Production of transgenic Aralia elata regenerated from Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformed roots

Transgenic hairy roots were induced from petiole and root segments of in vitro plant Aralia elata, a medicinal woody shrub, after co-cultivation with A. rhizogenes ATCC 15834. The percentage of putative hairy root induction from root segments was higher (26.7%) than petiole explants (10.0%). Hairy roots showed active production of lateral roots with vigorous elongation. Transgenic plants were regenerated from hairy roots via somatic embryogenesis. These plants had wrinkled leaves, short petioles and numerous lateral hairy roots. The RT-PCR analysis showed the expression of rol A, B, C, D, aux 1 and 2 genes differed between the transgenic lines. Endogenous IAA level was higher in transgenic than non-transgenic plants. Conclusively, transgenic hairy roots were developed for first time in A. elata and the transgenic hairy root lines showed distinct morphological growth pattern and gene expression.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated hairy root production from seedlings of Chinese cabbage

Cruciferous hairy roots are often used for improving drought adaptability, peroxidase production, andin vitro subculturing ofPlasmodiophora brassicae. For metabolic engineering,Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated systems have previously been developed for hairy root production in other plant species. Here, we used therolABC gene binary construct inA. tumefaciens strain GV3101 to establish cultures of Chinese cabbage hairy roots. On both solid and liquid media, therolABC hairy root lines exhibited a wild-type hairy root syndrome in terms of their growth and morphology. This demonstrates that those three genes are sufficient to induce high-quality hairy roots in Chinese cabbage. Such a system could be useful for the stable production of secondary metabolites in that species.     

Hairy root production in Arabidopsis thaliana: cotransformation with a promoter-trap vector results in complex T-DNA integration patterns

 In comparison with the production of transgenic plants, the generation of hairy roots has the advantage that more independent transgenic lines can be produced in a shorter period of time. Therefore, we wanted to combine this approach with the promoter-trapping strategy to identify nematode-induced plant promoters. For the efficient production and culture of transgenic hairy root lines of Arabidopsis thaliana, the standard Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformation procedure was modified to avoid rapid callusing of the hairy roots. An average of 0.72 independent kanamycin-resistant (Km^R) roots were obtained per leaf piece. However, a much lower frequency of reporter gene activation was obtained than expected from experiments with the same vectors in Agrobacterium tumefaciens: of more than 700 independent Km^R hairy roots tested, only 8 were β-glucuronidase (GUS) positive. DNA hybridization was done on ten hairy root lines, of which one had a single truncated T-DNA and the others multiple copies of T-DNA that led to complex hybridization patterns. In a parallel analysis of A. thaliana plants transformed with the same vectors using A. tumefaciens, relatively simple T-DNA integration patterns were obtained. The low occurrence of GUS-positive hairy root lines in our experiments could be explained by the multiple T-DNA copies, especially in inverted array, that result in high frequencies of gene inactivation. Received: 11 August 1998 / Revision received: 17 February 1999 / Accepted: 18 March 1999     

High-efficiency <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium rhizogenes</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of heat inducible sHSP18.2-GUS in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana tabacum</Emphasis>

The chimerical gene, Arabidopsis thaliana sHSP18.2 promoter fused to E. coli gusA gene, was Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformed into Nicotiana tabacum as a heat-regulatable model, and the thermo-inducible expression of GUS activity in N. tabacum transgenic hairy roots was profiled. An activation of A. rhizogenes with acetosyringone (AS) before cocultured with tobacco's leaf disc strongly promoted transgenic hairy roots formation. Transgenic hairy roots formation efficiency of A. rhizogenes precultured with 200 μM AS supplementation was 3.1-fold and 7.5-fold, respectively, compared to the formation efficiency obtained with and without AS supplementation in coculture. Transgenic hairy roots transformed with different AS concentration exhibited a similar pattern of thermo-inducibility after 10 min to 3 h heat treatments detected by GUS expression. The peak of expressed GUS specific activity, 399,530 pmol MUG per mg total protein per min, of the transgenic hairy roots was observed at 48 h after 3 h of 42°C heat treatment, and the expressed GUS specific activity was 7–26 times more than that reported in A. thaliana, tobacco BY-2 cells and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. Interference caused by AS supplementation on the growth of transgenic hairy roots, time-course of GUS expression and its expression level were not observed.     

