Background In flowering plants, pollen formation is a very complex process. It is strictly regulated by various genetic factors. Some of these factors have been identified, but the regulatory mechanism concerning the process of late pollen maturing remains unknown.
Results Previously we identified and reported an ARABIDOPSIS POLLEN ABORTION MUTANT 2 (APAM2) gene which was required for pollen formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we further analysed the phenotype of atapam2 and the subcellular localisation of AtAPAM2. Mutation in AtAPAM2 drastically affected male gametophytic function, impacted the late pollen mature process, and resulted in mature pollen grains from atapam2/+ plants being shrivelled and dead. It was expressed among seedlings, roots, stems, leaves, siliques, flowers, and pollen grains. However, its expression levels in flowers and pollen grains were much higher than in other tissues. Gene AtAPAM2 encodes an unknown protein with three WD40-repeats with localisation in plasma membrane and nucleus, and homologous proteins exist in many species.
Conclusions We determined that AtAPAM2 may play a role in pollen formation and other development processes by interacting with other proteins, but we did not identify the protein that interacts with it.