Transformation of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) with isopentenyltransferase gene via Agrobacterium tumefaciens for post-harvest yellowing retardation

Transgenic plantlets with a retarding effect on post-harvest yellowing in broccoli have been generated via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of cytokinin synthesizing ipt (isopentenyltransferase) gene. The ipt gene is constructed under the control of senescence-associated gene promoters from Arabidopsis in the forms of pSG529(+) and pSG766A, which were the gifts from Dr R.M. Amasino at University of Wisconsin, Madison. Evidence of transgene integration was confirmed by assays on neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) activity of selection markers, PCR and Southern hybridization. Based on the chlorophyll retention rate (>50%) after 4 days of post-harvest storage at 25 °C, it was found that 31% of transformants exhibited the effect of retarding yellowing in detached leaves, with 16% having the effect on florets and 7.2% on both leaves and florets. RT-PCR revealed that ipt gene expression occurred early on the day of detachment. Factors such as vacuum aid infiltration, plasmid differences, explant types, seedling ages and kanamycin concentrations were also studied. Putative transformation frequencies tended to vary with plasmids and explant types. The advantage of vacuum aid infiltration depended on explant types. The optimal kanamycin concentration should be determined experimentally for each study to avoid the high escape rate of kanamycin selection. Flow cytometric analysis of explant nuclear DNA phases was found to be helpful for selecting suitable explants for transformation and minimizing the polyploid transformants. A reproducible transformation protocol without any pre-culture was established for explants of hypocotyl, cotyledon, and peduncle. Most of the ipt transformants with a retarding effect on yellowing had a chimeric nature but showed little or no serious morphological abnormality in comparison with their parental line. Through proper selection, transformation lines with the capability of retarding post-harvest yellowing in broccoli should be feasible.     

Production of transgenic pineapple (Ananas cosmos (L.) Merr.) plants via adventitious bud regeneration

A new protocol for the production of transgenic pineapple plants was developed. Adventitious buds were induced directly from Agrobacterium-infected leaf bases and stem discs of in vitro plants, bypassing the establishment of callus cultures. Non-chimeric transgenic plants were obtained by multiple subculturing of primary transformants under increasing levels of selection. A total of 42 independent transgenic lines were produced from two cultivars with two different constructs: one containing a modified rice cystatin gene (Oc-IΔD86) and the other with the anti-sense gene to pineapple aminocyclopropane synthase (ACS). GUS histochemical staining provided the first evidence of the non-chimeric nature of the transformed plants. Their non-chimeric nature was further demonstrated by PCR analyses of the DNA extracted from individual leaves of a primary transformed plant and also from multiple plants propagated from a single transformation event. Southern hybridization confirmed random integration patterns of transgenes in the independent lines. For the Oc-IΔD86 gene, the expression at the mRNA level was detected via RT-PCR and its translation was detected by protein blot. Agronomic evaluation and bioassays of the transgenic plants will further validate the utility of this new tool for pineapple improvement.     

Transformation of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum)

Transformed plants from three cultivars of Eustoma grandiflorum (lisianthus) were produced by cocultivating young leaf pieces with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain A722 containing the binary vectors pKIWI110 and pLN26. Both vectors contain the selectable marker gene for neomycin phosphotransferase II. pKIWI110 also contains the reporter gene for β-d-glucuronidase, and pLN26, the chalcone synthase antisense gene. Southern DNA analysis revealed that all the kanamycin-resistant transformants tested contained copies of the transgenes integrated in their genome. The two plants transformed with pKIWI110 show β-d-glucuronidase expression in their mature leaves and selected transformants passed on the kanamycin-resistant phenotype to the F1 generation. Received: 8 January 1997 / Revision received: 12 May 1997 / Accepted: 3 June 1997     

Suppressed Leaf Senescence in Chrysanthemum Transformed with a Mutated Ethylene Receptor GenemDG-ERS1(etr1-4)

Previously, Narumi et al. (2005) generated chrysanthemum plants transformed with a mutated ethylene receptor gene (mDG-ERS1(etr1-4<), and showed that thein vitro plantlets of the transformants grown aseptically in a small plastic container had a reduced sensitivity to ethylene resulting in reduced leaf yellowing after exposure to exogenous ethylene. In the present study we evaluated ethylene sensitivity of the transformants using soil-grown mature plants. When the shoots detached from soil-grown plants were treated with exogenous ethylene under continuous light, leaf yellowing (senescence) was delayed in the transformants as compared with the non-transformed plants. Furthermore, when the detached shoots were kept in darkness without ethylene treatment, the transformants showed reduced senescence as compared with those of the non-transformed plants. These results demonstrated that the mutated ethylene receptor genemDG-ERS1(etr1-4) could confer reduced sensitivity to ethylene in the leaves of mature chrysanthemum plants. This gene may be useful to generate transgenicCompositae vegetables with leaves green for a longer time and thus having a longer shelf life.     

Transgenic and herbicide resistant pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) R.Br. via microprojectile bombardment of scutellar tissue

Four different pearl millet breeding lines were transformed and led to the regeneration of fertile transgenic plants. Scutellar tissue was bombarded with two plasmids containing the bar selectable marker and the -glucuronidase reporter gene (gus or uidA) under control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter or the maize Ubiquitin1 promoter (the CaMV 35S is not a maize promoter). For the delivery of the DNA-coated microprojectiles, either the particle gun PDS 1000/He or the particle inflow gun was used. The calli and regenerants were selected for their resistance to the herbicide Basta (glufosinate ammonium) mediated by the bar gene. Putative transformants were screened for enzyme activity by painting selected leaves or spraying whole plants with an aqueous solution of the herbicide Basta and by the histochemical GUS assay using cut leaf segments. PCR and Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated the presence of introduced foreign genes in the genomic DNA of the transformants. Five regenerated plants represent independent transformation events and have been grown to maturity and set seed. The integration of the bar selectable and the gus reporter gene was confirmed by genomic Southern blot analysis in all five plants. All five plants had multiple integrations of both marker genes. To date, the T₁ progeny of three out of four lines generated by the PDS particle gun shows co-segregating marker genes, indicating an integration of the bar and the gus gene at the same locus in the genome.     

Increased transformation frequency and tagging of developmental genes in Aspergillus nidulans by restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI)

We have used a plasmid containing the argB gene to transform an Aspergillus nidulansargB-deleted strain in the presence of restriction enzymes and show a 20- to 60-fold increase in transformation frequency via restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI). This procedure was used to try to tag new genes involved in the asexual development of this fungus. More than 2000 transformants isolated following electroporation of conidia and ∼3700 transformants recovered following protoplast fusion were screened for sporulation defects. Unexpectedly, developmental mutants were obtained only when the protoplast fusion approach was used. Southern blot analysis of these mutants, and of randomly selected transformants obtained by electroporation, was consistent with the occurrence of single plasmid integration events in 33 and 65% of the cases, respectively. The argB marker was shown to be tightly linked to the mutant phenotype in only 62% of the mutants analyzed by sexual crosses. Partial DNA sequencing of a tagged gene, whose mutation delays asexual sporulation and results in a fluffy phenotype, showed no homology to previously reported sequences. Our results indicate that REMI can be used in A. nidulans to increase the transformation frequency and illustrate the advantages and potential problems when using REMI to tag genes of interest in this and other fungi. Received: 22 August 1997 / Accepted: 20 November 1997     

Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation of reed (Phragmites communis Trinius) using mature seed‐derived calli

