeley, Robert  (A)   Albertsen, Marc  (A)
Affiliations:	(A): Pioneer Hi-Bred International

We report here the cloning of the maize male-sterility 26 (ms26) via transposon tagging. The ms26 mutant produces no viable pollen grains due to micoropspore breakdown during or shortly after the tetrad stage of microspore development. No sporopollenin accumulation is observed in this mutant. The MS26 gene is first expressed during the tetrad stage of microspore development and reaches maximal levels at early-uninucleate through late-uninucleate stages. The expression of the MS26 is restricted within the tapetal cells in the anther. The deduced MS26 protein appears to be a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, similar to those from Arabidopsis thaliana and Vicia sativa that catalyze the omega-hydroxylation of fatty acids and alkanes. Characterization of additional mutant alleles and a potential role of MS26 in exine formation will also be discussed.