Biotech Updates

CRISPR-Cas9 Used to Knockout Genes for Pollen Tube Growth

August 22, 2018

Pollen tube growth, which is  important in species-specific barrier mechanism, is once thought to be promoted by sugars. This belief is disproved by a study by Ruth Stadler and colleagues from the University of Erlagen in Germany.

The team finds the inhibitory effect of glucose on pollen tube elongation through in vitro assays of plants with CRISPR-Cas9-knocked out SUGAR TRANSPORT PROTEIN (STP) genes. These plants had a weak response to glucose, indicating that glucose uptake is mainly mediated by these knocked out genes. They also reported that glucose can be detected by HEXOKINASE, and its effect can be countered by supplying the plant with equal amounts of fructose.

For more information, read the article in The Plant Cell.