Reed (Phragmites communis) is a potential bioenergy plant. We report on its first Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation using mature seed‐derived calli. The Agrobacterium strains LBA4404, EHA105, and GV3101, each harboring the binary vector pIG121Hm, were used to optimize T‐DNA delivery into the reed genome. Bacterial strain, cocultivation period and acetosyringone concentration significantly influenced the T‐DNA transfer. About 48% transient expression and 3.5% stable transformation were achieved when calli were infected with strain EHA105 for 10 min under 800 mbar negative pressure and cocultivated for 3 days in 200 μm acetosyringone containing medium. Putative transformants were selected in 25 mg l^?1 hygromycin B. PCR, and Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of the transgenes and their stable integration. Independent transgenic lines contained one to three copies of the transgene. Transgene expression was validated by RT‐PCR and GUS staining of stems and leaves.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of embryogenic tissues of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze)

Embryogenic tissues of tea were cocultivated withAgrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. The plasmid pBi121, which contains the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene providing kanamycin resistance as a selectable marker and the β-glucuronidase (uidA) reporter gene, was used as binary vector. The highest transformation frequency (12 transformants/g fresh weight [FW] of treated embryogenic tissue) was obtained with 5-day-old tissues grown in liquid medium and cocultivated withAgrobacterium for 2 d in the same medium but containing 50 μM acetosyringone. There was improvement in the recovery of kanamycin-resistant tissues when tissues were first grown for 10 d on a medium containing 350 mg/L Timentin to prevent bacterial overgrowth, before application of the selection pressure. Resistant tissues obtained after 6 wk on kanamycin-selection medium showed stableuidA expression. Polymerase chain reaction demonstrated the presence of the transgenes, while Southern hybridization confirmed their integration into the genome. Transgenic plants were regenerated from transformed tissues within 4 mo after coculture.     

Increased transformation frequency and tagging of developmental genes in Aspergillus nidulans by restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI)

We have used a plasmid containing the argB gene to transform an Aspergillus nidulansargB-deleted strain in the presence of restriction enzymes and show a 20- to 60-fold increase in transformation frequency via restriction enzyme-mediated integration (REMI). This procedure was used to try to tag new genes involved in the asexual development of this fungus. More than 2000 transformants isolated following electroporation of conidia and ～3700 transformants recovered following protoplast fusion were screened for sporulation defects. Unexpectedly, developmental mutants were obtained only when the protoplast fusion approach was used. Southern blot analysis of these mutants, and of randomly selected transformants obtained by electroporation, was consistent with the occurrence of single plasmid integration events in 33 and 65% of the cases, respectively. The argB marker was shown to be tightly linked to the mutant phenotype in only 62% of the mutants analyzed by sexual crosses. Partial DNA sequencing of a tagged gene, whose mutation delays asexual sporulation and results in a fluffy phenotype, showed no homology to previously reported sequences. Our results indicate that REMI can be used in A.?nidulans to increase the transformation frequency and illustrate the advantages and potential problems when using REMI to tag genes of interest in this and other fungi.     

Comparison of genetic transformation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Morus alba</Emphasis> L. via different regeneration systems

Three different regeneration systems, viz. direct regeneration of adventitious shoot buds from explant, regeneration through callus cultures and somatic embryos were compared to see their effect on transfer of neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene (gus) to Morus alba clone M5, through Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. Pre-conditioning and co-cultivation durations had a marked effect on transformation frequency. The highest transformation frequency of 18.6% was obtained using direct induction of adventitious shoot buds. Expression and presence of transgene were assayed histochemically and through polymerase chain reaction. Southern analysis of GUS and PCR positive transformants confirmed stable integration of transgenes with two to four copy numbers. The selected transformants showed normal phenotype under in vitro and field conditions.     

