Tobacco floral homeotic geneNfbp6 is specifically expressed during pollen and ovule development.

Nfbp6 was a floral homeotic gene isolated from tobacco. It showed high homology with other class C genes. Usingin situ hybridization technique, the expression ofNfbp6 was investigated in various stages of flower development. The results showed thatNfbp6 was expressed at low level during the initiation period of stamen and carpel primordia. In the later stage of flower bud development, the transcription level ofNfbp6 gene increased especially during the formation of pollen and ovule. TheNfbp6 gene expression was also observed in the transmitting tissue of style, stomium and circular cell clusters of the anther.