Comparison of cauliflower mosaic virus 35S and nopaline synthase promoters in transgenic plants

A Suite of Constitutive Promoters for Tuning Gene Expression in Plants

The need for convenient tools to express transgenes over a large dynamic range is pervasive throughout plant synthetic biology; however, current efforts are largely limited by the heavy reliance on a small set of strong promoters, precluding more nuanced and refined engineering endeavors in planta. To address this technical gap, we characterize a suite of constitutive promoters that span a wide range of transcriptional levels and develop a GoldenGate-based plasmid toolkit named PCONS, optimized for versatile cloning and rapid testing of transgene expression at varying strengths. We demonstrate how easy access to a stepwise gradient of expression levels can be used for optimizing synthetic transcriptional systems and the production of small molecules in planta. We also systematically investigate the potential of using PCONS as an internal standard in plant biology experimental design, establishing the best practices for signal normalization in experiments. Although our library has primarily been developed for optimizing expression in N. benthamiana, we demonstrate the translatability of our promoters across distantly related species using a multiplexed reporter assay with barcoded transcripts. Our findings showcase the advantages of the PCONS library as an invaluable toolkit for plant synthetic biology.

Design and Analysis of Native Photorespiration Gene Motifs of Promoter Untranslated Region Combinations Under Short Term Abiotic Stress Conditions

Quantitative traits are rarely controlled by a single gene, thereby making multi-gene transformation an indispensable component of modern synthetic biology approaches. However, the shortage of unique gene regulatory elements (GREs) for the robust simultaneous expression of multiple nuclear transgenes is a major bottleneck that impedes the engineering of complex pathways in plants. In this study, we compared the transcriptional efficacies of a comprehensive list of well-documented promoter and untranslated region (UTR) sequences side by side. The strength of GREs was examined by a dual-luciferase assay in conjunction with transient expression in tobacco. In addition, we created suites of new GREs with higher transcriptional efficacies by combining the best performing promoter-UTR sequences. We also tested the impact of elevated temperature and high irradiance on the effectiveness of these GREs. While constitutive promoters ensure robust expression of transgenes, they lack spatiotemporal regulations exhibited by native promoters. Here, we present a proof-of-principle study on the characterization of synthetic promoters based on cis-regulatory elements of three key photorespiratory genes. This conserved biochemical process normally increases under elevated temperature, low CO2, and high irradiance stress conditions and results in ∼25% loss in fixed CO2. To select stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements involved in photorespiration, we analyzed promoters of two chloroplast transporters (AtPLGG1 and AtBASS6) and a key plastidial enzyme, AtPGLP using PlantPAN3.0 and AthaMap. Our results suggest that these motifs play a critical role for PLGG1, BASS6, and PGLP in mediating response to elevated temperature and high-intensity light stress. These findings will not only enable the advancement of metabolic and genetic engineering of photorespiration but will also be instrumental in related synthetic biology approaches.

Characterization of endogenous promoters of GapC1 and GS for recombinant protein expression in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Although diatoms have been utilized as a cellular factory to produce biopharmaceuticals, recombinant proteins, and biofuels, only a few numbers of gene promoters are available. Therefore, the development of novel endogenous promoters is essential for the production of a range of bioactive substances. Here, we characterized the activities of endogenous promoters glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapC1) and glutamine synthetase (GS) of Phaeodactylum tricornutum using green fluorescent protein (GFP) under different culture conditions. Compared with the widely used fucoxanthin chlorophyll-binding protein A (fcpA) promoter, the GS promoter constitutively drove the expression of GFP throughout all growth phases of P. tricornutum, regardless of culture conditions. Additionally, the GFP level driven by the GapC1 promoter was the highest at the log phase, similar to the fcpA promoter, and increased light and nitrogen-starvation conditions reduced GFP levels by inhibiting promoter activity. These results suggested that the GS promoter could be utilized as a strong endogenous promoter for the genetic engineering of P. tricornutum.

Enhancer-mediated reporter gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana: a forward genetic screen

Gene expression is controlled and regulated by interactions between cis-regulatory DNA elements (CREs) and regulatory proteins. Enhancers are one of the most important classes of CREs in eukaryotes. Eukaryotic genes, especially those related to development or responses to environmental cues, are often regulated by multiple enhancers in different tissues and/or at different developmental stages. Remarkably, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which enhancers regulate gene expression in plants. We identified a distal enhancer, CREβ, which regulates the expression of AtDGK7, which encodes a diacylglycerol kinase in Arabidopsis. We developed a transgenic line containing the luciferase reporter gene (LUC) driven by CREβ fused with a minimal cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. The CREβ enhancer was shown to play a role in the response to osmotic pressure of the LUC reporter gene. A forward genetic screen pipeline based on the transgenic line was established to generate mutations associated with altered expression of the LUC reporter gene. We identified a suite of mutants with variable LUC expression levels as well as different segregation patterns of the mutations in populations. We demonstrate that this pipeline will allow us to identify trans-regulatory factors associated with CREβ function as well as those acting in the regulation of the endogenous AtDGK7 gene.

The possibility of using marine diatom-infecting viral promoters for the engineering of marine diatoms

Marine diatoms constitute a major group of unicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes. Diatoms are widely applicable for both basic studies and applied studies. Molecular tools and techniques have been developed for diatom research. Among these tools, several endogenous gene promoters (e.g., the fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein gene promoter) have become available for expressing transgenes in diatoms. Gene promoters that drive transgene expression at a high level are very important for the metabolic engineering of diatoms. Various marine diatom-infecting viruses (DIVs), including both DNA viruses and RNA viruses, have recently been isolated, and their genome sequences have been characterized. Promoters from viruses that infect plants and mammals are widely used as constitutive promoters to achieve high expression of transgenes. Thus, we recently investigated the activity of promoters derived from marine DIVs in the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We discuss novel viral promoters that will be useful for the future metabolic engineering of diatoms.

A 100 bp GAGA motif-containing sequence in AGAMOUS second intron is able to suppress the activity of CaMV35S enhancer in vegetative tissues

Flower-specific promoters enable genetic manipulation of floral organs to improve crop yield and quality without affecting vegetative growth. However, the identification of strong tissue-specific promoters is a challenge. In addition, information on cis elements that is able to repress gene expression in vegetative tissues remains limited. Here, we report that fusing a 35S enhancer to the stamen- and carpel-specific NtAGIP1 promoter derived from the tobacco AGAMOUS second intron (AGI) can significantly increase the promoter activity. Interestingly, although the activity of the new promoter extends to sepals and pedicles, it does not cross the boundary of the reproductive organs. Serial deletion of the AGI and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay reveal a 100-bp fragment that contains a conserved GAGA factor binding motif contributes to the flower specificity by mediating histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) modification of the promoter. Furthermore, this fragment shows significant suppressive effect on the activity of the 35S enhancer in vegetative tissues, consequently, resulting in a significant increase of the activity of 35S enhancer:AGI chimeric promoter without sacrifice of its specificity in inflorescence.

Modifying the Replication of Geminiviral Vectors Reduces Cell Death and Enhances Expression of Biopharmaceutical Proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana Leaves

Plants are a promising platform to produce biopharmaceutical proteins, however, the toxic nature of some proteins inhibits their accumulation. We previously created a replicating geminiviral expression system based on bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV) that enables very high-level production of recombinant proteins. To study the role of replication in this system, we generated vectors that allow separate and controlled expression of BeYDV Rep and RepA proteins. We show that the ratio of Rep and RepA strongly affects the efficiency of replication. Rep, RepA, and vector replication all elicit the plant hypersensitive response, resulting in cell death. We find that a modest reduction in expression of Rep and RepA reduces plant leaf cell death which, despite reducing the accumulation of viral replicons, increases target protein accumulation. A single nucleotide change in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) reduced Rep/RepA expression, reduced cell death, and enhanced the production of monoclonal antibodies. We also find that replicating vectors achieve optimal expression with lower Agrobacterium concentrations than non-replicating vectors, further reducing cell death. Viral UTRs are also shown to contribute substantially to cell death, while a native plant-derived 5' UTR does not.

Transient Expression of Human Cytochrome P450s 2D6 and 3A4 in Nicotiana benthamiana Provides a Possibility for Rapid Substrate Testing and Production of Novel Compounds

Employment of transient expression of foreign genes for bioconversion of pharmaceutically valuable low-molecular-weight compounds, including plant secondary metabolites, is an enticing trend still scantily explored in plant biotechnology. In the present work, an efficient protocol for rapid assessment of synthetic and plant-derived metabolites as potential substrates for human P450s (CYP2D6 and CYP3A4) via Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana is put forth. Animal P450s with broad substrate specificity are promising candidates for transformation of diverse metabolites. The efficiency of P450s in heterologous surroundings is not always satisfactory and depends on the availability of an associated electron-transfer enzyme. Plants represent an attractive assortment of prospective hosts for foreign P450s expression. The optimal composition of genetic blocks providing the highest transient expression efficiency is designed, an effective substrate administration scheme is validated, and biological activity of the investigated P450s against loratadine and several indole alkaloids with different molecular scaffold structures is tested. A novel indole alkaloid, 11-hydroxycorynanthine, is isolated from N. benthamiana plants transiently expressing CYP2D6 and supplemented with corynanthine, and its structure was elucidated. The proposed technique might be of value in realization of combinatorial biosynthesis concept comprising the junction of heterologous enzymes and substrates in different metabolic surroundings.

A Chemical-Induced, Seed-Soaking Activation Procedure for Regulated Gene Expression in Rice

Inducible gene expression has emerged as a powerful tool for plant functional genomics. The estrogen receptor-based, chemical-inducible system XVE has been used in many plant species, but the limited systemic movement of inducer β-estradiol in transgenic rice plants has prohibited a wide use of the XVE system in this important food crop. Here, we constructed an improved chemical-regulated, site-specific recombination system by employing the XVE transactivator in combination with a Cre/loxP-FRT system, and optimized a seed-soaking procedure for XVE induction in rice. By using a gus gene and an hpRNAi cassette targeted for OsPDS as reporters, we demonstrated that soaking transgenic seeds with estradiol solution could induce highly efficient site-specific recombination in germinating embryos, resulting in constitutive and high-level expression of target gene or RNAi cassette in intact rice plants from induced seeds. The strategy reported here thereby provides a useful gene activation approach for effectively regulating gene expression in rice.

A dual-site gateway cloning system for simultaneous cloning of two genes for plant transformation

Analyses of the subcellular localization of proteins and protein-protein interaction networks are essential to uncover the molecular basis of diverse biological processes in plants. To this end, we have created a Gateway cloning-compatible vector system, named dual-site (DS) Gateway cloning system to allow simple cloning of two expression cassettes in a binary vector and to express them simultaneously in plant cells. In the DS Gateway cloning system, (i) a moderate constitutive nopaline synthase promoter (Pnos), which is much suitable for localization analysis, is used to guide each expression cassette, (ii) four series of vectors with different plant resistance markers are established, (iii) N-terminal fusion with 6 fluorescent proteins and 7 epitope tags is available, (iv) both N- and C-terminal fusions with split enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) are possible for efficient detection of protein-protein interactions using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay. The usefulness of the DS Gateway cloning system has been demonstrated by the analysis of the expression and the subcellular localization patterns of two Golgi proteins in stable expression system using A. thaliana, and by the analyses of interactions between subunits of coat protein complex II (COPII) both in transient and stable expression systems using Japanese leek and A. thaliana, respectively. The DS Gateway cloning system provides a multipurpose, efficient expression tool in gene function analyses and especially suitable for investigating interactions and subcellular localization of two proteins in living plant cells.

Development of germ-line-specific CRISPR-Cas9 systems to improve the production of heritable gene modifications in Arabidopsis

The Streptococcus-derived CRISPR/Cas9 system is being widely used to perform targeted gene modifications in plants. This customized endonuclease system has two components, the single-guide RNA (sgRNA) for target DNA recognition and the CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) for DNA cleavage. Ubiquitously expressed CRISPR/Cas9 systems (UC) generate targeted gene modifications with high efficiency but only those produced in reproductive cells are transmitted to the next generation. We report the design and characterization of a germ-line-specific Cas9 system (GSC) for Arabidopsis gene modification in male gametocytes, constructed using a SPOROCYTELESS (SPL) genomic expression cassette. Four loci in two endogenous genes were targeted by both systems for comparative analysis. Mutations generated by the GSC system were rare in T1 plants but were abundant (30%) in the T2 generation. The vast majority (70%) of the T2 mutant population generated using the UC system were chimeras while the newly developed GSC system produced only 29% chimeras, with 70% of the T2 mutants being heterozygous. Analysis of two loci in the T2 population showed that the abundance of heritable gene mutations was 37% higher in the GSC system compared to the UC system and the level of polymorphism of the mutations was also dramatically increased with the GSC system. Two additional systems based on germ-line-specific promoters (pDD45-GT and pLAT52-GT) were also tested, and one of them was capable of generating heritable homozygous T1 mutant plants. Our results suggest that future application of the described GSC system will facilitate the screening for targeted gene modifications, especially lethal mutations in the T2 population.

Characterization of marine diatom-infecting virus promoters in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Viruses are considered key players in phytoplankton population control in oceans. However, mechanisms that control viral gene expression in prominent microalgae such as diatoms remain largely unknown. In this study, potential promoter regions isolated from several marine diatom-infecting viruses (DIVs) were linked to the egfp reporter gene and transformed into the Pennales diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We analysed their activity in cells grown under different conditions. Compared to diatom endogenous promoters, novel DIV promoter (ClP1) mediated a significantly higher degree of reporter transcription and translation. Stable expression levels were observed in transformants grown under both light and dark conditions, and high levels of expression were reported in cells in the stationary phase compared to the exponential phase of growth. Conserved motifs in the sequence of DIV promoters were also found. These results allow the identification of novel regulatory regions that drive DIV gene expression and further examinations of the mechanisms that control virus-mediated bloom control in diatoms. Moreover, the identified ClP1 promoter can serve as a novel tool for metabolic engineering of diatoms. This is the first report describing a promoter of DIVs that may be of use in basic and applied diatom research.

Genetics, structure, and prevalence of FP967 (CDC Triffid) T-DNA in flax

The detection of T-DNA from a genetically modified flaxseed line (FP967, formally CDC Triffid) in a shipment of Canadian flaxseed exported to Europe resulted in a large decrease in the amount of flax planted in Canada. The Canadian flaxseed industry undertook major changes to ensure the removal of FP967 from the supply chain. This study aimed to resolve the genetics and structure of the FP967 transfer DNA (T-DNA).

The FP967 T-DNA is thought to be inserted in at single genomic locus. The junction between the T-DNA and genomic DNA consisted of two inverted Right Borders with no Left Border (LB) flanking genomic DNA sequences recovered. This information was used to develop an event-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. This assay and an existing assay specific to the T-DNA construct were used to determine the genetics and prevalence of the FP967 T-DNA. These data supported the hypothesis that the T-DNA is present at a single location in the genome.

The FP967 T-DNA is present at a low level (between 0.01 and 0.1%) in breeder seed lots from 2009 and 2010. None of the 11,000 and 16,000 lines selected for advancement through the Flax Breeding Program in 2010 and 2011, respectively, tested positive for the FP967 T-DNA, however.

Most of the FP967 T-DNA sequence was resolved via PCR cloning and next generation sequencing. A 3,720 bp duplication of an internal portion of the T-DNA (including a Right Border) was discovered between the flanking genomic DNA and the LB. An event-specific assay, SAT2-LB, was developed for the junction between this repeat and the LB.

The relationship between PMI (manA) gene expression and optimal selection pressure in Indica rice transformation

An efficient mannose selection system was established for transformation of Indica cultivar IR58025B . Different selection pressures were required to achieve optimum transformation frequency for different PMI selectable marker cassettes. This study was conducted to establish an efficient transformation system for Indica rice, cultivar IR58025B. Four combinations of two promoters, rice Actin 1 and maize Ubiquitin 1, and two manA genes, native gene from E. coli (PMI-01) and synthetic maize codon-optimized gene (PMI-09) were compared under various concentrations of mannose. Different selection pressures were required for different gene cassettes to achieve corresponding optimum transformation frequency (TF). Higher TFs as 54 and 53% were obtained when 5 g/L mannose was used for selection of prActin-PMI-01 cassette and 7.5 g/L mannose used for selection of prActin-PMI-09, respectively. TFs as 67 and 56% were obtained when 7.5 and 15 g/L mannose were used for selection of prUbi-PMI-01 and prUbi-PMI-09, respectively. We conclude that higher TFs can be achieved for different gene cassettes when an optimum selection pressure is applied. By investigating the PMI expression level in transgenic calli and leaves, we found there was a significant positive correlation between the protein expression level and the optimal selection pressure. Higher optimal selection pressure is required for those constructs which confer higher expression of PMI protein. The single copy rate of those transgenic events for prActin-PMI-01 cassette is lower than that for other three cassettes. We speculate some of low copy events with low protein expression levels might not have been able to survive in the mannose selection.

Characterization of complex systems using the design of experiments approach: transient protein expression in tobacco as a case study

Plants provide multiple benefits for the production of biopharmaceuticals including low costs, scalability, and safety. Transient expression offers the additional advantage of short development and production times, but expression levels can vary significantly between batches thus giving rise to regulatory concerns in the context of good manufacturing practice. We used a design of experiments (DoE) approach to determine the impact of major factors such as regulatory elements in the expression construct, plant growth and development parameters, and the incubation conditions during expression, on the variability of expression between batches. We tested plants expressing a model anti-HIV monoclonal antibody (2G12) and a fluorescent marker protein (DsRed). We discuss the rationale for selecting certain properties of the model and identify its potential limitations. The general approach can easily be transferred to other problems because the principles of the model are broadly applicable: knowledge-based parameter selection, complexity reduction by splitting the initial problem into smaller modules, software-guided setup of optimal experiment combinations and step-wise design augmentation. Therefore, the methodology is not only useful for characterizing protein expression in plants but also for the investigation of other complex systems lacking a mechanistic description. The predictive equations describing the interconnectivity between parameters can be used to establish mechanistic models for other complex systems.

Hv-CBF2A overexpression in barley accelerates COR gene transcript accumulation and acquisition of freezing tolerance during cold acclimation

C-Repeat Binding Factors (CBFs) are DNA-binding transcriptional activators of gene pathways imparting freezing tolerance. Poaceae contain three CBF subfamilies, two of which, HvCBF3/CBFIII and HvCBF4/CBFIV, are unique to this taxon. To gain mechanistic insight into HvCBF4/CBFIV CBFs we overexpressed Hv-CBF2A in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivar 'Golden Promise'. The Hv-CBF2A overexpressing lines exhibited stunted growth, poor yield, and greater freezing tolerance compared to non-transformed 'Golden Promise'. Differences in freezing tolerance were apparent only upon cold acclimation. During cold acclimation freezing tolerance of the Hv-CBF2A overexpressing lines increased more rapidly than that of 'Golden Promise' and paralleled the freezing tolerance of the winter hardy barley 'Dicktoo'. Transcript levels of candidate CBF target genes, COR14B and DHN5 were increased in the overexpressor lines at warm temperatures, and at cold temperatures they accumulated to much higher levels in the Hv-CBF2A overexpressors than in 'Golden Promise'. Hv-CBF2A overexpression also increased transcript levels of other CBF genes at FROST RESISTANCE-H2-H2 (FR-H2) possessing CRT/DRE sites in their upstream regions, the most notable of which was CBF12. CBF12 transcript levels exhibited a relatively constant incremental increase above levels in 'Golden Promise' both at warm and cold. These data indicate that Hv-CBF2A activates target genes at warm temperatures and that transcript accumulation for some of these targets is greatly enhanced by cold temperatures.

Enhanced transgene expression in rice following selection controlled by weak promoters

BACKGROUND

Techniques that enable high levels of transgene expression in plants are attractive for the commercial production of plant-made recombinant pharmaceutical proteins or other gene transfer related strategies. The conventional way to increase the yield of desired transgenic products is to use strong promoters to control the expression of the transgene. Although many such promoters have been identified and characterized, the increase obtainable from a single promoter is ultimately limited to a certain extent.

RESULTS

In this study, we report a method to magnify the effect of a single promoter by using a weak promoter-based selection system in transgenic rice. tCUP1, a fragment derived from the tobacco cryptic promoter (tCUP), was tested for its activity in rice by fusion to both a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter and a hygromycin phosphotransferase (HPT) selectable marker. The tCUP1 promoter allowed the recovery of transformed rice plants and conferred tissue specific expression of the GUS reporter, but was much weaker than the CaMV 35S promoter in driving a selectable marker for growth of resistant calli. However, in the resistant calli and regenerated transgenic plants selected by the use of tCUP1, the constitutive expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was dramatically increased as a result of the additive effect of multiple T-DNA insertions. The correlation between attenuated selection by a weak promoter and elevation of copy number and foreign gene expression was confirmed by using another relatively weak promoter from nopaline synthase (Nos).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of weak promoter derived selectable markers leads to a high T-DNA copy number and then greatly increases the expression of the foreign gene. The method described here provides an effective approach to robustly enhance the expression of heterogenous transgenes through copy number manipulation in rice.

Predictive models for the accumulation of a fluorescent marker protein in tobacco leaves according to the promoter/5'UTR combination

The promoter and 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) play a key role in determining the efficiency of recombinant protein expression in plants. Comparative experiments are used to identify suitable elements but these are usually tested in transgenic plants or in transformed protoplasts/suspension cells, so their relevance in whole-plant transient expression systems is unclear given the greater heterogeneity in expression levels among different leaves. Furthermore, little is known about the impact of promoter/5'UTR interactions on protein accumulation. We therefore established a predictive model using a design of experiments (DoE) approach to compare the strong double-enhanced Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV 35SS) and the weaker Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti-plasmid nos promoter in whole tobacco plants transiently expressing the fluorescent marker protein DsRed. The promoters were combined with one of three 5'UTRs (one of which was tested with and without an additional protein targeting motif) and the accumulation of DsRed was measured following different post-agroinfiltration incubation periods in all leaves and at different leaf positions. The model predictions were quantitative, allowing the rapid identification of promoter/5'UTR combinations stimulating the highest and quickest accumulation of the marker protein in all leaves. The model also suggested that increasing the incubation time from 5 to 8 days would reduce batch-to-batch variability in protein yields. We used the model to identify promoter/5'UTR pairs that resulted in the least spatiotemporal variation in expression levels. These ideal pairs are suitable for the simultaneous, balanced production of several proteins in whole plants by transient expression.

A 28 nt long synthetic 5'UTR (synJ) as an enhancer of transgene expression in dicotyledonous plants

BACKGROUND

A high level of transgene expression is required, in several applications of transgenic technology. While use of strong promoters has been the main focus in such instances, 5'UTRs have also been shown to enhance transgene expression. Here, we present a 28 nt long synthetic 5'UTR (synJ), which enhances gene expression in tobacco and cotton.

RESULTS

The influence of synJ on transgene expression was studied in callus cultures of cotton and different tissues of transgenic tobacco plants. The study was based on comparing the expression of reporter gene gus and gfp, with and without synJ as its 5'UTR. Mutations in synJ were also analyzed to identify the region important for enhancement. synJ, enhances gene expression by 10 to 50 fold in tobacco and cotton depending upon the tissue studied. This finding is based on the experiments comparing the expression of gus gene, encoding the synJ as 5'UTR under the control of 35S promoter with expression cassettes based on vectors like pBI121 or pRT100. Further, the enhancement was in most cases equivalent to that observed with the viral leader sequences known to enhance translation like Ω and AMV. In case of transformed cotton callus as well as in the roots of tobacco transgenic plants, the up-regulation mediated by synJ was much higher than that observed in the presence of both Ω as well as AMV. The enhancement mediated by synJ was found to be at the post-transcriptional level. The study also demonstrates the importance of a 5'UTR in realizing the full potential of the promoter strength. synJ has been utilized to design four cloning vectors: pGEN01, pBGEN02, pBGEN02-hpt and pBGEN02-ALSdm each of which can be used for cloning the desired transgene and achieving high level of expression in the resulting transgenic plants.

CONCLUSIONS

synJ, a synthetic 5'UTR, can enhance transgene expression under a strong promoter like 35S as well as under a weak promoter like nos in dicotyledonous plants. synJ can be incorporated as the 5'UTR of transgenes, especially in cases where high levels of expression is required. A set of vectors has also been designed to facilitate this process.

Genetic approaches for studying transgene inheritance and genetic recombination in three successive generations of transformed tobacco

Transgene integration into plant genomes is a complex process accompanied by molecular rearrangements. Classic methods that are normally used to study transgenic population genetics are generally inadequate for assessing such integration. Two major characteristics of transgenic populations are that a transgenic genome may harbor many copies of the transgene and that molecular rearrangements can create an unstable transgenic locus. In this work, we examined the segregation of T1, T2 and T3 transgenic tobacco progenies. Since transfer DNA (T-DNA) contains the NptII selectable marker gene that confers resistance to kanamycin, we used this characteristic in developing a method to estimate the number of functional inserts integrated into the genome. This approach was based on calculation of the theoretical segregation ratios in successive generations. Mendelian ratios of 3:1, 15:1 and 63:1 were confirmed for five transformation events whereas six transformation events yielded non-segregating progenies, a finding that raised questions about causal factors. A second approach based on a maximum likelihood method was performed to estimate recombination frequencies between linked inserts. Recombination estimates varied among transformation events and over generations. Some transgenic loci were unstable and evolved continuously to segregate independently in the T3 generation. Recombination and amplification of the transgene and filler DNA yielded additional transformed genotypes.

Construction of phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) transformation vectors and evaluation of the effectiveness of vectors in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L)

Phosphomannose isomerase (pmi) gene isolated from Escherichia coli allows transgenic plants carrying it to convert mannose-6- phosphate (from mannose), a carbon source that could not be naturally utilized by plants into fructose-6-phosphate which can be utilized by plants as a carbon source. This conversion ability provides energy source to allow the transformed cells to survive on the medium containing mannose. In this study, four transformation vectors carrying the pmi gene alone or in combination with the β-glucuronidase (gusA) gene were constructed and driven by either the maize ubiquitin (Ubi1) or the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV35S) promoter. Restriction digestion, PCR amplification and sequencing were carried out to ensure sequence integrity and orientation. Tobacco was used as a model system to study the effectiveness of the constructs and selection system. PMI11G and pMI3G, which carry gusA gene, were used to study the gene transient expression in tobacco. PMI3 construct, which only carries the pmi gene driven by CaMV35S promoter, was stably transformed into tobacco using biolistics after selection on 30 g 1(-1) mannose without sucrose. Transgenic plants were verified using PCR analysis.

ABBREVIATIONS

PMI/pmi - Phosphomannose isomerase, Ubi1 - Maize ubiquitin promoter, CaMV35S - Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, gusA - β-glucuronidase GUS reporter gene.

Genetic engineering of maize (Zea mays) for high-level tolerance to treatment with the herbicide dicamba

Herbicide-tolerant crops have been widely and rapidly adopted by farmers in several countries due to enhanced weed control, lower labor and production costs, increased environmental benefits, and gains in profitability. Soon to be introduced transgenic soybean and cotton varieties tolerant to treatments with the herbicide dicamba offer prospects for excellent broadleaf weed control in these broadleaf crops. Because monocots such as maize (Zea mays) can be treated with dicamba only during a limited window of crop development and because crop injury is sometimes observed when conditions are unfavorable, transgenic maize plants have been produced and tested for higher levels of tolerance to treatment with dicamba. Maize plants expressing the gene encoding dicamba monooxygenase (DMO) linked with an upstream chloroplast transit peptide (CTP) display greatly enhanced tolerance to dicamba applied either pre-emergence or postemergence. Comparisons of DMO coupled to CTPs derived from the Rubisco small subunit from either Arabidopsis thaliana or Z. mays showed that both allowed production of transgenic maize plants tolerant to treatment with levels of dicamba (i.e., 27 kg/ha) greatly exceeding the highest recommended rate of 0.56 kg/ha.

Approaches for gene targeting and targeted gene expression in plants

Transgenic science and technology are fundamental to state-of-the-art plant molecular genetics and crop improvement. The new generation of technology endeavors to introduce genes 'stably' into 'site-specific' locations and in 'single copy' without the integration of extraneous vector 'backbone' sequences or selectable markers and with a 'predictable and consistent' expression. Several similar strategies and technologies, which can push the development of 'smart' genetically modified plants with desirable attributes, as well as enhance their consumer acceptability, are discussed in this review.

The Role of Microtubule Association in Plasmodesmal Targeting of Potato mop-top virus Movement Protein TGBp1

Cell-to-cell movement of Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) is mediated by three virus-encoded ‘triple gene block’ (TGB) proteins termed TGBp1, TGBp2 and TGBp3. TGBp1 binds virus RNAs to form viral ribonucleoprotein complexes (vRNPs), the transport form of viral genome. TGBp2 and TGBp3 are necessary for intracellular delivery of TGBp1-containing vRNPs to plasmodesmata. To analyze subcellular localization and transport of TGBp1 we used a single binary vector for agrobacterium-mediated co-expression of PMTV TGBp1 fused to green fluorescent protein and TGBp2/TGBp3. At two days post infiltration (dpi) TGBp1 was found in the nucleus and in association with microtubules (MTs). Similar localization pattern was revealed in cells expressing GFP-TGBp1 alone after particle bombardment. At 3 dpi, in addition to the nucleus and MTs, TGBp1 was detected in numerous granular bodies located both along the MTs and at the cell wall. The latter structures co-localized with plasmodesmata-associated callose depositions. At 4 dpi, GFP-TGBp1 was detected in cell wall-associated bodies and also in residual MTs, the nucleoplasm and large perinuclear inclusions resembling aggresomes. Therefore GFP-TGBp1 association with MTs preceded to its localization to plasmodesmata. Disassembly of cell MTs by colchicine prevented GFP-TGBp1 targeting to plasmodesmata and the MT-dependent aggresome formation. Deletion analysis also revealed a correlation between TGBp1 microtubule association and plasmodesmata targeting. We propose that TGBp1 interaction with MTs may be important for the formation of vRNP bodies destined for the transport to plasmodesmata as well as degradation of the excessive TGBp1.

Regulated genes in transgenic plants

Transgenic plants are an effective system for the study of regulated gene expression. Developmental control of expression can be monitored by assaying different tissues or by assaying a plant at different developmental stages. Analysis of the petunia 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase gene, which is highly expressed in flowers, allowed identification of an upstream region that confers tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression. The cell specificity of expression in floral tissues has been defined by histochemical localization. This expression is contrasted to that of the 35S promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus, a nominally constitutive promoter that shows a definite specificity of expression in floral tissues. Moreover, this expression differs in transgenic hosts of different species.

Cytokinin gene fused with a strong promoter enhances shoot organogenesis and zeatin levels in transformed plant cells

The isopentenyltransferase (ipt) gene associated with cytokinin biosynthesis in plants was cloned from a tumor-inducing plasmid carried by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and placed under the control of promoters of differing activities, the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the nopaline synthase promoter. These promoter-gene constructs were introduced into wounded Nicotiana stems, leaf pieces, and cucumber seedlings by A. tumefaciens infection. Shoots were observed in the infection site on all responding genotypes of Nicotiana plants infected with the 35S promoter construct (35S-ipt), whereas only 41% responded similarly to infection with the unmodified gene. Furthermore, shoots were observed 19 days after infection with the 35S-ipt gene but not until 28 to 45 days with the unaltered ipt gene. Shoots were more numerous (>40) on galls incited by 35S-ipt and were up to 6 times taller than shoots induced by the native gene. On Cucumis (cucumber), shoots were observed only on galls incited by the 35S-ipt construct. These galls were on the average 7.5 times larger than those incited by the nopaline synthase promoter construct (NOS-ipt) or the unmodified ipt gene. Zeatin and zeatinriboside concentrations averaged 23 times greater in the 35S-ipt transformed shoots than in ones transformed with the native ipt gene. These results suggest that a more active promoter on the ipt gene can enhance or change the morphogenic potential of transformed plant cells by increasing their endogenous cytokinin levels.

Stable and heritable inhibition of the expression of nopaline synthase in tobacco expressing antisense RNA

Antisense nopaline synthase (nos) (D-nopaline synthase; EC 1.5.1.19) RNA is stably expressed from the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter in transformed tobacco plants. The expression of a previously introduced wild-type nos gene is inhibited by the antisense RNA, with less nos enzyme activity detected (by a factor of 8-50) depending on the tissue analyzed. The steady-state levels of nos mRNA are reduced in the presence of the antisense RNA, implying that mRNA degradation is probably the main mode of action for the decrease in expression in this system. The antisense RNA-expressing gene and its inhibition of nos expression are shown to be heritable, demonstrating that it is a potentially useful method for the modification of phenotype.

A stable bifunctional antisense transcript inhibiting gene expression in transgenic plants

Tobacco plants expressing constitutive chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT; EC 2.3.1.28) activity were obtained by transformation with a chimeric CAT gene driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 19S promoter. Plants expressing different levels of CAT activity were retransformed with vectors containing CAT sequences transcriptionally fused in the antisense orientation between the coding region of the hygromycin-resistance gene and the 3' end of the nopaline synthase gene. Several plants regenerated on high concentrations of hygromycin exhibited a loss of CAT activity, whereas plants retransformed with a vector conferring hygromycin resistance but lacking the antisense CAT sequence showed no reduction in CAT activity. RNA blot analysis revealed a strong correlation between the degree of CAT gene inactivation and the levels of stable antisense transcripts accumulated. The possibility that CAT gene inactivation was due to transferred DNA instability was discounted since a kanamycin-resistance gene contiguous with the CAT gene was expressed normally, and DNA blot analysis indicated no loss or rearrangements of the transferred DNA fragments. Thus, the imposed selection pressure enabled the selection of plants expressing high levels of stable bifunctional antisense transcripts that inhibited the activity of the targeted gene.

Plant seeds as bioreactors for recombinant protein production

Plants are attractive expression systems for the economic production of recombinant proteins. Among the different plant-based systems, plant seed is the leading platform and holds several advantages such as high protein yields and stable storage of target proteins. Significant advances in using seeds as bioreactors have occurred in the past decade, which include the first commercialized plant-derived recombinant protein. Here we review the current progress on seeds as bioreactors, with focus on the different food crops as production platforms and comprehensive strategies in optimizing recombinant protein production in seeds.

The 5'-untranslated region of the Oryza sativa alcohol dehydrogenase gene functions as a translational enhancer in monocotyledonous plant cells

The 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) functions as a translational enhancer in monocotyledonous plant cells is necessary to express a foreign gene efficiently. Here, we show that the 5'-UTR of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene contributes to efficient translation in not only dicotyledonous plant cells, but also in monocotyledonous rice cells.

Effect of promoter driving selectable marker on corn transformation

Identification of an appropriate selection agent and its corresponding selectable marker gene is one of the first steps in establishing a transformation protocol for a given plant species. As the promoter controls expression level of the genes, the promoter driving the selectable marker gene can affect transformation. However, investigations into the direct effect of promoters driving selectable marker on transformation are lacking in the literature though many reports of relative strengths of promoters driving reporter genes like GUS or CAT or GFP are available. In the present study, we have compared rice Actin1 and CaMV.35S (commonly used promoters in monocotyledonous plant transformation) promoters driving nptII for their effectiveness in paromomycin selection of transgenic corn events. To enable statistically meaningful analysis of the results, a large sample size of nearly 5,000 immature embryos (explants) was employed producing approximately 1,250 independent events from each of the two constructs in four independent experiments. The rate of appearance of resistant calli and percentage of resistant calli recovered was higher with P-Os.Actin1/nptII/nos3' as compared to P-CaMV.35S/nptII/nos3' in all four experiments. There was no appreciable difference either in the frequency of plant regeneration or in the morphological characteristics of plants recovered from the two constructs. Although the escape rate trended lower with P-Os.Actin1 as compared to P-CaMV.35S, the recovery of low copy events was significantly higher with P-CaMV.35S. The higher transformation frequency with P-Os.Actin1 could be related to the strength of this promoter as compared to P-CaMV.35S in the explants and/or calli. Based on these results, we infer that the promoter driving the selectable marker is an important factor to be considered while establishing a high throughput transformation protocol as it could not only influence the transformation frequency but also the copy number of the transgene in the recovered transgenics.

Building blocks for plant gene assembly

The MultiSite Gateway cloning system, based on site-specific recombination, enables the assembly of multiple DNA fragments in predefined order, orientation, and frame register. To streamline the construction of recombinant genes for functional analysis in plants, we have built a collection of 36 reference Gateway entry clones carrying promoters, terminators, and reporter genes, as well as elements of the LhG4/LhGR two-component system. This collection obeys simple engineering rules. The genetic elements (parts) are designed in a standard format. They are interchangeable, fully documented, and can be combined at will according to the desired output. We also took advantage of the MultiSite Gateway recombination sites to create vectors in which two or three genes can be cloned simultaneously in separate expression cassettes. To illustrate the flexibility of these core resources for the construction of a wide variety of plant transformation vectors, we generated various transgenes encoding fluorescent proteins and tested their activity in plant cells. The structure and sequence of all described plasmids are accessible online at http://www.psb.ugent.be/gateway/. All accessions can be requested via the same Web site.

Effect of promoter driving selectable marker on corn transformation

Identification of an appropriate selection agent and its corresponding selectable marker gene is one of the first steps in establishing a transformation protocol for a given plant species. As the promoter controls expression level of the genes, the promoter driving the selectable marker gene can affect transformation. However, investigations into the direct effect of promoters driving selectable marker on transformation are lacking in the literature though many reports of relative strengths of promoters driving reporter genes like GUS or CAT or GFP are available. In the present study, we have compared rice Actin1 and CaMV.35S (commonly used promoters in monocotyledonous plant transformation) promoters driving nptII for their effectiveness in paromomycin selection of transgenic corn events. To enable statistically meaningful analysis of the results, a large sample size of nearly 5,000 immature embryos (explants) was employed producing approximately 1,250 independent events from each of the two constructs in four independent experiments. The rate of appearance of resistant calli and percentage of resistant calli recovered was higher with P-Os.Actin1/nptII/nos3' as compared to P-CaMV.35S/nptII/nos3' in all four experiments. There was no appreciable difference either in the frequency of plant regeneration or in the morphological characteristics of plants recovered from the two constructs. Although the escape rate trended lower with P-Os.Actin1 as compared to P-CaMV.35S, the recovery of low copy events was significantly higher with P-CaMV.35S. The higher transformation frequency with P-Os.Actin1 could be related to the strength of this promoter as compared to P-CaMV.35S in the explants and/or calli. Based on these results, we infer that the promoter driving the selectable marker is an important factor to be considered while establishing a high throughput transformation protocol as it could not only influence the transformation frequency but also the copy number of the transgene in the recovered transgenics.

The cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter sequence alters the level and patterns of activity of adjacent tissue- and organ-specific gene promoters

Here we report the effect of the 35S promoter sequence on activities of the tissue- and organ-specific gene promoters in tobacco plants. In the absence of the 35S promoter sequence the AAP2 promoter is active only in vascular tissues as indicated by expression of the AAP2:GUS gene. With the 35S promoter sequence in the same T-plasmid, transgenic plants exhibit twofold to fivefold increase in AAP2 promoter activity and the promoter becomes active in all tissue types. Transgenic plants hosting the ovary-specific AGL5:iaaM gene (iaaM coding an auxin biosynthetic gene) showed a wild-type phenotype except production of seedless fruits, whereas plants hosting the AGL5:iaaM gene along with the 35S promoter sequence showed drastic morphological alterations. RT-PCR analysis confirms that the phenotype was caused by activation of the AGL5:iaaM gene in non-ovary organs including roots, stems and flowers. When the pollen-, ovule- and early embryo-specific PAB5:barnase gene (barnase coding a RNase gene) was transformed, the presence of 35S promoter sequence drastically reduced transformation efficiencies. However, the transformation efficiencies were restored in the absence of 35S promoter, indicating that the 35S promoter might activate the expression of PAB5:barnase in non-reproductive organs such as calli and shoot primordia. Furthermore, if the 35S promoter sequence was replaced with the NOS promoter sequence, no alteration in AAP2, AGL5 or PAB5 promoter activities was observed. Our results demonstrate that the 35S promoter sequence can convert an adjacent tissue- and organ-specific gene promoter into a globally active promoter.

Assessing the potential for unintended effects in genetically modified potatoes perturbed in metabolic and developmental processes. Targeted analysis of key nutrients and anti-nutrients

Targeted compositional analysis was carried out on transgenic potato tubers of either cultivar (cv.) Record or cv. Desirée to assess the potential for unintended effects caused by the genetic modification process. The range of transgenic lines analysed included those modified in primary carbohydrate metabolism, polyamine biosynthesis and glycoprotein processing. Controls included wildtype tubers, tubers produced from plants regenerated through tissue culture (including a callus phase) and tubers derived from transformation with the 'empty vector' i.e. no specific target gene included (with the exception of the kanamycin resistance gene as a selectable marker). Metabolite analysis included soluble carbohydrates, glycoalkaloids, vitamin C, total nitrogen and fatty acids. Trypsin inhibitor activity was also assayed. These cover the major compounds recommended by the OECD in their Consensus Document on Compositional Considerations for New Varieties of Potatoes: Key Food and Feed Nutrients, Anti-Nutrients and Toxicants (2002). Data was statistically analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for individual compounds and, where applicable, principal component analysis (PCA). In general, targeted compositional analysis revealed no consistent differences between GM lines and respective controls. No construct specifically induced unintended effects. Statistically significant differences between wildtype controls and specific GM lines did occur but appeared to be random and not associated with any specific construct. Indeed such significant differences were also found between wildtypes and both tissue culture derived tubers and tubers derived from transformation with the empty vector. This raises the possibility that somaclonal variation (known to occur significantly in potato, depending on genotype) may be responsible for an unknown proportion of any differences observed between specific GM lines and the wildtype. The most obvious differences seen in GC-MS profiles were between the two potato varieties used in the study.

Approaches to achieve high-level heterologous protein production in plants

Plants offer an alternative to microbial fermentation and animal cell cultures for the production of recombinant proteins. For protein pharmaceuticals, plant systems are inherently safer than native and even recombinant animal sources. In addition, post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation, which cannot be achieved with bacterial fermentation, can be accomplished using plants. The main advantage foreseen for plant systems is reduced production costs. Plants should have a particular advantage for proteins produced in bulk, such as industrial enzymes, for which product pricing is low. In addition, edible plant tissues are well suited to the expression of vaccine antigens and pharmaceuticals for oral delivery. Three approaches have been followed to express recombinant proteins in plants: expression from the plant nuclear genome; expression from the plastid genome; and expression from plant tissues carrying recombinant plant viral sequences. The most important factor in moving plant-produced heterologous proteins from developmental research to commercial products is to ensure competitive production costs, and the best way to achieve this is to boost expression. Thus, considerable research effort has been made to increase the amount of recombinant protein produced in plants. This research includes molecular technologies to increase replication, to boost transcription, to direct transcription in tissues suited for protein accumulation, to stabilize transcripts, to optimize translation, to target proteins to subcellular locations optimal for their accumulation, and to engineer proteins to stabilize them. Other methods include plant breeding to increase transgene copy number and to utilize germplasm suited to protein accumulation. Large-scale commercialization of plant-produced recombinant proteins will require a combination of these technologies.

Characterization of a strong, constitutive mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) promoter with a complex mode of regulation in planta

We report the cloning and characterization in tobacco and Arabidopsis of a Vigna radiata L. (mung bean) promoter that controls the expression of VR-ACS1, an auxin-inducible ACC synthase gene. The VR-ACS1 promoter exhibits a very unusual behavior when studied in plants different from its original host, mung bean. GUS and luciferase in situ assays of transgenic plants containing VR-ACS1 promoter fusions show strong constitutive reporter gene expression throughout tobacco and Arabidopsis development. In vitro quantitative analyses show that transgenic plants harboring VR-ACS1 promoter-reporter constructs have on average 4-6 fold higher protein and activity levels of both reporter genes than plants transformed with comparable CaMV 35S promoter fusions. Similar transcript levels are present in VR-ACS1 and CaMV 35S promoter lines, suggesting that the high levels of gene product observed for the VR-ACS1 promoter are the combined result of transcriptional and translational activation. All tested deletion constructs retaining the core promoter region can drive strong constitutive promoter activity in transgenic plants. This is in contrast to mung bean, where expression of the native VR-ACS1 gene is almost undetectable in plants grown under normal conditions, but is rapidly and highly induced by a variety of stimuli. The constitutive behavior of the VR-ACS1 promoter in heterologous hosts is surprising, suggesting that the control mechanisms active in mung bean are impaired in tobacco and Arabidopsis. The 'aberrant' behavior of the VR-ACS1 promoter is further emphasized by its failure to respond to auxin and cycloheximide in heterologous hosts. VR-ACS1 promoter regulatory mechanisms seem to be different from all previously characterized auxin-inducible promoters.

Ability of Orally Administered IFN-α-Containing Transgenic Potato Extracts to InhibitListeria monocytogenesInfection

Type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) were originally thought to be antiviral cytokines, but it has recently been reported that they also play an important role in potentiating innate and adaptive immune responses. Moreover, several studies have shown that the oral administration of type I IFN ameliorates various biologic activities. Here, we studied the ability of orally administered IFN-alpha to protect mice from systemic Listeria monocytogenes infection. Daily oral administration of purified natural IFN-alpha at a concentration of 1000 international units (IU)/20 microl reduced the bacterial burden in infected organs. We also examined the protective effect of IFN-alpha expressed in transgenic potato plants. A much lower concentration of IFN-alpha (20 IU/ 20 microl) in the plant extracts was almost as protective as much higher concentrations of purified natural IFN-alpha. Our observations indicate that transgenic cytokine-expressing plants can be used prophylactically as edible pharmaceuticals to enhance systemic defense responses in humans and animals.

Comparison of tuber proteomes of potato varieties, landraces, and genetically modified lines

Crop improvement by genetic modification remains controversial, one of the major issues being the potential for unintended effects. Comparative safety assessment includes targeted analysis of key nutrients and antinutritional factors, but broader scale-profiling or "omics" methods could increase the chances of detecting unintended effects. Comparative assessment should consider the extent of natural variation and not simply compare genetically modified (GM) lines and parental controls. In this study, potato (Solanum tuberosum) proteome diversity has been assessed using a range of diverse non-GM germplasm. In addition, a selection of GM potato lines was compared to assess the potential for unintended differences in protein profiles. Clear qualitative and quantitative differences were found in the protein patterns of the varieties and landraces examined, with 1,077 of 1,111 protein spots analyzed showing statistically significant differences. The diploid species Solanum phureja could be clearly differentiated from tetraploid (Solanum tuberosum) genotypes. Many of the proteins apparently contributing to genotype differentiation are involved in disease and defense responses, the glycolytic pathway, and sugar metabolism or protein targeting/storage. Only nine proteins out of 730 showed significant differences between GM lines and their controls. There was much less variation between GM lines and their non-GM controls compared with that found between different varieties and landraces. A number of proteins were identified by mass spectrometry and added to a potato tuber two-dimensional protein map.

Modulation of fructokinase activity of potato (Solanum tuberosum) results in substantial shifts in tuber metabolism

Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cvs Desiree and Record) transformed with sense and antisense constructs of a cDNA encoding the potato fructokinase StFK1 exhibited altered transcription of this gene, altered amount of protein and altered enzyme activities. Measurement of the maximal catalytic activity of fructokinase revealed a 2-fold variation in leaf (from 90 to 180% of wild type activity) and either a 10- or 30-fold variation in tuber (from 10 or 30% to 300% in Record and Desiree, respectively) activity. The comparative effect of the antisense construct in leaf and tuber tissue suggests that this isoform is only a minor contributor to the total fructokinase activity in the leaf but the predominant isoform in the tuber. Antisense inhibition of the fructokinase resulted in a reduced tuber yield; however, its overexpression had no impact on this parameter. The modulation of fructokinase activity had few, consistent effects on carbohydrate levels, with the exception of a general increase in glucose content in the antisense lines, suggesting that this enzyme is not important for the control of starch synthesis. However, when metabolic fluxes were estimated, it became apparent that the transgenic lines display a marked shift in metabolism, with the rate of redistribution of radiolabel to sucrose markedly affected by the activity of fructokinase. These data suggest an important role for fructokinase, acting in concert with sucrose synthase, in maintaining a balance between sucrose synthesis and degradation by a mechanism independent of that controlled by the hexose phosphate-mediated activation of sucrose phosphate synthase.

Selectable marker genes in transgenic plants: applications, alternatives and biosafety

Approximately fifty marker genes used for transgenic and transplastomic plant research or crop development have been assessed for efficiency, biosafety, scientific applications and commercialization. Selectable marker genes can be divided into several categories depending on whether they confer positive or negative selection and whether selection is conditional or non-conditional on the presence of external substrates. Positive selectable marker genes are defined as those that promote the growth of transformed tissue whereas negative selectable marker genes result in the death of the transformed tissue. The positive selectable marker genes that are conditional on the use of toxic agents, such as antibiotics, herbicides or drugs were the first to be developed and exploited. More recent developments include positive selectable marker genes that are conditional on non-toxic agents that may be substrates for growth or that induce growth and differentiation of the transformed tissues. Newer strategies include positive selectable marker genes which are not conditional on external substrates but which alter the physiological processes that govern plant development. A valuable companion to the selectable marker genes are the reporter genes, which do not provide a cell with a selective advantage, but which can be used to monitor transgenic events and manually separate transgenic material from non-transformed material. They fall into two categories depending on whether they are conditional or non-conditional on the presence of external substrates. Some reporter genes can be adapted to function as selectable marker genes through the development of novel substrates. Despite the large number of marker genes that exist for plants, only a few marker genes are used for most plant research and crop development. As the production of transgenic plants is labor intensive, expensive and difficult for most species, practical issues govern the choice of selectable marker genes that are used. Many of the genes have specific limitations or have not been sufficiently tested to merit their widespread use. For research, a variety of selection systems are essential as no single selectable marker gene was found to be sufficient for all circumstances. Although, no adverse biosafety effects have been reported for the marker genes that have been adopted for widespread use, biosafety concerns should help direct which markers will be chosen for future crop development. Common sense dictates that marker genes conferring resistance to significant therapeutic antibiotics should not be used. An area of research that is growing rapidly but is still in its infancy is the development of strategies for eliminating selectable marker genes to generate marker-free plants. Among the several technologies described, two have emerged with significant potential. The simplest is the co-transformation of genes of interest with selectable marker genes followed by the segregation of the separate genes through conventional genetics. The more complicated strategy is the use of site-specific recombinases, under the control of inducible promoters, to excise the marker genes and excision machinery from the transgenic plant after selection has been achieved. In this review each of the genes and processes will be examined to assess the alternatives that exist for producing transgenic plants.

