Regulation of flavonol biosynthesis during anther and pistil development, and during pollen tube growth in Solanum tuberosum

Abstract

The regulation of flavonol biosynthesis was studied in anthers and pistils of Solanum tuberosum. Flavonols are essential for functional pollen tube growth in a number of species. Flavonol accumulation in whole anthers started at the unicellular stage of pollen development and continued until pollen maturity. A cDNA clone encoding flavonol synthase (FLS) was isolated. Fls gene expression was detected in pistils, anthers, petals and ovaries, the organs in which flavonols are accumulating. Fls transcripts were present in unicellular and bicellular pollen, but not in mature pollen. The expression patterns of three genes encoding enzymes in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, chalcone synthase (chs), flavanone-3-hydroxylase and fls were analysed in developing anthers and pistils. Only chs transcripts accumulated concomitantly with the flavonols in anthers. In pistils of potato, pollen tube growth induced an increase in fls gene expression that, unlike the situation in pollinated pistils of petunia, did not result in an increased flavonol content. Flavonol biosynthesis in anthers is probably initiated by the expression of the chs gene, and flavonol accumulation in pistils upon pollen tube growth is not an universal phenomenon.