1. Volume 1, Issue 4, Pages 599-610 (July 2008)
Tapetum Degeneration Retardation is Critical for Aliphatic Metabolism and Gene Regulation during Rice Pollen Development 
Zhang Da-Sheng , Liang Wan-Qi , Yuan Zheng , Li Na , Shi Jing , Wang Jue , Liu Yu-Min , Yu Wen-Juan , Zhang Da-Bing  
Molecular Plant 
Volume 1, Issue 4, Pages (July 2008)
DOI: /mp/ssn028
Copyright © 2008 The Authors. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
Transmission Electron Microscopy Analyses of Pollen Walls and Scanning Electron Microscopy Analyses of tdr.
(A) Normal developing tetrads encased by callose wall in wild-type at the tetrad stage.
(B) Magnified image of microspore wall showing the primexine at the tetrad stage in wild-type.
(C) The developing tetrads encased by callose wall in tdr at the tetrad stage.
(D) Magnified image of microspore wall structure at the tetrad stage in the tdr mutant.
(E) At the young microspore stage, wild-type tapetal cells became collapsed in conjunction with the dissolution of callose walls for release of the developing microspores.
(F) The exine of microspore was established with distinct primexine and probaculae layers in wild-type pollen at the young microspore stage.
(G) The tdr tapetal cells became enlarged with large vacuoles and did not degenerate and result in an abnormal microspore in shape at the young microspore stage.
(H) Magnified image of the delayed formation of exine structure at the young microspore stage in the tdr mutant.
(I) The wild-type developed microspores with normal pollen wall at the vacuolated pollen stage.
(J) Magnified image of pollen wall structure at the vacuolated pollen stage in wild-type. Pollen exine configuration formed approximately with distinct tectum, bacula, and nexine layers.
(K) The tdr mutant showed overly expanded tapetum with more irregular microspores at the vacuolated pollen stage.
(L) In the tdr mutant, the persistent primexine with sexine and nexine but no sporopollenin or pollen coat deposition was observed at the vacuolated pollen stage.
(M) The wild-type anther showed degenerated tapetum and vacuolated microspores at the mature pollen stage.
(N) Magnified image of incrassated pollen wall structure at the mature pollen stage in the wild-type.
(O) In the tdr mutant, the extremely expanded tapetal cells occupied the majority of the locule, and the microspores began to collapse at the mature pollen stage.
(P) The tdr mutant microspores began to collapse and pollen wall disappeared with a remaining thin wall at the mature pollen stage.
(Q) Wild-type anther showed a smooth epidermis at the young microspore stage.
(R) At the young microspore stage, the tdr mutant anther showed a smooth epidermis.
(S) At the vacuolated pollen stage, abundant wax crystals covered at the epidermises of the wild-type anthers.
(T) Epidermis of the tdr mutant anthers had delayed synthesis of wax at the vacuolated pollen stage.
(U) More compact reticular structures on the epidermis of the wild-type anthers at the mature pollen stage.
(V) The tdr epidermis surface lacked a normal reticulate pattern at the mature pollen stage.
Tds, tetrads; Msp, microspore; Pe, primexine; Pb, probaculae; Pt, protectum; Te, tectum; Ba, bacula; Ne, nexine; T, tapetum; U, ubisch body. Bars = 0.5 μm in (A)–(P) and 5 μm in (Q)–(V).
Molecular Plant 2008 1, DOI: ( /mp/ssn028)
Copyright © 2008 The Authors. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2 Lipids Constituents of Wild-Type and the tdr Anthers.
(A) Constituents analysis of wild-type and tdr for fatty acids in anther.
(B) Constituents analysis of wild-type and tdr for fatty alcohols in anther.
(C) Constituents analysis of wild-type and tdr for alkanes in anther.
(D) Constituents analysis of wild-type and tdr for alkenes in anther.
White bars represent levels of each compound in the wild-type, and black bars represent them in the tdr mutant. Error bars indicate SD (n = 3).
Molecular Plant 2008 1, DOI: ( /mp/ssn028)
Copyright © 2008 The Authors. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions

4. Figure 3
RT–PCR Analysis of Lipid Tansport and Metabolism-Related Genes in Wild-Type and the tdr Mutant.
ACTIN served as a control. Bands shown were RT–PCR products. Ms, the microsporocyte stage; M, the meiosis stage; Y, the young microspore stage; V, the vacuolated pollen stage.
Molecular Plant 2008 1, DOI: ( /mp/ssn028)
Copyright © 2008 The Authors. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions