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Optimization of an Efficient Protoplast Transformation System for Transient Expression Analysis Using Leaves of Torenia fournieri. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11162106. [PMID: 36015409 PMCID: PMC9412307 DOI: 10.3390/plants11162106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Torenia fournieri (T. fournieri) is one of the most widely used horticultural flowers and is considered a potential model plant for the genetic investigation of ornamental traits. In this study, we optimized an efficient protocol for high efficiency preparation and transformation of T. fournieri protoplast. The transformation rate reached ~75% when a 35S:GFP construct was used for the transformation. Using this system, we characterized the subcellular localization of several TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors (TFs), and found a distinct localization pattern between the CIN and CYC classes of TCP TFs. Furthermore, we also demonstrated the feasibility of the expression of dual luciferase assay system in T. fournieri protoplasts for the measurement of the activity of cis-regulatory elements. Taken together, a well-optimized transient expression system in T. fournieri protoplasts would be crucial for rapid exploration of the gene function or cis-regulatory elements.
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Luo G, Li B, Gao C. Protoplast Isolation and Transfection in Wheat. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2464:131-141. [PMID: 35258830 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2164-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wheat is one of the major staple crops around the world. A transient expression system is crucial for gene functional studies in wheat as stable transfection is still difficult in most cultivars. Protoplasts could serve as a versatile transient expression tool in wheat research. Here, we describe protocols for wheat protoplast isolation and transfection that are enabled by cellulase R-10 and macerozyme R-10 containing enzymatic solution and polyethylene glycol-mediated method, respectively. In addition, we show an example of efficiency evaluation of the emerging base editors in wheat protoplasts. These protocols are of wide use in both conventional gene functional analysis and reagent functionality evaluation of genome editing in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangbin Luo
- NovoCrops Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Boshu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Konovalova LN, Strelnikova SR, Zlobin NE, Kharchenko PN, Komakhin RA. Efficiency of Transient Expression in Protoplasts of Various Potato Cultivars. APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683821070048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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4
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Matchett-Oates L, Mohamaden E, Spangenberg GC, Cogan NOI. Development of a robust transient expression screening system in protoplasts of Cannabis. IN VITRO CELLULAR & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY - PLANT 2021. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1007/s11627-021-10178-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
AbstractTransient expression systems in mesophyll protoplasts have been utilised in many plant species as an indispensable tool for gene function analysis and efficacious genome editing constructs. However, such a system has not been developed inCannabisdue to the recalcitrant nature of the plant to tissue culture as well as its illegal status for many years. In this study, young expanding leaves from asepticin vitro Cannabisexplants were used for protoplast isolation. Factorial designs were used to optimise variables in viable protoplast isolation and transient expression of GFP, with a range analyses performed to determine, and quantify, significantly impacting variables. Viable protoplast yields as high as 5.7 × 106were achieved with 2.5% (w/v) Cellulase R-10, 0.3% (w/v) Macerozyme R-10 and 0.7 M mannitol, incubated for 16 h. As indicated by the transient expression of GFP, efficiency reached 23.2% with 30 μg plasmid, 50% PEG, 1 × 106protoplasts and a transfection duration of 20 min. Application of the optimised protocol for protoplast isolation was successfully evaluated on three subsequent unrelated genotypes to highlight the robustness and broad applicability of the developed technique.
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Zhao H, Jia Y, Cao Y, Wang Y. Improving T-DNA Transfer to Tamarix hispida by Adding Chemical Compounds During Agrobacterium tumefaciens Culture. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:501358. [PMID: 33133112 PMCID: PMC7550641 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.501358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer is the most commonly used method for plant genetic engineering. However, during the period of A. tumefaciens culture, the effects of Agrobacterium culture before inoculation on genetic transformation are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the factors that affect the genetic transformation efficiency during Agrobacterium culture using Tamarix hispida as transgenic plant material. Agrobacterium treatment with spermidine (Spe), azacitidine (5-AzaC), dithiothreitol (DTT), or acetosyringone (AS) alone all significantly improved the efficiency of T-DNA transfer. Treatment with 5-AzaC reduced DNA methylation in Agrobacterium to induce the expression of virulence (vir) family genes, including virA, virB1, virC1, virD2, virD4 virE2, and virG. Spe treatment significantly induced the expression of all the studied genes, including virA, virB1, virC1, virD1, virD2, virD4, virE2, and virG. DTT treatment decreased reactive oxygen species accumulation. AS treatment activated the expression of the genes virA, virB1, virC1, virD1, virD2, virD4 and virG. All these effects resulted in increased T-DNA transfer. Additionally, combined Spe, 5-AzaC, DTT, and AS treatment improve Agrobacterium infection to a greater extent compared with their use alone, increasing T-DNA transfer by more than 8-fold relative to no treatment. Therefore, to improve genetic transformation, pretreatment of Agrobacterium during the culture period is important for improving genetic transformation efficiency.
