Rice anther and leaf mRNAs from two cytoplasmic male sterile lines (Maxie A and Congguong 41A ) were compared with those from their maintainers and F-1 hybrids by using mRNA differential display to study gene expression pattern in sterile anther during pollen abortion. Anther cDNA differential bands between sterile and fertile plants were more than those of leaf. It was indicated that the expression of fertility gene(s) in the anther was more activable and sufficient than in the leaf. The gene transcript pattern in one of different types of anther was not only associated with its pollen sterility degree but also with its stage of pollen abortion. The anthers with full or partial sterility or with early abortion produced more cDNA differential bands than those fertile or late abortion anthers. In twelve recovered differential cDNA fragments, two were probably associated with male sterility, i.e. one is (AB-4A-5), which was specifically expressed in the sterile anther, and the other (AB-3B-2), which contained some sequence homologous to a mitochondrial gene (coxII) and whose expression was partially suppressed in the sterile anther. Rice anther and leaf mRNAs from two cytoplasmic male sterile lines (Maxie A and Congguong 41A) were compared with those from their maintainers and F - 1 hybrids by using mRNA differential display to study gene expression patterns in sterile anther during pollen abortion. Anther It was indicated that the expression of fertility gene (s) in the anther was more activable and sufficient than in the leaf. The gene transcript pattern in one of different types of anthers was not only associated with its pollen sterility degree but also with its stage of pollen sterility degree but also with early sterility or with early abortion produced more cDNA differential bands than those fertile or late abortion anthers. two were probably associated with male sterility, ie one is (AB - 4A - 5), which was specifically expressed in the sterile anther, and the othe r (AB - 3B -2), which contained some sequence homologous to a mitochondrial gene (coxII) and whose expression was partially suppressed in the sterile anther.