Cysteine synthase overexpression in tobacco confers tolerance to sulfur-containing environmental pollutants. |
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| Authors: | M Noji M Saito M Nakamura M Aono H Saji K Saito |
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| Institution: | Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Chiba University, Yayoi-cho 1-33, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan. |
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| Abstract: | Cysteine (Cys) synthase O-acetyl-L-Ser(thiol)-lyase, EC 4.2.99.8; CSase] is responsible for the final step in biosynthesis of Cys. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; F(1)) plants with enhanced CSase activities in the cytosol and in the chloroplasts were generated by cross-fertilization of two transformants expressing cytosolic CSase or chloroplastic CSase. The F(1) transgenic plants were highly tolerant to toxic sulfur dioxide and sulfite. Upon fumigation with 0.1 microL L(-1) sulfur dioxide, the Cys and glutathione contents in leaves of F(1) plants were increased significantly, but not in leaves of non-transformed control plants. Furthermore, the leaves of F(1) plants exhibited the increased resistance to paraquat, a herbicide generating active oxygen species. |
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