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Jia N, Zhu Y, Xie F. An Efficient Protocol for Model Legume Root Protoplast Isolation and Transformation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:670. [PMID: 29915605 PMCID: PMC5994418 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Transient gene expression systems using protoplasts have been widely used for rapid functional characterization of genes and high-throughput analysis in many model and crop species. Here, we describe a simplified and highly efficient root protoplast isolation and transient expression system in the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. Firstly, we presented an efficient protocol for isolating protoplasts from L. japonicus and M. truncatula roots. We then established an efficient transient expression system in these legumes root protoplasts. Using this protocol, the subcellular localization of two symbiosis related proteins (SYMRK and ERN1) were visualized in the plasma membrane and nuclei, respectively. Collectively, this efficient protoplast isolation and transformation protocol is sufficient for studies on protein subcellular localization, and should be suitable for many other molecular biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Jia
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yali Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Fang Xie,
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7
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Park K, Frost JM, Adair AJ, Kim DM, Yun H, Brooks JS, Fischer RL, Choi Y. Optimized Methods for the Isolation of Arabidopsis Female Central Cells and Their Nuclei. Mol Cells 2016; 39:768-775. [PMID: 27788573 PMCID: PMC5104886 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2016.0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arabidopsis female gametophyte contains seven cells with eight haploid nuclei buried within layers of sporophytic tissue. Following double fertilization, the egg and central cells of the gametophyte develop into the embryo and endosperm of the seed, respectively. The epigenetic status of the central cell has long presented an enigma due both to its inaccessibility, and the fascinating epigenome of the endosperm, thought to have been inherited from the central cell following activity of the DEMETER demethylase enzyme, prior to fertilization. Here, we present for the first time, a method to isolate pure populations of Arabidopsis central cell nuclei. Utilizing a protocol designed to isolate leaf mesophyll protoplasts, we systematically optimized each step in order to efficiently separate central cells from the female gametophyte. We use initial manual pistil dissection followed by the derivation of central cell protoplasts, during which process the central cell emerges from the micropylar pole of the embryo sac. Then, we use a modified version of the Isolation of Nuclei TAgged in specific Cell Types (INTACT) protocol to purify central cell nuclei, resulting in a purity of 75-90% and a yield sufficient to undertake downstream molecular analyses. We find that the process is highly dependent on the health of the original plant tissue used, and the efficiency of protoplasting solution infiltration into the gametophyte. By isolating pure central cell populations, we have enabled elucidation of the physiology of this rare cell type, which in the future will provide novel insights into Arabidopsis reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyunghyuk Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826,
Korea
| | - Jennifer M. Frost
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,
USA
| | - Adam James Adair
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,
USA
| | - Dong Min Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826,
Korea
| | - Hyein Yun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826,
Korea
| | - Janie S. Brooks
- Department of Science, Seoul Foreign School, Seoul 09723,
Korea
| | - Robert L. Fischer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,
USA
| | - Yeonhee Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826,
Korea
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8
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Nicolia A, Proux-Wéra E, Åhman I, Onkokesung N, Andersson M, Andreasson E, Zhu LH. Targeted gene mutation in tetraploid potato through transient TALEN expression in protoplasts. J Biotechnol 2015; 204:17-24. [PMID: 25848989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2015.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Potato is the third largest food crop in the world, however, the high degree of heterozygosity, the tetrasomic inheritance and severe inbreeding depression are major difficulties for conventional potato breeding. The rapid development of modern breeding methods offers new possibilities to enhance breeding efficiency and precise improvement of desirable traits. New site-directed mutagenesis techniques that can directly edit the target genes without any integration of recombinant DNA are especially favorable. Here we present a successful pipeline for site-directed mutagenesis in tetraploid potato through transient TALEN expression in protoplasts. The transfection efficiency of protoplasts was 38-39% and the site-directed mutation frequency was 7-8% with a few base deletions as the predominant type of mutation. Among the protoplast-derived calli, 11-13% showed mutations and a similar frequency (10%) was observed in the regenerated shoots. Our results indicate that the site-directed mutagenesis technology could be used as a new breeding method in potato as well as for functional analysis of important genes to promote sustainable potato production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Nicolia
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Estelle Proux-Wéra
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Inger Åhman
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Nawaporn Onkokesung
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Mariette Andersson
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Erik Andreasson
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Li-Hua Zhu
- Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
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Zhang Y, Su J, Duan S, Ao Y, Dai J, Liu J, Wang P, Li Y, Liu B, Feng D, Wang J, Wang H. A highly efficient rice green tissue protoplast system for transient gene expression and studying light/chloroplast-related processes. PLANT METHODS 2011; 7:30. [PMID: 21961694 PMCID: PMC3203094 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4811-7-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 561] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant protoplasts, a proven physiological and versatile cell system, are widely used in high-throughput analysis and functional characterization of genes. Green protoplasts have been successfully used in investigations of plant signal transduction pathways related to hormones, metabolites and environmental challenges. In rice, protoplasts are commonly prepared from suspension cultured cells or etiolated seedlings, but only a few studies have explored the use of protoplasts from rice green tissue. RESULTS Here, we report a simplified method for isolating protoplasts from normally cultivated young rice green tissue without the need for unnecessary chemicals and a vacuum device. Transfections of the generated protoplasts with plasmids of a wide range of sizes (4.5-13 kb) and co-transfections with multiple plasmids achieved impressively high efficiencies and allowed evaluations by 1) protein immunoblotting analysis, 2) subcellular localization assays, and 3) protein-protein interaction analysis by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and firefly luciferase complementation (FLC). Importantly, the rice green tissue protoplasts were photosynthetically active and sensitive to the retrograde plastid signaling inducer norflurazon (NF). Transient expression of the GFP-tagged light-related transcription factor OsGLK1 markedly upregulated transcript levels of the endogeneous photosynthetic genes OsLhcb1, OsLhcp, GADPH and RbcS, which were reduced to some extent by NF treatment in the rice green tissue protoplasts. CONCLUSIONS We show here a simplified and highly efficient transient gene expression system using photosynthetically active rice green tissue protoplasts and its broad applications in protein immunoblot, localization and protein-protein interaction assays. These rice green tissue protoplasts will be particularly useful in studies of light/chloroplast-related processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Jianbin Su
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Shan Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Ying Ao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Jinran Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Yuge Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Dongru Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Jinfa Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Hongbin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
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Kwak MS, Oh MJ, Lee SW, Shin JS, Paek KH, Bae JM. A strong constitutive gene expression system derived from ibAGP1 promoter and its transit peptide. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2007; 26:1253-62. [PMID: 17406871 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-007-0349-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2007] [Revised: 03/07/2007] [Accepted: 03/13/2007] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
To develop a strong constitutive gene expression system, the activities of ibAGP1 promoter and its transit peptide were investigated using transgenic Arabidopsis and a GUS reporter gene. The ibAGP1 promoter directed GUS expression in almost entire tissues including rosette leaf, inflorescence stem, inflorescence, cauline leaf and root, suggesting that the ibAGP1 promoter is a constitutive promoter. GUS expression mediated by ibAGP1 promoter was weaker than that by CaMV35S promoter in all tissue types, but when GUS protein was targeted to plastids with the aid of the ibAGP1 transit peptide, GUS levels increased to higher levels in lamina, petiole and cauline leaf compared to those produced by CaMV35S promoter. The enhancing effect of ibAGP1 transit peptide on the accumulation of foreign protein was tissue-specific; accumulation was high in lamina and inflorescence, but low in root and primary inflorescence stem. The transit peptide effect in the leaves was maintained highly regardless of developmental stages of plants. The ibAGP1 promoter and its transit peptide also directed strong GUS gene expression in transiently expressed tobacco leaves. These results suggest that the ibAGP1 promoter and its transit peptide are a strong constitutive foreign gene expression system for transgenesis of dicot plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Sup Kwak
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, South Korea
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Busch M, Seuter A, Hain R. Functional analysis of the early steps of carotenoid biosynthesis in tobacco. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2002; 128:439-53. [PMID: 11842148 PMCID: PMC148907 DOI: 10.1104/pp.010573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2001] [Revised: 08/29/2001] [Accepted: 10/18/2001] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids contribute to energy transduction in the light harvesting complexes and serve in protection from excess light fluence. Because of the importance of carotenoids, the genes encoding enzymes of carotenoid biosynthesis in higher plants are potential targets for herbicides. To obtain further insight into tobacco carotenoid biosynthesis and to investigate and prioritize potential herbicide targets in the pathway, the effects of changed phytoene synthase (PSY) and phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene expression were studied in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Petit Havana SR1) plants. Genes for both enzymes were cloned from tobacco, and surprisingly two functional PSY genes were found. Transgenic tobacco plants constitutively expressing these genes in both sense and antisense orientations were examined regarding phenotype, carotenoid content and transcript levels of carotene biosynthesis genes. Overexpression of either psy gene resulted in severe phenotypic effects including dwarfism, altered leaf morphology, and pigmentation. A correlation among phenotype, transcript level, and metabolic profile was demonstrated by comparison of hemizygous and homozygous plants from the same transformation event. Antisense expression of PSY and PDS also caused lethal phenotypes. Transcript levels of other carotene biosynthesis genes remained unaltered in the transgenic mutant. Phytoene accumulated in plants expressing antisense RNA to pds. However, elevated levels of phytoene were detected suggesting an increase in metabolic flux into this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Busch
- Bayer AG, Agricultural Division Research, Molecular Target Research and Biotechnology, 51368 Leverkusen, Germany
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Abstract
Plant transformation has its roots in the research on Agrobacterium that was being undertaken in the early 1980s. The last two decades have seen significant developments in plant transformation technology, such that a large number of transgenic crop plants have now been released for commercial production. Advances in the technology have been due to development of a range of Agrobacterium-mediated and direct DNA delivery techniques, along with appropriate tissue culture techniques for regenerating whole plants from plant cells or tissues in a large number of species. In addition, parallel developments in molecular biology have greatly extended the range of investigations to which plant transformation technology can be applied. Research in plant transformation is concentrating now not so much on the introduction of DNA into plant cells, but rather more on the problems associated with stable integration and reliable expression of the DNA once it has been integrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Newell
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, UK
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