Proteome profile and functional classification of proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana (Landsberg erecta) mature pollen

Proteome analysis of mature Arabidopsis thaliana (Landsberg erecta ecotype) pollen was conducted using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 960 spots were resolved on pH 4-7 IPG strips and 110 distinct proteins were identified from 150 spots analyzed. The identified proteins were categorized based on their functional role in the pollen, which included proteins involved in energy regulation, defense-related mechanisms, calcium-binding and signaling, cytoskeletal formation, pollen allergens, glycine-rich proteins (GRPs), and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. These proteins potentially play important roles in pollen function at maturity and during subsequent germination and tube growth. Some of the proteins identified were related to known pollen-specific transcripts, while some were similar to proteins found in the seed. In this study, 66 new proteins were identified which were not reported in two other recent studies on Arabidopsis pollen, 17 proteins were common in all three studies, and 35 or 26 proteins reported here had an overlap with one or the other two studies. These differences may be attributed to the methods of protein extraction, spot selection for analysis, and the ecotype used. Together, the three studies provide a broad spectrum of the Arabidopsis pollen proteome.