APPEARANCE AND INTERACTION OF POLLEN AND PISTIL PATHWAY PROTEINS IN GASTERIA-VERRUCOSA (MILL) H-DUVAL

Patterns of proteins excreted during pollen germination, of germinatin g pollen and of the stylar and placental fluids excreted by cells alon g the pistil pathway of Gasteria verrucosa were analyzed by electropho resis. The medium from germinating pollen contains several pollen exud ate proteins as well as glycoproteins from the sticky pollen wall coat ing. No protein could be detected in the stigmatic exudate. The stylar fluid shows a protein pattern different from that of the placental fl uid. The placental fluid contains some glycoproteins. After pollinatio n, three pollen proteins begin to appear in the stylar fluid. Two of t hese pollen proteins remain present in the placental fluid. Some place ntal fluid proteins and glycoproteins are modified after pollination. The difference in protein patterns demonstrates the heterogeneity of p roteins in the pollen tube pathway and suggests that proteins excreted by the pollen tube interact with other proteins in the pistil pathway , especially those in the placental fluid.