Antisense gene inhibition by phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide in Arabidopsis pollen tubes

The pollen tube (PT) containing male gametes elongates and penetrates into the pistils for successful fertilization. However, the molecular mechanisms of plant fertilization remain largely unknown. We report a transient inhibition of gene function using phosphorothioate antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODNs) without lipofection reagent, which is a simple way to study gene function in Arabidopsis thaliana PTs. The PTs treated with AS-ODNs against genes responsible for PT growth cause various defects in vitro/semi-in vitro. This method will enable the identification of reproductively important genes in Arabidopsis PTs. The current findings can apply for plant breeding program.