Scientists Discover AMOR, a Love Potion for Plant Fertilization

A team of scientists from Nagoya University has discovered AMOR, a sugar chain molecule that increases the fertilization efficiency in plants. The team found that AMOR was responsible for activating pollen tubes to lead to fertilization.

With Torenia fournieri as a model plant, the team led by Dr. Akane Mizukami and Professor Tetsuya Higashiyama have succeeded for the first time in identifying the activator for pollen tubes. This activator consists of arabinogalactan, a sugar chain specific for plants. The group named it as Activation Molecule for Response-Capability (AMOR), taken from the Latin word meaning 'love and 'cupid', to illustrate its function of bringing female and male organs together, to promote fertilization in plants.

The team also reported that two sugar units at the terminus of AMOR were the active component responsible for pollen tube activation towards attractant molecules. Working with synthetic chemists Dr. Jiao Jiao and Dr. Junichiro Yamaguchi, the team synthesized a disaccharide that consists of methyl-glucuronic acid and galactose linked together. They found that the newly synthesized molecule activates the pollen tube to respond to attractant molecules, and lead to successful fertilization.

More details are available at the website of the Nagoya University's Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules.