Evidence for microtubule-based organelle transport in the pollen tube

The role of microtubules in organelle movement during pollen tube growth is still unclear, although microtubule motor proteins have been identified. To understand the specific role of microtubules in supporting the movement of organelles, we have recently started two related research lines. The aim is to identify and characterise functionally novel microtubule motors and to verify whether microtubules can effectively support the movement of pollen tube organelles. Collected evidences suggest that pollen tube microtubules have the proper protein machinery to move organelles and that microtubules support the translocation of pollen tube organelles under in vitro conditions. These data re-evaluate the role of microtubules in organelle movement and indicate that microtubules contribute to the translocation of organelles in the pollen tube.