Quantitative promoter analysis in Physcomitrella patens: a set of plant vectors activating gene expression within three orders of magnitude

Background

In addition to studies of plant gene function and developmental analyses, plant biotechnological use is largely dependent upon transgenic technologies. The moss Physcomitrella patens has become an exciting model system for studying plant molecular processes due to an exceptionally high rate of nuclear gene targeting by homologous recombination compared with other plants. However, its use in transgenic approaches requires expression vectors that incorporate sufficiently strong promoters. To satisfy this requirement, a set of plant expression vectors was constructed and equipped with either heterologous or endogenous promoters.

Results

Promoter activity was quantified using the dual-luciferase reporter assay system. The eight different heterologous promoter constructs tested exhibited expression levels spanning three orders of magnitude. Of these, the complete rice actin1 gene promoter showed the highest activity in Physcomitrella, followed by a truncated version of this promoter and three different versions of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. In contrast, the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase promoter induced transcription rather weakly. Constructs including promoters commonly used in mammalian expression systems also proved to be functional in Physcomitrella. In addition, the 5' -regions of two Physcomitrella glycosyltransferases (i.e. α1,3-fucosyltransferase and β1,2-xylosyltransferase) were identified and functionally characterised in comparison to the heterologous promoters. Furthermore, motifs responsible for enhancement of translation efficiency – such as the TMV omega element and a modified sequence directly prior the start codon – were tested in this model.

Conclusion

We developed a vector set that enables gene expression studies, both in lower and higher land plants, thus providing valuable tools applicable in both basic and applied molecular research.

Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation: the biology behind the "gene-jockeying" tool

Agrobacterium tumefaciens and related Agrobacterium species have been known as plant pathogens since the beginning of the 20th century. However, only in the past two decades has the ability of Agrobacterium to transfer DNA to plant cells been harnessed for the purposes of plant genetic engineering. Since the initial reports in the early 1980s using Agrobacterium to generate transgenic plants, scientists have attempted to improve this "natural genetic engineer" for biotechnology purposes. Some of these modifications have resulted in extending the host range of the bacterium to economically important crop species. However, in most instances, major improvements involved alterations in plant tissue culture transformation and regeneration conditions rather than manipulation of bacterial or host genes. Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation is a highly complex and evolved process involving genetic determinants of both the bacterium and the host plant cell. In this article, I review some of the basic biology concerned with Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Knowledge of fundamental biological principles embracing both the host and the pathogen have been and will continue to be key to extending the utility of Agrobacterium for genetic engineering purposes.

5′ Untranslated region of theHSP18.2 gene contributes to efficient translation in plant cells

Maximizing the amount of protein translated per unit mRNA is an important goal in establishing expression systems. The 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) of mRNA is known to play an important role in determining the rate of translation. The full length 5'-UTR from the Arabidopsis thaliana heat shock protein (HSP) gene,HSPI8.2 gene, was inserted into the cloning site between the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene in the pBI221 plasmid. When this construct was transfected into Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) BY-2 protoplasts, the level of protein was about 10-fold higher than that of unmodified pB1221. The accumulation of each transcript was the same level. We also demonstrated that the 5'-UTR of the HSP18.2 gene enhances the rate of translation in stable transgenic BY-2 clones and Arabidopsis T87 protoplasts. The 5'-UTRs of the other Arabidopsis HSP genes -HSP17.4, HSP81-1,HSP81-2, andHSP81-3 - also conferred efficient translation. These 5'-UTRs ofHSP genes may be of use in increasing the expression of foreign proteins. In combination with a strong promoter, it can be used in the development of efficient protein production systems.

Identification, subcellular localization and some properties of a cysteine-rich suppressor of gene silencing encoded by peanut clump virus

In plants, post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) is part of a defence mechanism against virus infection. Several plant viruses have been shown to encode proteins which can counteract PTGS. In this paper it is demonstrated that P15 of peanut clump pecluvirus (PCV) has anti-PTGS activity. P15 is a small cysteine-rich protein with no sequence similarity to previously described PTGS-suppressor proteins which has several novel properties. It possesses four C-terminal proximal heptad repeats that can potentially mediate a coiled-coil interaction and is targeted to peroxisomes via a C-terminal SKL motif. The coiled-coil sequence is necessary for the anti-PTGS activity of P15, but the peroxisomal localization signal is not, although it is required for efficient intercellular movement of the virus.

Stable transformation of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) using a non-meristematic regeneration protocol and green fluorescent protein as a vital marker

Stable transformation of sunflower was achieved using a non-meristematic hypocotyl explant regeneration protocol of public inbred HA300B. Uniformly transformed shoots were obtained after co-cultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens carrying a gfp (green fluorescent protein) gene containing an intron that blocks expression of gfp in Agrobacterium. Easily detectable, bright green fluorescence of transformed tissues was used to establish an optimal regeneration and transformation procedure. By Southern blot analysis, integration of the gfp and nptll genes was confirmed. Stable transformation efficiency was 0.1%. From 68 T1 plants analyzed, 17 showed transmission of transgene DNA and 15 of them contained the intact gfp gene. Expression of gfp was detected in 10 T1 plants carrying the intact gfp gene using a fluorimetric assay or western blot analysis. Expression of the nptll gene was confirmed in 13 T1 plants. The transformation system enables the rapid transfer of agronomically important genes.

Expression of two subtypes of human IFN-alpha in transgenic potato plants

Plant expression systems have advantages over other in vitro expression systems in terms of low production costs and low risk of contamination by animal viruses or bacterial endotoxins. In this study, cDNA encoding two subtypes of human interferon-alpha2b and 8 (HuIFN-alpha2b and HuIFN-alpha8) were introduced into potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transcription and translation of the inserted HuIFN-alpha cDNA were confirmed by Northern blot analysis and ELISA, respectively. Bioactivity of the products was assayed by inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication on a human amniotic cell line. However, because of the presence of substances in potato tissue extracts that were toxic to animal cells, successful demonstration of IFN bioactivity in the transformants was achieved only after removal of such substances by dialysis. The maximum level of IFN activity in plant extracts was 560 IU/g of tissue. These results indicated that the HuIFN-alpha gene introduced into the potato plant was correctly translated and transcribed in plant cells. This report for the first time shows that biologically active animal cytokines with potential pharmaceutical applications could be expressed in transgenic potato plants.

Advances in the selection of transgenic plants using non-antibiotic marker genes

Production of transgenic plants started more than a decade ago, but it is still a time-consuming operation. One of the critical points is the selection procedure used for the recovery of transgenic shoots after transformation. Moreover, as more transgenic traits are to be incorporated into crops that already have been transformed, it is clear that there is a need for new methods with higher efficiencies. In this article, recently developed selection systems are reviewed. They differ from conventional selection techniques as they are based on supplementing the transgenic cells with a metabolic advantage rather than killing the non-transgenic cells. In many cases, these new selection systems have been found to be superior to conventional methods.