Isolation and molecular analysis of the phosphoglucose isomerase structural gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary The PGI1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae coding for the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase has been cloned by complementation of a mutant strain (pgi1) with a strongly reduced phosphoglucose isomerase activity. A genomic library constructed in the yeast multicopy vector YEp13 (Nasmyth and Tatchell 1980) was used. Four plasmids containing an overlapping region of 4.1 kb were isolated and characterized by restriction endonuclease mapping. Southern analysis of genomic digests prepared with different restriction enzymes confirmed the same pattern for the chromosomal sequences. Transformants with the isolated plasmids had a phosphoglucose isomerase activity increased by a factor of 7. The cloned sequence hybridized to a constitutively synthesized 2.2 kb RNA in Northern analysis. The coding region includes a 2.05 kb EcoRI fragment common to all four inserts. A fragment including part of the PGI1 region was subcloned into vector YRp7 and used to induce integration at the PGI1 locus. Genetical and Southern analysis of stable transformants showed that single as well as tandem integration took place at this locus. This showed that the PGI1 gene had been isolated. Finally, and in contrast to the results of Kempe et al. (1974a, b) who reported three isoenzymes in yeasts, only one copy of the PGI1 gene per genome was found in several laboratory strains tested by Southern analysis.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis> -mediated transformation of cotton (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium hirsutum</Emphasis>) using a heterologous bean chitinase gene

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., var. Coker 312) hypocotyl explants were transformed with three strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, LBA4404, EHA101 and C58, each harboring the recombinant binary vector pBI121 containing the chi gene insert and neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) gene, as selectable marker. Inoculated tissue sections were placed onto cotton co-cultivation medium. Transformed calli were selected on MS medium containing 50 mg l⁻¹ kanamycin and 200 mg l⁻¹ cepotaxime. Putative calli were subsequently regenerated into cotton plantlets expressing both the kanamycin resistance gene and βglucuronidase (gus) as a reporter gene. Polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the integration of chi and nptII transgenes in the T₁ plants genome. Integration of chi gene into the genome of putative transgenic was further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. ‘Western’ immunoblot analysis of leaves isolated from T₀ transformants and progeny plants (T₁) revealed the presence of an immunoreactive band with MW of approximately 31 kDa in transgenic cotton lines using anti-chitinase-I polyclonal anti-serum. Untransformed control and one transgenic line did not show such an immunoreactive band. Chitinase specific activity in leaf tissues of transgenic lines was several folds greater than that of untransformed cotton. Crude leaf extracts from transgenic lines showed in vitro inhibitory activity against Verticillium dahliae.Transgenic plants currently growing in a greenhouse and will be bioassayed for improved resistance against V. dahlia the causal against of verticilliosis in cotton.     

Transgenic broccoli expressing aBacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal protein: Implications for pest resistance management strategies

We usedAgrobacterium tumefaciens to transform flowering stalk explants of five genotypes of broccoli with a construct containing the neomycin phosphotransferase gene and aBacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene [CryIA(c) type] optimized for plant expression. Overall transformation efficiency was 6.4%; 181 kanamycin-resistant plants were recovered. Of the 162 kanamycin-resistant plants tested, 112 (69%) caused 100% morality of 1st-instar larvae of aBt-susceptible diamondback moth strain. Southern blots of some resistant transformants confirmed presence of theBt gene. Selected plants that gave 100% mortality of susceptible larvae allowed survival of a strain of diamondback moth that had evolved resistance toBt in the field. F₁ hybrids between resistant and susceptible insects did not survive. Analysis of progeny from 26 resistant transgenic lines showed 16 that gave segregation ratios consistent with a single T-DNA integration. Southern analysis was used to verify those plants possessing a single T-DNA integration. Because these transgenic plants kill susceptible larvae and F₁ larvae, but serve as a suitable host for resistant ones, they provide an excellent model for tests ofBt resistance management strategies.     

Variation in the inheritance of expression among subclones for unselected (uidA) and selected (bar) transgenes in maize (Zea mays L.)

