Regulatory dynamics of gene expression in the developing male gametophyte of Arabidopsis

Abstract

Sexual reproduction in angiosperms requires the production and delivery of two male gametes by a three-celled haploid male gametophyte. This demands synchronized gene expression in a short developmental window to ensure double fertilization and seed set. While transcriptomic changes in developing pollen are known for Arabidopsis, no studies have integrated RNA and proteomic data in this model. Further, the role of alternative splicing has not been fully addressed, yet post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation may have a key role in gene expression dynamics during microgametogenesis. We have refined and substantially updated global transcriptomic and proteomic changes in developing pollen for two Arabidopsis accessions. Despite the superiority of RNA-seq over microarray-based platforms, we demonstrate high reproducibility and comparability. We identify thousands of long non-coding RNAs as potential regulators of pollen development, hundreds of changes in alternative splicing and provide insight into mRNA translation rate and storage in developing pollen. Our analysis delivers an integrated perspective of gene expression dynamics in developing Arabidopsis pollen and a foundation for studying the role of alternative splicing in this model.