Improved shoot regeneration protocol for hairy roots of the legume Astragalus sinicus

An improved protocol for shoot regeneration from hairy roots transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes of the legume species Astragalus sinicus (Chinese milk vetch) has been developed. The A. rhizogenes strain DC-AR2 harboring the binary vector pBI121 which carries the uidAgene encoding -glucuronidase activity and the kanamycin resistance gene nptII, was used to transform cut ends of plantlet hypocotyls. Transformed hairy roots were selected on medium containing 75 g ml^–1 kanamycin, and transformation was monitored by detection of the opine mikimopine, histochemical -glucuronidase activity, the polymerase chain reaction, and Southern blot analysis. The cytokinins benzylaminopurine, kinetin, and thidiazuron suppressed the growth of 8-month and 3-year-old hairy roots, but were necessary for adventitious shoot formation that could occur with some lines. Putative somatic embryos developed from transformed roots on medium with 7.5-10.0 mg l^–1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Light did not affect shoot regeneration from transformed hairy roots. This transformation and shoot regeneration system should be useful for testing gene expression quickly and be amenable to studies of shoot morphogenesis and interactions with rol gene expression.     

A model for a bioconversion system with the promoter of the parAt gene,which confers a high level of expression of a transgene in hairy roots

The promoter of the protoplast auxin-regulated (parAt) gene of tobacco, which is expressed throughout the tissues of hairy roots, can be useful for developing a bioconversion system with hairy roots. The parAt gene is shown to be expressed in roots of seedlings and in those of mature tobacco plants. The 5-upstream region of parAt was fused to the coding sequence of the ß-d-glucuronidase (GUS) gene to generate the parAt-GUS fusion gene, which was introduced into the binary vector for Agrobacterium. Hairy roots that carried the fusion gene were obtained (parAt-GUS/hairy root) by infecting tobacco plants with A. rhizogenes carrying the fusion gene in the binary vector. Biochemical analysis with 4-methylumbelliferyl ß-d-glucuronide (MUG), a substrate for GUS, showed that the level of GUS activity was tenfold higher than that of hairy roots carrying the reporter GUS gene, which is linked to the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter (35S-GUS/hairy root). We also examined the rate of conversion of MUG to 4-methylumbel-liferone (MU) by hairy roots when MUG was added to the culture medium of the parAt-GUS/hairy roots. The hairy roots converted MUG to MU at more than ten times as high efficiency as the 35S-GUS/hairy roots. In addition to tobacco, the parAt-GUS gene was similarly expressed in hairy roots from Atropa and Arabidopsis. These results suggest that the promoter of the parAt gene is a useful tool for conversion of various metabolites by hairy root cultures. Correspondence to: Y. Machida     

Expression and regulation of theRSI-1 gene during lateral root initiation

The tomato geneRSI-1 was previously identified as a molecular marker for auxin-induced lateral root initiation. We have further characterized the expression mode of theRSI-1 gene in tomato andArabidopsis thaliana. Northern blot analyses revealed that the gene was induced specifically by auxin in tomato roots and hypocotyls. For experiments with transgenic plants, the 5′ flanking region of theRSI-1 gene was linked to a GUS reporter gene, then transformed into tomato andArabidopsis. In these transgenic tomato plants, GUS activity was detected at the sites of initiation for lateral and adventitious roots. Expression of the fusion gene was auxin-dependent and tissue-specific. This was consistent with results from the northern blot analyses. In transgenicArabidopsis, the overall expression pattern of theRSI-GUS gene, including tissue specificity and auxin inducibility, was comparable to that in transgenic tomato seedlings. These results indicate that an identical regulatory mechanism for lateral root initiation might be conserved in both plants. Thus, the expression mode of theRSI-CUS gene inArabidopsis mutants defective in lateral root development should be investigated to provide details of this process.     

