Comparative expression of β-glucuronidase with five different promoters in transgenic carrot (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Daucus carota</Emphasis> L.) root and leaf tissues

Tissue-specific patterns and levels of protein expression were characterized in transgenic carrot plants transformed with the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene driven by one of five promoters: Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (35S) and double 35S (D35S), Arabidopsis ubiquitin (UBQ3), mannopine synthase (mas2) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens or the rooting loci promoter (rolD) from A. rhizogenes. Five independently transformed carrot lines of each promoter construct were assessed for GUS activity. In leaves, activity was highest in plants with the D35S, 35S and UBQ3 promoters, while staining was weak in plants with the mas2 promoter, and only slight visual staining was present in the leaf veins of plants containing rolD promoter . Strong staining was seen in the lateral roots, including root tips, hairs and the vascular tissues of plants expressing the 35S, D35S and UBQ3. Lateral roots of plants containing the rolD construct also showed staining in these tissues while the mas2 promoter exhibited heightened staining in the root tips. Relatively strong GUS staining was seen throughout the tap root with all the promoters tested.. When GUS expression was quantified, the UBQ3 promoter provided the highest activity in roots of mature plants, while plants with the D35S and 35S promoter constructs had higher activity in the leaves. Although plants containing the mas2 promoter had higher levels of activity compared to the rolD plants, these two promoters were significantly weaker than D35S, 35S and UBQ3. The potential for utilization of specific promoters to target expression of desired transgenes in carrot tissues is demonstrated.     

Preferential expression of a plant cystatin at nematode feeding sites confers resistance to Meloidogyne incognita and Globodera pallida

The expression patterns of three promoters preferentially active in the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana have been investigated in transgenic potato plants in response to plant parasitic nematode infection. Promoter regions from the three genes, TUB-1, ARSK1 and RPL16A were linked to the GUS reporter gene and histochemical staining was used to localize expression in potato roots in response to infection with both the potato cyst nematode, Globodera pallida and the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. All three promoters directed GUS expression chiefly in root tissue and were strongly up-regulated in the galls induced by feeding M. incognita. Less activity was associated with the syncytial feeding cells of the cyst nematode, although the ARSK1 promoter was highly active in the syncytia of G. pallida infecting soil grown plants. Transgenic potato lines that expressed the cystatin OcIDeltaD86 under the control of the three promoters were evaluated for resistance against Globodera sp. in a field trial and against M. incognita in containment. Resistance to Globodera of 70 +/- 4% was achieved with the best line using the ARSK1 promoter with no associated yield penalty. The highest level of partial resistance achieved against M. incognita was 67 +/- 9% using the TUB-1 promoter. In both cases this was comparable to the level of resistance achieved using the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV35S) promoter. The results establish the potential for limiting transgene expression in crop plants whilst maintaining efficacy of the nematode defence.     

Purification and characterization of the DNA-binding protein DnrI, a transcriptional factor of daunorubicin biosynthesis in Streptomyces peucetius

The DnrI protein, essential for the biosynthesis of daunorubicin in Streptomyces peucetius , was purified almost to homogeneity from dnrI expression strains of Escherichia coli and S. peucetius through several steps of chromatography. The proteins purified from both organisms had identical chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour. Purified His-tagged or native DnrI was used to conduct DNA-binding assays by gel mobility-shift analysis, and the results showed no significant difference in the DNA-binding activity of native or His-tagged proteins. DnrI binds specifically to DNA segments containing the intergenic regions separating the putative dnrG–dpsABCD and dpsEF operons, and the dnrC gene and dnrDKPSQ operon. DNase I footprinting assays indicated that the DNA-binding sites for DnrI extended from upstream of the −10 to −35 regions of the dnrG or dpsE promoters to include about 65 bp of the dnrG – dpsE intergenic region and about 80 bp of the dnrC – dnrD intergenic region. Both binding sites contain imperfect inverted repeat sequences of 6–10 bp with a 5'-TCGAG-3' consensus sequence that was present in 4 out of 10 other promoter regions in the cluster of daunorubicin biosynthesis genes.     

