LAUSR

Microsporogenesis in flowering plants is a complex process involving a range of gene expression. In the present study, a pollen-specific gene ZmSTK2_USP (serine threonine kinase) was isolated from Zea mays. Mutant ZmSTK2_USP showed 56.7% pollen viability capacity, 48.92% germination rates comparing with wild-type. Northern Blot results showed that ZmSTK2_USP were specifically expressed in mature pollen. The expression level was highest at late pollen development, followed by bicellular stage. And at early pollen stage, no expression was detected. GUS activity was detected in middle stage, late stage of pollens and germinated pollen. These results indicated that ZmSTK2_USP expressed at late pollen development and was pollen-specific.