Fertilization Induced Changes of Distributive Patterns of Con A and WGA Receptors on Plasma Membrane of Female Cells in Nicotiana Tabacum L

To investigate the relation between fertilization and lectin receptor distribution, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated Canavalia ensiformis agglutinin (Con A) and Triticum vulgaris agglutinin (WGA) were applied as markers to localize Con A and WGA receptors on plasma membrane of female cells in tobacco before and after fertilization by use of single cell manipulation and cooled-CCD as well. Results illustrated that polarized distribution of Con A receptor before fertilization changed to uniform after fertilization on plasma membrane of central cell and egg cell. And WGA receptors were present on the surface membrane of unfertilized female cells, but they were absent on that of fertilized female cells. So fertilization induced changes in distribution patterns of lectin receptors and composition of glycoconjugates and might therefore induce molecular modifications of plasma membrane of female cells.