Ri-plasmid as a helper for introducing vector DNA into alfalfa plants

Genetic engineering of legumes and other important dicotyledonous plants is limited because of the difficulty of regenerating plants via cell culture. Since a considerable number of crop plants can be regenerated only from root culture, the introduction of foreign genes into Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced hairy roots may expand the list of crop plants that could be genetically engineered. Here we report genetic transformation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a valuable forage legume, using a virulent strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes containing, in addition to its Ri-plasmid, a binary vector containing a nopaline synthase gene. Plant cells transformed by this vector can be easily identified by their ability to produce nopaline. Transformed alfalfa plants were recovered from A. rhizogenes-induced hairy roots. These transgenic plants were characterized by normal leaf morphology and stem growth but a root system that was shallow and more extensive than normal. These plants were also fertile, set seeds upon self-pollination and outcrossing. Nopaline was detected in R1 progeny. Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of multiple copies of T-DNAs from the Riplasmid in the plant genome in addition to the vector T-DNA.     

Coculture of Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) hairy roots with Rhizobium spp.

Summary We have established an in vitro system for the induction and study of nodulation in Pachyrhizus erosus (jicama) via a hairy root-Rhizobium coculture. In vitro-grown P. erosus plantlets were infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes (ATCC No. 15834) and two hairy root lines were established. Hairy roots were grown in a split-plate system in which compartment I (CI) contained MS medium with nitrogen and different sucrose levels (0–6%), while CII held MS medium without nitrogen and sucrose. Nodule-like structures developed in transformed roots grown in CI with 2–3% surcose, inoculated with Rhizobium sp. and transferred to CII. Nodule-like structures that developed from hairy roots lacked the rigid protective cover observed in nodules from plants grown in soil. Western blot analysis of nodules from hairy roots and untransformed roots (of greenhouse-grown jicama) showed expression of glutamine synthetase leghemoglobin and nodulins. Leghemoglobin was expressed at low levels in hairy root nodules.     

银杏毛状根褐化机制的初步研究

该实验依据现有发根农杆菌侵染法,以银杏无菌苗叶片为外植体,对农杆菌诱导银杏毛状根的实验操作进行优化,并观察记录银杏毛状根继代生长情况,测定继代不同天数的毛状根组织内多酚含量、多酚合成相关酶基因和POD基因相对表达量,以探讨银杏毛状根褐化的生理机制。结果显示:(1)银杏农杆菌侵染最适预培养时间为3d、菌种为R1601、共培养基为White、侵染时间为30min,优化侵染操作后的银杏毛状根诱导率可达72.36%;银杏毛状根继代生长的最适IBA浓度为0.5mg/L。(2)银杏毛状根初始发根时颜色为乳白色,多在伤口处簇生,伸长生长时无向地性,不分叶正背面都能在伤口处诱导出根,且在除菌培养20d时毛状根长可达0.4～0.8cm;继代培养25d时毛状根为白色,继代35d时部分毛状根从根部至中部开始转黄,继代45d时大部分毛状根由白转黄,根部至中部开始有褐化出现。(3)继代35d时毛状根的PAL、C4 H、4CL和POD基因表达量分别为25d的68%、44%、51%、52%;继代45d时PAL、C4 H、4CL、POD基因表达量分别为35d的19%、75%、86%、105%。(4)继代35d、45d的银杏毛状根总酚类含量分别为17.14和13.78mg/g。研究发现,PAL基因表达量变化与其下游的两个关键酶基因(C4 H、4CL)表达量变化不一致,且PAL基因表达量的大幅降低并未对下游C4 H、4CL基因表达有明显影响,说明PAL基因表达量变化对其下游合成速率影响不大,可能不是银杏毛状根苯丙氨酸代谢途径的限速酶;而C4 H与4CL基因表达量变化趋势高度一致,说明C4H应是该途径中的限速酶之一;推测继代前期可能是由PPO作为关键酶参与毛状根褐化反应,导致后期毛状根生长受抑制,POD基因表达水平随之上升,POD参与褐化反应。     

Ri-mediated Transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycyrrhiza uralensis</Emphasis> with a Squalene Synthase Gene (GuSQS1) for Production of Glycyrrhizin

Root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, one of the most important medicinal plants, containing bioactive triterpene saponins (glycyrrhizin). Squalene synthase (SQS) plays a regulatory role in the biosynthesis of triterpene saponins. In the present investigation, SQS coding sequence from G. uralensis was cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a transgenic system was developed for G. uralensis through Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation. The SQS gene placed under a CaMV 35S promoter was transferred into G. uralensis using A. rhizogenes strain ACCC10060. The transformed hairy roots were selected on Murashige and Skoog (1962)-containing phosphinothricin (PPT) and root lines were established. The integration of SQS gene was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot. Three transgenic root lines UP1, UP24, UP31 were obtained and their growth rates were detected. The result showed that transgenic root lines but UP1 line grew faster than control hairy roots; high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis demonstrated the highest glycyrrhizin content of transgenic roots was 2.5 mg/g dry weight and was about 2.6 times higher than control hairy roots. The nucleotide sequences GuSQS1 and GUSQS2 reported in this paper appear in the EMBL nucleotide sequence database with the accession number AM182329 and AM182330, respectively.     

