Molecular Plant Pages 1–8, 2008 ABP41 is Involved in the Pollen Tube Development via Fragmenting Actin Filaments

ABSTRACT ABP41 is identified as a novel member of plant villin/gelsolin/fragmin superfamily proteins from lily pollen, which binds stoichiometrically to actin filaments and severs them in vitro. To further understand its in-vivo function and the potential molecular mechanisms, biochemical analysis, fluorescence microscopic observation and microinjection assays were performed. Different biochemical measurements showed that ABP41 maintained actin filaments in forms of short F-actin in vitro. Microinjection of ABP41 into pollen tubes could fragment the pre-existing actin filaments, inhibit the velocity of cytoplasmic streaming, and shorten the length of the clear zone of pollen tube. In addition, it was found that the endogenous ABP41 expressing level was dynamically corresponding to the short actin filament structure in pollen at different stages of pollen germination. Our results suggest that ABP41 is involved in the regulation of actin dynamics during the pollen germination process via maintenance of short dynamic actin filaments. Key words: ABP41; actin filament fragmentation; pollen germination; actin-binding protein