Evaluation of constitutive viral promoters in transgenic soybean roots and nodules

The efficiency of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) expression was evaluated with five viral promoters to identify the most suitable promoter or promoters for use in soybean hairy roots, including applications to study the symbiotic interaction with Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Levels of GUS activity were fluorimetrically and histochemically assayed when the GUS (uidA) gene was driven by the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter and enhanced 35S (E35S) promoter, the Cassava vein mosaic virus (CsVMV) promoter, the Figwort mosaic virus (FMV) promoter, and the Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV2) promoter. We demonstrate that GUS activity was highest when driven by the FMV promoter and that the promoter activity of 35S and SVBV2 was significantly lower than that of the CsVMV and E35S promoters when tested in soybean hairy roots. In mature soybean root nodules, strong GUS activity was evident when the FMV, 35S, and CsVMV promoters were used. These results indicate that the FMV promoter facilitates the strong expression of target genes in soybean hairy roots and root nodules.     

Evaluation of putative seed-specific promoters for Linum usitatissimum

The GUS reporter gene was used to test four different putativeseed-specific promoters in developing and mature seeds, leaves and roots fromlinseed flax (Linum usitatissimum). The promoters testedincluded the regulatory regions of the -ketoacyl-CoA synthase gene (KCS)and the napin protein gene from Brassica napus, thepromoter regions of the 'unknown seed protein' (USP), and a legumin proteingene(LeB4) from Vicia faba and the CaMV 35S promoter (positivecontrol). The promoter-GUS constructs were inserted into L.usitatissimum via Agrobacterium mediatedtransformation, and GUS activity evaluated using histochemical andfluorimetrical assays. All the promoters showed some activity, but only CaMV35S, LeB4 and USP exhibited an expression level high enough to be useful inlinseed flax. Plants with USP-GUS showed the earliest GUS activity at 5 to 6days after flowering (daf) and persisting until 40 daf. Expression of GUS underthe control of the LeB4 promoter was measurable 11 daf and was still detectableat 40 daf. The KCS-GUS construct showed a low level of GUS activity between 14daf and 40 daf. Plants transformed with USP-GUS or LeB4-GUS exhibited a lowlevel of GUS activity in leaves and roots of some of the transformants,indicating the need for generating large numbers of primary transformants,followed by careful evaluation and selection for ones with not only the desiredlevel of expression, but also the desired spatial and temporal expression.     

Low temperature-stimulated phosphorylation regulates the binding of nuclear factors to the promoter of Wcs120 , a cold-specific gene in wheat

The Wcs120 gene encodes a highly abundant protein which appears to play an important role during cold acclimation of wheat. To understand the regulatory mechanism controlling its expression at low temperature, the promoter region has been characterized. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using short promoter fragments revealed the presence in nuclear extracts from non-acclimated (NA) plants of multiple DNA-binding proteins which interact with several elements. In contrast, no DNA-binding activity was observed in the nuclear extracts from cold-acclimated (CA) plants. In vitro dephosphorylation of these CA nuclear extracts with alkaline phosphatase restored the binding activity. Moreover, okadaic acid (a potent phosphatase inhibitor) markedly stimulated the in vivo accumulation of the WCS120 family of proteins. This suggests that protein phosphatases PP1 and/or PP2A negatively regulate the expression of the Wcs120 gene. In addition, both Ca²⁺-dependent and Ca²⁺-independent kinase activities were found to be significantly higher in the CA nuclear extracts. Western analysis using antibodies directed against protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms showed that a PKCγ homolog (84 kDa) is selectively translocated into the nucleus in response to low temperature. Taken together, our results suggest that, in vivo, the expression of the Wcs120 gene may be regulated by nuclear factors whose binding activity is modulated by a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanism. Received: 9 June 1997 / Accepted: 18 August 1997     

Interaction of a rhizobial DNA-binding protein with the promoter region of a plant leghemoglobin gene.