Variability of organ-specific gene expression in transgenic tobacco plants

Variability of expression of introduced marker genes was analysed in a large number of tobacco regenerants from anAgrobacterium-mediated transformation. In spite of standardization of sampling, considerable variation of GUS and NPTII expression was observed between individual transformants at different times of analysis and in different parts of the same plant. Organ-specificity of root versus leaf expression conferred by the par promoter from the haemoglobin gene ofParasponia andersonii in front of thegus gene showed a continuous spectrum. GUS expression in roots was found in 128 out of 140 plants; expression in leaves was found in 46 plants, and was always lower than in the corresponding roots. NPTII expression regulated by the nos promoter also showed a continuous spectrum. Expression levels were generally higher in roots than in leaves. Plants with high GUS expression in leaves showed high NPTII activity as well. A positive correlation between the level of NPTII expression and the numbers of integrated gene copies was noted. Chromosomal position effects and physiological determination are suggested as triggers for the variations. The transformed regenerated tobacco plants were largely comparable to clonal variants.     

Induction of hairy roots and plant regeneration from the medicinal plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pogostemon Cablin</Emphasis>

An efficient transformation system for the medicinal and aromatic plant, Pogostemon cablin Benth was developed by using agropine-type Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834. Hairy roots formed directly from the cut edges of leaf explants or via callus stage 8 days after inoculation with the bacterium. The highest frequency of leaf explant transformation by Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834 was about 80% after infection for 25 days. Hairy roots grew rapidly on plant growth regulators (PGRs)-free Murashige and Skoog (MS) or 6,7-V medium and had characteristics of transformed roots such as fast growth and high lateral branching. The PCR amplification showed that rol genes of Ri plasmid of A. rhizogenes were integrated and expressed into the genome of transformed hairy roots. The hairy root line, PL6, grew very slowly in the first 8 days, then grew very quickly between day 8 and day 24. The optimum medium for callus induction of hairy roots consisted of 2.0 mg l⁻¹ benzyladenine (BA) and 0.1 mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA); while optimum medium for adventitious shoot regeneration from these cultures consisted of 0.1 mg l⁻¹ BA and 0.1 mg l⁻¹ NAA. Adventitious shoots could be rooted on 1/2MS. Southern blot analysis confirmed that rol genes of TL-DNA of Ri plasmid was integrated with at least three copies into the genome of hairy roots- regenerated P. cablin plants. The results presented provide a solid foundation for production of patchouli essential oil from hairy roots or its regenerated plants and also provide possibilities for utilization of artifical polyploidization or chemical mutation of hairy roots for improving germplasm and breeding of a new cultivar of P. cablin.     

An efficient <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium rhizogenes</Emphasis>-mediated transformation protocol of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Withania somnifera</Emphasis>

This is the first report on Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of Withania somnifera for expression of a foreign gene in hairy roots. We transformed leaf and shoot tip explants using binary vector having gusA as a reporter gene and nptII as a selectable marker gene. To improve the transformation efficiency, acetosyringone (AS) was added in three stages, Agrobacterium liquid culture, Agrobacterium infection and co-culture of explants with Agrobacterium. The addition of 75 μM AS to Agrobacterium liquid culture was found to be optimum for induction of vir genes. Moreover, the gusA gene expression in hairy roots was found to be best when the leaves and shoot tips were sonicated for 10 and 20s, respectively. Based on transformation efficiency, the Agrobacterium infection for 60 and 120 min was found to be suitable for leaves and shoot tips, respectively. Amongst the various culture media tested, MS basal medium was found to be best in hairy roots. The transformation efficiency of the improved protocol was recorded 66.5 and 59.5?% in the case of leaf and shoot tip explants, respectively. When compared with other protocols the transformation efficiency of this improved protocol was found to be 2.5 fold higher for leaves and 3.7 fold more for shoot tips. Southern blot analyses confirmed 1–2 copies of the gusA transgene in the lines W1-W4, while 1–4 transgene copies were detected in the line W5 generated by the improved protocol. Thus, we have established a robust and efficient A. rhizogenes mediated expression of transgene (s) in hairy roots of W. somnifera.     

