Effect of Ambiol on Stem Growth in Regenerants of Source and Transgenic Potato Plants

The effects of ambiol, a new growth regulator, on stem growth and morphological features of stem development have been compared in regenerants of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., var. Desire) plants transgenic for a defensin gene and in original potato plants. The original and transgenic plants exhibited differences in shoot development, which were observed both in control settings (no ambiol) and in the presence of various ambiol concentrations. In addition to normal plants of both forms, plant regenerants with morphological deviations were present in ambiol-treated groups. It is suggested that the abnormal shoot development observed in original and transgenic potato plants treated with ambiol is associated with (a) hormonal changes caused by expression of the defensin gene in the transgenic plants and (b) effects of ambiol on the hormonal balance of the plants.     

Fructan as a New Carbohydrate Sink in Transgenic Potato Plants

Fructans are polyfructose molecules that function as nonstructural storage carbohydrates in several plant species that are important crops. We have been studying plants for their ability to synthesize and degrade fructans to determine if this ability is advantageous. We have also been analyzing the ability to synthesize fructan in relation to other nonstructural carbohydrate storage forms like starch. To study this, we induced fructan accumulation in normally non-fructan-storing plants and analyzed the metabolic and physiological properties of such plants. The normally non-fructan-storing potato plant was modified by introducing the microbial fructosyltransferase genes so that it could accumulate fructans. Constructs were created so that the fructosyltransferase genes of either Bacillus subtilis (sacB) or Streptococcus mutans (ftf) were fused to the vacuolar targeting sequence of the yeast carboxypeptidase Y (cpy) gene. These constructs were placed under the control of the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and introduced into potato tissue. The regenerated potato plants accumulated high molecular mass (>5 [times] 106 D) fructan molecules in which the degree of polymerization of fructose units exceeded 25,000. Fructan accumulation was detected in every plant tissue tested. The fructan content in the transgenic potato plants tested varied between 1 and 30% of dry weight in leaves and 1 and 7% of dry weight in microtubers. Total nonstructural neutral carbohydrate content in leaves of soil-grown plants increased dramatically from 7% in the wild type to 35% in transgenic plants. Our results demonstrated that potato plants can be manipulated to store a foreign carbohydrate by introducing bacterial fructosyltransferase genes. This modification affected photosynthate partitioning in microtubers and leaves and increased nonstructural carbohydrate content in leaves.     

Expression and Characterization of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Transgenic Potato Plants

Transgenic potato plants expressing the gene of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) under the control of the double promoter of 35S RNA of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35SS) and the promoter of patatin gene of potato tubers have been obtained. Biochemical analysis of the plants was performed. The amount of HBsAg in leaves, microtubers, and tubers of transgenic potatoes growing in vitro and in vivo was 0.005-0.035% of the total soluble protein. HBsAg content reached 1 microg/g in potato tubers and was maximal in plants expressing the HBsAg gene under the control of CaMV 35SS promoter. In transgenic plants expressing HBsAg gene under the control of tuber-specific patatin promoter, HBsAg was found only in microtubers and tubers and was absent in leaves. Western blot analysis of HBsAg eluted from immunoaffinity protein A-Sepharose matrix has been performed. The molecular weight of HBsAg peptide was approximately 24 kD, which is in agreement with the size of the major protein of the envelope of hepatitis B virus. Using gel filtration, it was determined that the product of HBsAg gene expression in potato plants is converted into high-molecular-weight multimeric particles. Therefore, as well as in recombinant HBsAg-yeast cells, assembling of HBsAg monomers into immunogenic aggregates takes place in HBsAg-transgenic potato, which can be used as a source of recombinant vaccine against hepatitis B virus.     

