# ABA-Induced Transcriptomic Dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana Anthers: Insights into Pollen Development and Fertility

## TL;DR

This study explores how abscisic acid affects pollen development in Arabidopsis, revealing a complex gene and RNA network that impacts pollen function and fertility.

## Contribution

The study identifies a coordinated regulatory network involving mRNAs, lncRNAs, and transcription factors in ABA-mediated pollen development.

## Key findings

- ABA treatment impairs pollen function by reducing germination and tube elongation without affecting morphology or viability.
- Transcriptome analysis reveals time-dependent gene expression changes, with stress-response pathways and hormone signaling being enriched.
- lncRNAs form cis-regulatory pairs with genes involved in ABA response and pollen tube growth, co-expressing with key pollen function genes.

## Abstract

Pollen development is a complex process that is highly sensitive to environmental stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA), a key hormone mediating plant growth and stress responses, has been implicated in the regulation of sexual reproduction, especially pollen development, yet its precise regulatory role remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of exogenous ABA on Arabidopsis thaliana pollen development and function through integrated phenotypic, cytological, and transcriptomic approaches. ABA treatment specifically impaired pollen function by reducing germination rates and inhibiting pollen tube elongation, which resulted in shortened siliques and decreased seed set, without affecting pollen morphology or viability. Transcriptome analysis of mature anthers revealed a transient and time-dependent transcriptional response, with the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) peaking at 8 h post-ABA treatment and markedly declining by 22 h. These DEGs were enriched in stress-response pathways (e.g., salt, cold, and dehydration), hormone signaling, and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, we identified 25 differentially expressed transcription factors and 16 pollen development and function-related genes, highlighting their key roles in ABA-mediated regulation. In parallel, 146 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified, which formed 144 cis-regulatory pairs with genes involved in ABA response and pollen tube growth, with their predicted targets enriched in pathways such as hormone and MAPK signaling, carbohydrate metabolism and stress response. Trans-regulatory analysis further revealed that these DELs co-expressed with DEGs in modules enriched for stress response, pollen development, and tube growth pathways. Notably, key pollen function genes showed strong co-expression with DELs, indicating that lncRNAs participate in ABA-induced transcriptional reprogramming that shifts metabolic resources from growth to defense, thereby suppressing pollen germination and tube elongation. Together, these findings elucidate a coordinated regulatory network involving mRNAs, lncRNAs and transcription factors roles in modulating ABA responses during pollen/anther development.