A nucleotide sequence was identified approximately 650 bp upstream of the Sesbania rostrata leghemoglobin gene Srglb3 start codon, which interacts specifically with a proteinaceous DNA-binding factor found in nodule extracts but not in extracts from leaves or roots. The binding site for this factor was delimited using footprinting techniques. The DNA-binding activity of this factor was found to be heat stable, dependent on divalent cations, and derived from the (infecting) Azorhizobium caulinodans bacteria or bacteroids (A. caulinodans bacterial binding factor 1, AcBBF1). A 9- to 10-kD protein was isolated from a free-living culture of A. caulinodans that co-purifies with the DNA-binding activity (A. caulinodans bacterial binding protein 1, AcBBP1) and interacts specifically with its target (S. rostrata bacterial binding site 1, SrBBS1). The amino acid sequence of the N-terminal 27 residues of AcBBP1 was determined and was found to share significant similarity (46% identity; 68% similarity) with a domain of the herpes simplex virus major DNA-binding protein infected cell protein 8 (ICP8). An insertion mutation in the SrBBS1 was found to result in a substantial reduction of the expression of a Srglb3-gus reporter gene fusion in nodules of transgenic Lotus corniculatus plants, suggesting a role for this element in Srglb3 promoter activity. Based on these results, we propose that (a) bacterial transacting factor(s) may play a role in infected cell-specific expression of the symbiotically induced plant lb genes.     

Novel and useful properties of a chimeric plant promoter combining CaMV 35S and MAS elements

The CaMV 35S and Ti plasmid mannopine synthetase (mas) promoters are commonly used by plant genetic engineers. To combine their useful properties, we constructed hybrid promoters incorporating elements from both. These promoters were spliced to the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene and introduced into tobacco and tomato plants by Agrobacterium cocultivation. T1 and T2 transgenic plant populations transformed with different constructs were assayed for the marker enzyme. Comparisons were made based on the range of expression levels found for each promoter construct. We found that a hybrid promoter incorporating the mas region from +65 to -301 and the 35S enhancer region from -90 to -941 had new and interesting properties. This promoter, called Mac, expressed gus at a level three to five times that expressed by a double 35S promoter in the leaves, and 10 to 15 times in hypocotyls and roots. The Mac promoter, however, showed only marginal wound inducibility. Five- to seven-fold wound induction required the presence of the region from -301 to -613 of mas. Reiteration of the 35S enhancer region, from -90 to -430, behind the 35S TATA box region or the mas +65 to -301 region had a smaller effect on expression, ranging from equal to twice the level of the single enhancer control.     

Tissue specific expression of β-glucuronidase gene driven by heterologous promoters in transgenic cauliflower plants

In this paper we compare five heterologous promoters fused to β-glucuronidase gene in their influence on localization of GUS activity in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) tissues: roots, leaves, petioles and curds. A constitutive promoter CaMV 35S and four tissue specific promoters were used: extAP from rape, PsMTAP from pea, RBCS3CP from tomato and SRS1P from soybean, and introduced into cauliflower seedling explants using Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation. Quantitative and histochemical GUS assays confirmed tissue specific gus expression. It was found that extAP promoter was the most active in petioles but also caused a significant gus expression in curds. GUS activity was hardly observed in curd and restricted only to its epidermis when PsMTAP promoter drove the gene. RBCS3CP and SRS1P promoters controlled similar expression of the gus gene throughout the plant except for curd where RBCS3CP was almost inactive.     

Optimised DNA delivery into Coffea arabica suspension culture cells by particle bombardment

An optimised bombardment protocol to introduce DNA into Coffea arabica suspension culture cells was developed. Osmotic preconditioning of cells and physical bombardment parameters including Helium pressure, gap and target distances affecting DNA delivery were evaluated by monitoring transient expression of the uidA gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter. The highest transient GUS expression was obtained when cells were subjected to a 0.5 M mannitol–sorbitol pre-treatment 4 h prior to bombardment and a Helium pressure of 1550 psi, a 9-mm gap distance and 12 cm target distance as physical bombardment parameters. The optimised protocol was tested with two coffee promoters: -tubulin and arabicin, which presented similar activity to the CaMV35S promoter in suspension culture cells by fluorometric GUS assays. GUS expression was reduced in bombarded tissue culture leaves, and only the CaMV35S and arabicin promoters showed histochemical activity in coffee endosperms. This is the first report of optimization of particle bombardment on coffee suspension culture cells, equivalent CaMV35S activity for a coffee promoter and transient -glucoronidase expression in coffee endo-sperms.     

