Transgenic antibiotic resistance may be differentially silenced in germinating pollen grains

Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants, carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) gene from E. coli, are resistant to kanamycin when grown from seeds on kanamycin containing medium. Tissue and cell cultures derived from those transformants also express resistance and regenerate complete plantlets in the presence of the antibiotic. This unspecific response to the selective condition has led to the belief that the foreign gene is continuously active or uniformly inducible in all cells of the transgenic plant. However, our experiments show that this view is not true for pollen grains during in vitro germination. Pollen grains isolated from kanamycin resistant tobacco plants carry and transmit the foreign gene but do not express resistance when germinating in vitro. This data presents evidence for differential silencing of a foreign gene in a mature gamete. On the other hand, immature pollen grains (microspores) appear to express resistance. The point of the downregulation of the neomycin transferase gene during pollen maturation is discussed.Abbreviations kan kanamycin sulfate - NPT II neomycin phosphotransferase II - sr streptomycin sulfate     

Multiplication of tobacco mosaic virus in tobacco callus tissues and in vitro selection for viral disease resistance

Tobacco mosaic virus-resistant tobacco was selected in vitro using callus tissues induced from axillary buds of systemically infected tobacco plants. Callus lines in which the virus was continuously multiplying were first isolated and redifferentiated into shoots. By the procedure, non-diseased, healthy shoots were successfully isolated from diseased shoots, which showed typical mosaic symptoms of the virus, and regenerated into intact plants.These regenerated plants showed resistance to virus inoculation, and selfed progeny of virus-resistant regenerants segregated the resistance and susceptibility according to the Mendelian system.     

Production of virus resistant and insect tolerant transgenic tobacco plants

The cucumber mosaic virus coat protein (CMV-CP) gene and a modified Bacillus thuringiensis -endotoxin (Bt toxin) gene were cloned into plant expression vector pE3. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. G28) leaf discs were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens A12 carrying recombinant pE14. Transgenic r₀ and R₁ tobacco plants expressing CMV-CP and Bt toxin genes were protected from CMV infection as well as feeding damage of Manduca Sexta (tobacco hornworm) larvae. These results demonstrate that it is feasible to breed new cultivars with multiple resistances via genetic engineering.Abbreviations CMV cucumber mosaic virus - Bt toxin Bacillus thuringiensis -endotoxin - CaMV cauliflower mosaic virus - NOS nopaline synthase - Kan Kanamycin - Spe spectinomycin - Carb Carbenicillin     

Tobamovirus coat protein CPCg induces an HR-like response in sensitive tobacco plants

When inoculated into sensitive tobacco Xanthi-nn plants, the crucifer and garlic-infecting Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-Cg) induces local necrotic lesions that resemble those seen in the hypersensitive response (HR) of resistant tobacco plants. However, unlike these, tobacco Xanthi-nn plants do not become resistant to infection and the virus spreads systemically causing a severe disease characterized by necrotic lesions throughout the plant. To identify the viral protein that elicits this necrotic response, we used a set of hybrid viruses constructed by combination of TMV-Cg and the tobacco mosaic virus strain U1 (TMV-U1). In this study we present evidence that the coat protein of TMV-Cg (CPCg) is the elicitor of the necrotic response in tobacco Xanthi-nn plants. Local and systemic necrotic lesions induced by TMV-Cg and by the hybrid U1-CPCg -that carries CPCg in a TMV-U1 context- are characterized by cell death and by the presence of autoflorescent phenolic compounds and H2O2, just like the HR lesions. In addition, defense-related genes and detoxifying genes are induced in tobacco Xanthi-nn plants after TMV-Cg and U1-CPCg inoculation. We postulate that in our system, CPCg is recognized by sensitive tobacco plants that mount an incomplete defense response. We call this an HR-like since it is not enough to induce plant resistance.     

A ribozyme gene and an antisense gene are equally effective in conferring resistance to tobacco mosaic virus on transgenic tobacco

Ribozymes of the hammerhead class can be designed to cleave a target RNA in a sequence-specific manner and can potentially be used to specifically modulate gene activity. We have targeted the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) genome with a ribozyme containing three catalytic hammerhead domains embedded within a 1 kb antisense RNA. The ribozyme was able to cleave TMV RNA at all three target sites in vitro at 25°C. Transgenic tobacco plants were generated which expressed the ribozyme or the corresponding antisense constructs directed at the TMV genome. Six of 38 independent transgenic plant lines expressing the ribozyme and 6 of 39 plant lines expressing the antisense gene showed some level of protection against TMV infection. Homozygous progeny of some lines were highly resistant to TMV; at least 50% of the plants remained asymptomatic even when challenged with high levels of TMV. These plants also displayed resistance to infection with TMV RNA or the related tomato mosaic virus (ToMV). In contrast, hemizygous plants of the same lines displayed only very weak resistance when inoculated with low amounts of TMV and no resistance against high inoculation levels. Resistance in homozygous plants was not overcome by a TMV strain which was altered at the three target sites to abolish ribozyme-mediated cleavage, suggesting that the ribozyme conferred resistance primarily by an antisense mechanism.     