Construction of Plant Expression Vectors and Identification of Transgenic Potato Plants

Potato virus X (PVX), potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) infection in potato may result in the loss of centrification of seed potatoes and affect the quality and yield of potatoes in agricultural production. The authors cloned coat protein (cp) genes of PVX, PVY and PLRV and constructed two kinds of plant expression vector which contain PVX and PVY or PVY and PLRV cp genes. Three major commercial cultivars of potato and one cultivar of tobacco were transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated procedure. Transgenic plants were confirmed by PCR analysis. Transgenic tobacco plants containing both PVX and PVY cp genes were significantly resistant to PVX and PVY infection via mechanical inoculation.     

cry3A和vhb基因在转基因马铃薯中的表达

分别构建了含cry3A和cry3A+vhb基因的植物表达载体pBCry3A和pBC3Vhb,并通过根癌农杆菌介导转化了马铃薯.对转化再生植株进行PCR和DNA印迹分析表明,外源基因已整合到马铃薯基因组中,且连续三代无性繁殖后转基因仍存在.ELISA分析表明cry3A基因在转基因植株中得到了高效表达,在单转cry3A植株中最高表达量达0.1%,转cry3A与vhb双基因株系中为0.065%.水涝试验显示,转双基因且vhb mRNA的RT-PCR呈阳性的马铃薯植株,对低氧胁迫有较好的耐受性,表明获得的上述转双基因马铃薯株系可能会具有很好的抗虫和耐涝性能.     

转基因植物环境安全性研究进展

随着转基因植物在全球范围内的广泛种植,其环境安全性问题也日益受到重视。对转基因植物的环境安全性问题进行了综述,主要从转基因植物的杂草化、基因漂移、对非靶标和靶标生物的影响等方面阐述了转基因植物对生态环境的影响。     

Tuber Formation and Growth of in vitro Cultivated Transgenic Potato Plants Overproducing Phytochrome B

We studied the effect of the ectopic expression of the Arabidopsis PHYB gene, which encodes the phytochrome B (phyB) apoprotein, under the control of cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter on the photoperiodic response of tuberization and growth of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Désirée) transformed lines. Stem cuttings of transformed and control plants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog nutrient medium containing 5 or 8% sucrose in the phytotron chambers at 20°C under conditions of a long day (16 h), a short day (10 h), or in darkness. We showed that the overexpression of the PHYB gene enhanced the inhibitory effect of the long day on tuberization. In addition, tuber initiation in these transformed plants occurred at a higher sucrose concentration. The insertion of the PHYB gene decreased plant and tuber weights and shortened stems and internodes. Thus, we demonstrated the complex result of the PHYB gene insertion: it affected the photoperiodic response of tuberization, the control of tuber initiation by sucrose, and the growth of potato vegetative organs.     

The Morphogenetic Potential of Transgenic Tobacco Plants Expressing Genes of Bacterial Glucanases with Distinct Substrate Specificity

The expression of the bacterial gene for thermostable -1,3-glucanase in transgenic tobacco plants was shown to induce substantial changes in plant morphogenetic potential, whereas the expression of -1,3; 1,4-glucanase did not affect essentially plant morphogenesis. Our results permit the suggestion that the expression of bacterial -1,3-glucanase in plants elevated the level of endogenous auxin.     

Rhizosphere Communities of Genetically Modified Zeaxanthin-Accumulating Potato Plants and Their Parent Cultivar Differ Less than Those of Different Potato Cultivars

The effects of genetically modified (GM), zeaxanthin-accumulating potato plants on microbial communities in the rhizosphere were compared to the effects of different potato cultivars. Two GM lines and their parental cultivar, as well as four other potato cultivars, were grown in randomized field plots at two sites and in different years. Rhizosphere samples were taken at three developmental stages during plant growth and analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints of Bacteria, Actinobacteria, Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria, Bacillus, Streptomycetaceae, Pseudomonas, gacA, Fungi, and Ascomycetes. In the bacterial DGGE gels analyzed, significant differences between the parental cultivar and the two GM lines were detected mainly for Actinobacteria but also for Betaproteobacteria and Streptomycetaceae, yet these differences occurred only at one site and in one year. Significant differences occurred more frequently for Fungi, especially Ascomycetes, than for bacteria. When all seven plant genotypes were compared, DGGE analysis revealed that different cultivars had a greater effect on both bacterial and fungal communities than genetic modification. The effects of genetic modification were detected mostly at the senescence developmental stage of the plants. The site was the overriding factor affecting microbial community structure compared to the plant genotype. In general, the fingerprints of the two GM lines were more similar to that of the parental cultivar, and the differences observed did not exceed natural cultivar-dependent variability.Microorganisms play a key role in agriculture because they are important for plant growth and health, turnover of organic material, and maintenance of ecosystem functions. In the rhizosphere, defined as the soil influenced by the plant roots (37), microorganisms benefit from nutrients provided by root exudates and form close relationships with the plants. The plant species and also the plant genotypes have been reported to influence microbial communities in the rhizosphere (15, 17, 22, 28, 29, 36). Despite the importance of soil microbes for soil and plant health, the response of these microbes to large-scale cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops is still poorly understood. Gene technology offers the possibility of more targeted modification of a plant compared to classical breeding approaches, which might limit effects on associated microbes. Therefore, whether a single genetic modification correlates with a less pronounced effect on microbial communities in the rhizosphere needs to be assessed.Potatoes with increased zeaxanthin levels in their tubers were designed as a functional food to counteract age-related macular degeneration, which is a major cause of visual impairment in elderly people. It has been shown that dietary intake of a high level of zeaxanthin significantly reduces the risk of suffering from this disease (10, 35). Zeaxanthin is naturally produced in potato plants but is further modified to violaxanthin via the enzyme zeaxanthin epoxidase. Downregulation of the zeaxanthin epoxidase gene resulted in accumulation of zeaxanthin in tubers of GM potato plants (34). However, the possibility that additional plant metabolic processes, as well as root exudation patterns, are affected by the genetic modifications cannot be excluded.While many studies have aimed at investigating potential impacts of GM plants on their associated microbial communities (for reviews, see references 3 and 26), the majority of studies conducted so far only compared a GM line to a non-GM line (4, 9, 20, 21). However, potential effects of GM plants on microbial communities need to be evaluated in light of natural variation among cultivars of the same plant species. Recently, a study of the rhizosphere communities of fructan-producing GM potatoes compared to those of isogenic controls and conventional cultivars failed to show plant genotype effects (2). However, this result was based only on analysis of Bacteria and did not consider potential effects on different microbial groups.The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of the growth of zeaxanthin-accumulating potatoes on microbial communities in the rhizosphere and to relate putative effects to natural variation among potato cultivars. Effects were ascertained at two different sites and in several years. Compared to previous studies, this study provides a comprehensive in-depth analysis of the response of various bacterial and fungal groups to potential effects of two GM lines. We investigated the hypothesis that the effects of the genetic modification on rhizosphere communities were less pronounced than the effects of genotype differences among cultivars resulting from conventional breeding.     

Antisense Inhibition of Threonine Synthase Leads to High Methionine Content in Transgenic Potato Plants

Methionine (Met) and threonine (Thr) are members of the aspartate family of amino acids. In plants, their biosynthetic pathways diverge at the level of O-phosphohomo-serine (Ser). The enzymes cystathionine gamma-synthase and Thr synthase (TS) compete for the common substrate O-phosphohomo-Ser with the notable feature that plant TS is activated through S-adenosyl-Met, a metabolite derived from Met. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, we engineered TS antisense potato (Solanum tuberosum cv Désirée) plants using the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. In leaf tissues, these transgenics exhibit a reduction of TS activity down to 6% of wild-type levels. Thr levels are reduced to 45% wild-type controls, whereas Met levels increase up to 239-fold depending on the transgenic line and environmental conditions. Increased levels of homo-Ser and homo-cysteine indicate increased carbon allocation into the aspartate pathway. In contrast to findings in Arabidopsis, increased Met content has no detectable effect on mRNA or protein levels or on the enzymatic activity of cystathionine gamma-synthase in potato. Tubers of TS antisense potato plants contain a Met level increased by a factor of 30 and no reduction in Thr. These plants offer a major biotechnological advance toward the development of crop plants with improved nutritional quality.     