Reduced expression of nuclear cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate response element-binding proteins and IFN-gamma promoter function in disease due to an intracellular pathogen

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced IFN-gamma protein and mRNA expression have been shown to be reduced in tuberculosis patients, compared with healthy tuberculin reactors. To determine whether this decrease was associated with reduced activity of the IFN-gamma promoter, we first studied binding of nuclear proteins to the radiolabeled proximal IFN-gamma promoter (-71 to -40 bp), using EMSAs with nuclear extracts of freshly isolated peripheral blood T cells. Nuclear extracts of T cells from most tuberculosis patients showed markedly reduced expression of proteins that bind to the proximal IFN-gamma promoter, compared with findings in nuclear extracts of T cells from healthy tuberculin reactors. These DNA-binding complexes contained CREB proteins, based on competitive EMSAs, supershift assays, and Western blotting with an anti-CREB Ab. Transient transfection of PBLs with a luciferase reporter construct under the control of the IFN-gamma promoter revealed reduced IFN-gamma promoter activity in tuberculosis patients. Transient transfection of Jurkat cells with a dominant-negative CREB repressor plasmid reduced IFN-gamma promoter activity. These data suggest that reduced expression of CREB nuclear proteins in tuberculosis patients results in decreased IFN-gamma promoter activity and reduced IFN-gamma production.     

A Comparison of Constitutive Promoters for Expression of Transgenes in Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa)

The activity of constitutive promoters was compared in transgenic alfalfa plants using two marker genes. Three promoters, the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), the cassava vein mosaic virus (CsVMV) promoter, and the sugarcane bacilliform badnavirus (ScBV) promoter were each fused to the beta-glucuronidase (gusA) gene. The highest GUS enzyme activity was obtained using the CsVMV promoter and all alfalfa cells assayed by in situ staining had high levels of enzyme activity. The 35S promoter was expressed in leaves, roots, and stems at moderate levels, but the promoter was not active in stem pith cells, root cortical cells, or in the symbiotic zones of nodules. The ScBV promoter was active primarily in vascular tissues throughout the plant. In leaves, GUS activity driven by the CsVMV promoter was approximately 24-fold greater than the activity from the 35S promoter and 38-fold greater than the activity from the ScBV promoter. Five promoters, the double 35S promoter, figwort mosaic virus (FMV) promoter, CsVMV promoter, ScBV promoter, and alfalfa small subunit Rubisco (RbcS) promoter were used to control expression of a cDNA from Trichoderma atroviride encoding an endochitinase (ech42). Highest chitinase activity in leaves, roots, and root nodules was obtained in plants containing the CsVMV:ech42 transgene. Plants expressing the endochitinase were challenged with Phoma medicaginis var. medicaginis, the causal agent of spring black stem and leaf spot of alfalfa. Although endochitinase activity in leaves of transgenic plants was 50- to 2650-fold greater than activity in control plants, none of the transgenic plants showed a consistent increase in disease resistance compared to controls. The high constitutive levels of both GUS and endochitinase activity obtained demonstrate that the CsVMV promoter is useful for high-level transgene expression in alfalfa.     

Promoters derived from banana bunchy top virus-associated components S1 and S2 drive transgene expression in both tobacco and banana

Potential promoter regions of the Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV)-associated DNA components S1 and S2 were fused to the #-glucuronidase reporter gene and assessed for activity in both tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) and banana (Musa spp. cv. Bluggoe). Transient assays indicated that all the S1- and S2-derived promoters were active and had greater expression in tobacco than banana. In stably transformed tobacco and banana, the S1- and S2-derived promoters directed expression in root meristems and trichomes. The S1 promoter was also expressed in the vascular tissue of leaves and roots, while both the S1 and S2 promoters were active in tobacco leaf trichomes and pollen. In banana, expression was significantly enhanced by the inclusion of the maize polyubiquitin intron 3' to the promoter. Interestingly, there was some evidence to indicate that S1 promoter fragments containing part of the open reading frame at the 5' end of the promoter had enhanced activity, suggesting that promoter elements may not be confined to the non-coding region.