Variation in the inheritance of expression among subclones for an unselected (uidA) and a selected (bar) transgene was analyzed in two individual transformation events in maize. The unselectable gene (uidA) and the selectable gene (bar), on two separate plasmids, were transferred to maize (Hi-II derivative) by particle bombardment of embryogenic calli or suspension cells. A total of 188 fertile T1 plants were obtained from one transformant (transformation event BG which integrated uidA and bar). A total of 98 fertile T1 plants were obtained from a second transformant (transformation event B which integrated bar). Through self-pollination and/or cross-pollination in the greenhouse, approximately 10 000 T2 progeny were obtained from event BG, and more than 1000 T2 progeny were obtained from event B. Segregation of transgene expression was analyzed statistically in a total of 2350 T2 progeny from 40 T1 subclones of event BG and in 217 T2 progeny from six T1 subclones from event B. Variation in the inheritance of expression among subclones for the two transgenes (uidA and bar) was observed in the two transformants. A significant difference was observed between the use of the female or male as the transgenic parent in the inheritance of expression for the two transgenes in event BG. No inheritance through the pollen was observed in two of four T1 subclones analyzed in event B. Co-expression analysis of event BG showed that both transgenes were co-expressed in 67.7% of the T2 plants which expressed at least one of the two transgenes. Of the T2 expressing plants, 30.4% expressed only bar, and 1.9% expressed only uidA. Inactivation of the unselected (uidA) and the selected (bar) transgenes was observed in individual T2 plants.     

A set of Hansenula polymorpha integrative vectors to construct lacZ fusions

A set of YEp Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based, integrative Hansenula polymorpha plasmids was constructed to express lacZ gene under yeast gene promoters. The HpLEU2 and HpURA3 genes were used both as markers and to target the integration of plasmids into the corresponding H. polymorpha genome locus. The frequency of transformation reached with these plasmids linearised either in HpLEU2 or HpURA3 was around 100 transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA; in all transformants checked by Southern blotting the plasmid was integrated into the genome locus corresponding to the gene plasmid marker. PCR showed that about 50% of the transformants contained more than one plasmid copy per genome. Experiments carried out using the developed plasmids to determine the strength of the gene promoters involved in nitrate assimilation in H. polymorpha revealed that, in the presence of nitrate, the nitrate reductase gene promoter (YNR1) was the strongest, followed by nitrite reductase (YNI1) and nitrate transporter (YNT1). Received: 5 February 1999 / Received revision: 31 May 1999 / Accepted: 4 June 1999     

Development of transgenic pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) plants resistant to downy mildew

Transgenic pearl millet lines expressing pin gene—exhibiting high resistance to downy mildew pathogen, Sclerospora graminicola—were produced using particle-inflow-gun (PIG) method. Shoot-tip-derived embryogenic calli were co-bombarded with plasmids containing pin and bar genes driven by CaMV 35S promoter. Bombarded calli were cultured on MS medium with phosphinothricin as a selection agent. Primary transformants 1T₀, 2T₀, and 3T₀ showed the presence of both bar and pin coding sequences as evidenced by PCR and Southern blot analysis, respectively. T₁ progenies of three primary transformants, when evaluated for downy mildew resistance, segregated into resistant and susceptible phenotypes. T₁ plants resistant to downy mildew invariably exhibited tolerance to Basta suggesting co-segregation of pin and bar genes. Further, the downy mildew resistant 1T₁ plants were found positive for pin gene in Southern and Northern analyses thereby confirming stable integration, expression, and transmission of pin gene. 1T₂ progenies of 1T₀ conformed to dihybrid segregation of 15 resistant:1 susceptible plants.     

An effective method of sonication-assisted <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of chickpeas

An efficient and reproducible transformation method of sonication- assisted Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (SAAT) was developed for chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Agrobacterium tumefaciens (LBA4404) harboring pCAMBIA1305.2 was used to transform decapitated embryo explants of two cultivars of chickpeas. By using a series of co-cultivation, callus induction, shoot initiation and root inducing media, a large number of transgenic plants were recovered. Transient expressions of GUS gene were detected by X-Gluc histochemical assay in transformed tissues. DNA analysis of T0 and T1 plants by PCR and Southern hybridization confirmed the integration of transgenes in initial and next generation transformants in different transgenic lines. The transformation efficiency was more than two times higher in SAAT treatment than simple Agrobacterium without sonication.