Encodes a protein with pectin methylesterase activity. No change in activity were detected in mutants defective in this gene, which was interpreted as a result of redundancy of product function with other pectin methylesterases. The gene product is required for pollen separation during normal development. In qrt mutants, the outer walls of the four meiotic products of the pollen mother cell are fused, and pollen grains are released in tetrads.May be required for cell type-specific pectin degradation.
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