The rice pyruvate decarboxylase 3 gene, which lacks introns, is transcribed in mature pollen.

The rice pyruvate decarboxylase 3 gene (PDC3), which has no introns, was previously postulated to be a pseudogene because no PDC3 mRNA had been detected, even under anaerobic conditions. However, in this study, it was found that rice PDC3 transcripts accumulated in panicles after heading. Within anthers obtained from the panicles, PDC3 was shown to be transcribed in mature pollen by in situ hybridization. These results suggest that the rice PDC3 is a functional gene. Its product may play a role in aerobic alcoholic fermentation in mature pollen.