An improved transformation protocol for studying gene expression in hairy roots of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

A transformation protocol, based on co-inoculation with two strains of Agrobacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 and A. rhizogenes 15834 containing a binary vector with the GUS gene, was established for the induction of transgenic hairy roots from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) explants. It resulted in marked improvement in the formation of hairy roots and the integration of the binary vector T-DNA into the host genome. Of 250 inoculated sugar beet hypocotyls, 84% yielded hairy roots 5–7 days after inoculation, of which 70% were co-transformed with the binary vector T-DNA. To determine stable expression of alien genes in hairy roots, the nematode resistance gene Hs1 ^pro-1 was used as a reporter gene. In addition, molecular marker analysis was applied to monitor stable incorporation of a translocation from the wild beet B. procumbens. The molecular analysis and the nematode (Heterodera schachtii) resistance test in vitro demonstrated that the genomic structure and the expression of the Hs1 ^pro-1 -mediated nematode resistance were well-maintained in all hairy root cultures even after repeated sub-culture. Received: 25 November 1997 / Revision received: 26 May 1998 / Accepted: 15 June 1998     

Influence of nano‐zinc oxide on tropane alkaloid production,h6h gene transcription and antioxidant enzyme activity in Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. hairy roots

The use of nanotechnology and biotechnology to improve the production of plant bioactive compounds is growing. Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. is a major source of tropane alkaloids with a wide therapeutic use, including treatment of Parkinson's disease and to calm schizoid patients. In the present study, hairy roots were obtained from two‐week‐old cotyledon explants of H. reticulatus L. using the A7 strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The effects of different concentrations of the signaling molecule nano‐zinc oxide (ZnO) (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L), with three exposure times (24, 48 and 72 h), on the growth rate, antioxidant enzyme activity, total phenol contents (TPC), tropane alkaloid contents and hyoscyamine‐6‐beta‐hydroxylase (h6h) gene expression levels were investigated. Growth curve analysis revealed a decrease in fresh and dry weight of ZnO‐treated hairy roots compared to the control. ANOVA results showed that the antioxidant activity of the enzymes catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase was significantly higher in the ZnO‐treated hairy roots than in the control, as was the TPC. The highest levels of hyoscyamine (37%) and scopolamine (37.63%) were obtained in hairy roots treated with 100 mg/L of ZnO after 48 and 72 h, respectively. Semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR analysis revealed the highest h6h gene expression was in hairy roots treated with 100 mg/L of ZnO after 24 h. It can be concluded that ZnO is as an effective elicitor of tropane alkaloids such as hyoscyamine and scopolamine due to its enhancing effect on expression levels of the biosynthetic h6h gene.     

Isolation of the promoter of a root cap expressed pectinmethylesterase gene from Pisum sativum L. (rcpme1) and its use in the study of gene activity

A genomic clone of a pea pectinmethylesterase encoding gene, rcpme1, was isolated; the promoter region was found to include regions of homology to phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and nodulin gene promoters. Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated hairy roots were used for rcpme1 expression and functional analysis in pea. Patterns of rcpme1 expression in cultured hairy roots, measured using uidA encoding -glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene, were distinct from patterns which occur in normal pea roots. No reporter gene expression occurred in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, whose roots do not produce border cells. Border cell number from transgenic hairy roots expressing rcpme1 anti-sense mRNA under the control of its 2.75 kb 5 flanking sequence was reduced by > 50%. Nodulation genes of Rhizobium leguminosarum were used as a marker to document that roots with reduced production of border cells and other root cap exudates have a corresponding reduction in levels of biologically active signal molecules. Direct measurements were used to confirm that most of the exudate harvested from young, unwounded roots of normal pea plants is derived from the root tip region where rcpme1 is expressed. The potential application of the rcpme1 gene as a molecular marker for root exudate production is discussed.