转基因植物中报道基因GUS的活性检测及其应用

GUS基因是目前转基因植物中应用最为广泛的报道基因。GUS基因在转基因植物中的活性检测方法有组织化学定位法、分光光度法、荧光分析法、聚丙烯酰胺凝胶原位分析法等。     

cry3A和vhb基因在转基因马铃薯中的表达

分别构建了含cry3A和cry3A+vhb基因的植物表达载体pBCry3A和pBC₃Vhb,并通过根癌农杆菌介导转化了马铃薯. 对转化再生植株进行PCR和DNA印迹分析表明,外源基因已整合到马铃薯基因组中, 且连续三代无性繁殖后转基因仍存在. ELISA分析表明cry3A基因在转基因植株中得到了高效表达, 在单转cry3A植株中最高表达量达0.1%, 转cry3A与vhb双基因株系中为0.065%. 水涝试验显示,转双基因且vhb mRNA的RT-PCR呈阳性的马铃薯植株,对低氧胁迫有较好的耐受性, 表明获得的上述转双基因马铃薯株系可能会具有很好的抗虫和耐涝性能.     

干旱耐逆基因（HS1）转化甘薯获得转基因植株

以甘薯（1pomoeabatatas（L.）Lam．）品种栗子香的胚性悬浮细胞为受体材料,用根癌农杆菌介导法,获得了表达除草剂抗性基因bar基因的转HSl基因甘薯植株。共计380个遗传转化的胚性细胞团,在添加2mg／L2．4-D、100mg／L Carb和10mg／L Glu（glufosinate）的固体Ms培养基上选择培养9周后,得到了12个Glu抗性愈伤组织。将这些抗性愈伤组织转移到添加1mg／L ABA、100mg／L羧苄青霉素和10mg／L Glu的固体MS培养基上,其中的3个抗性愈伤组织再生出拟转基因植株。PCR鉴定它们为转基因植株。Southern blot分析表明,HS1基因已整合到基因组中。转基因植株具有稳定的除草剂抗性。结薯观察实验结果表明,转基因植株结薯正常。     

Resistance to Potato Virus X Infection in Transgenic Tobacco Plants with Coat Protein Gene of Virus

A major commercial cultivar of tobacco was transformed via Agrobacterium mediated procedure. Tobacco leaves started to form shoots on shoot inducing medium containing kanamycin after infected by Agrobacterium containing the plasmid with PVX CP gene. Regenerated plants were obtained in two weeks on hormone-free MS medium containing kanamycin. The transgenic tobacco plants were identified with nopaline detection,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot analysis, symptom appearance was significantly delayed and virus accumulation was either absent or reduced in PVX CP gene transformed plants. Progenies of transgenic tobacco plants also gained resistance to PVX infection to a certain degree. These experiments demonstrate that CP protection is effective against PVX.     

利用RNA干涉技术及微束激光转化法培育抗病毒马铃薯

针对马铃薯生产中危害严重、分布广泛并且具有强烈协生作用的马铃薯X病毒和马铃薯Y病毒,开展了抗病毒病的育种研究。采用RT-PCR技术分别克隆了267 bp的编码马铃薯X病毒外壳蛋白(PVX-cp)基因的相对保守区段X和294 bp的编码马铃薯Y病毒外壳蛋白(PVY-cp)基因的相对保守区段Y两个片段,将其按顺序连接,形成融合基因XY,然后分别将融合基因XY正向和反向插入到载体pHANN IBAL中,得到了载体pH IV,再用NoⅠt对pH IV进行酶切,将产生的大片段插入到载体pART27中,得到同时以PVX-cp基因和PVY-cp基因为靶标的XY的RNA i载体pAR IV。采用微束激光穿刺转化技术转化马铃薯品种Favorita的愈伤组织,得到了14株表型正常的转基因植株,转基因植株的southern b lot分析表明,导入的外源融合基因拷贝数介于2~4之间。攻毒实验表明,其中11株转基因植株对PVX、PVYo以及PVX和PVYo混合侵染均表现免疫,而其它3株的病毒浓度也低于对照。这一结果将为利用RNA i干涉技术开展植物抗多种病毒病的育种提供重要依据,验证了所构建的RNA干涉(RNA interference RNA i)载体具有良好的功能,同时又一次证明微束激光穿刺法是一种有效的遗传转化手段。