Expression of Pokeweed Antiviral Protein in Transgenic Plants Induces Virus Resistance in Grafted Wild-Type Plants Independently of Salicylic Acid Accumulation and Pathogenesis-Related Protein Synthesis

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), a 29-kD protein isolated from Phytolacca americana, inhibits translation by catalytically removing a specific adenine residue from the large rRNA of the 60S subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants expressing PAP or a variant (PAP-v) were shown to be resistant to a broad spectrum of plant viruses. Expression of PAP-v in transgenic plants induces synthesis of pathogenesis-related proteins and a very weak (<2-fold) increase in salicylic acid levels. Using reciprocal grafting experiments, we demonstrate here that transgenic tobacco rootstocks expressing PAP-v induce resistance to tobacco mosaic virus infection in both N. tabacum NN and nn scions. Increased resistance to potato virus X was also observed in N. tabacum nn scions grafted on transgenic rootstocks. PAP expression was not detected in the wild-type scions or rootstocks that showed virus resistance, nor was there any increase in salicylic acid levels or pathogenesis-related protein synthesis. Grafting experiments with transgenic plants expressing an inactive PAP mutant demonstrated that an intact active site of PAP is necessary for induction of virus resistance in wild-type scions. These results indicate that enzymatic activity of PAP is responsible for generating a signal that renders wild-type scions resistant to virus infection in the absence of increased salicylic acid levels and pathogenesis-related protein synthesis.     

Promiscuous,non-catalytic,tandem carbohydrate-binding modules modulate the cell-wall structure and development of transgenic tobacco (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana tabacum</Emphasis>) plants

We have compared heterologous expression of two types of carbohydrate binding module (CBM) in tobacco cell walls. These are the promiscuous CBM29 modules (a tandem CBM29-1-2 and its single derivative CBM29-2), derived from a non-catalytic protein1, NCP1, of the Piromyces equi cellulase/hemicellulase complex, and the less promiscuous tandem CBM2b-1-2 from the Cellulomonas fimi xylanase 11A. CBM-labelling studies revealed that CBM29-1-2 binds indiscriminately to every tissue of the wild-type tobacco stem whereas binding of CBM2b-1-2 was restricted to vascular tissue. The promiscuous CBM29-1-2 had much more pronounced effects on transgenic tobacco plants than the less promiscuous CBM2b-1-2. Reduced stem elongation and prolonged juvenility, resulting in delayed flower development, were observed in transformants expressing CBM29-1-2 whereas such growth phenotypes were not observed for CBM2b-1-2 plants. Histological examination and electron microscopy revealed layers of collapsed cortical cells in the stems of CBM29-1-2 plants whereas cellular deformation in the stem cortical cells of CBM2b-1-2 transformants was less severe. Altered cell expansion was also observed in most parts of the CBM29-1-2 stem whereas for the CBM2b-1-2 stem this was observed in the xylem cells only. The cellulose content of the transgenic plants was not altered. These results support the hypothesis that CBMs can modify cell wall structure leading to modulation of wall loosening and plant growth.     

Transformation of Medicago by Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer

Shoot segments of Medicago varia genotype A2 were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain bo42 carrying pGA471, a plasmid coding for the kanamycin resistant determinant as transferable positive selection marker in plant cells (An et al., 1985). Resistant plants were regenerated at high frequency from green calli developed on inoculated stem cuttings under kanamycin selection. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis showed the presence of the structural gene of the kanamycin resistant determinant in total DNA isolated from several independent transformants. All data presented clearly demonstrate the transfer, stable maintenance and functional expression of the kanamycin resistance marker in Medicago varia cells which retain their morphogenic property.Abbreviations Km kanamycin - KmR kanamycin resistant - Cb carbenicillin - 2,4-D 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - BA 6-benzyladenine - T-DNA transferred DNA into plants     

A developmentally regulated lipocalin-like gene is overexpressed in Tomato yellow leaf curl virus-resistant tomato plants upon virus inoculation, and its silencing abolishes resistance

To discover genes involved in tomato resistance to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), we previously compared cDNA libraries from susceptible (S) and resistant (R) tomato lines. Among the genes preferentially expressed in R plants and upregulated by TYLCV infection was a gene encoding a lipocalin-like protein. This gene was termed Solanum lycopersicum virus resistant/susceptible lipocalin (SlVRSLip). The SlVRSLip structural gene sequence of R and S plants was identical. SlVRSLip was expressed in leaves during a 15-day window starting about 40?days after sowing (20?days after planting). SlVRSLip was upregulated by Bemisia tabaci (the TYLCV vector) feeding on R plant leaves, and even more strongly upregulated following whitefly-mediated TYLCV inoculation. Silencing of SlVRSLip in R plants led to the collapse of resistance upon TYLCV inoculation and to a necrotic response along the stem and petioles accompanied by ROS production. Contrary to previously identified tomato lipocalin gene DQ222981, SlVRSLip was not regulated by cold, nor was it regulated by heat or salt. The expression of SlVRSLip was inhibited in R plants in which the hexose transporter gene LeHT1 was silenced. In contrast, the expression of LeHT1 was not inhibited in SlVRSLip-silenced R plants. Hence, in the hierarchy of the gene network conferring TYLCV resistance, SlVRSLip is downstream of LeHT1. Silencing of another gene involved in resistance, a Permease-I like protein, did not affect the expression of SlVRSLip and LeHT1; expression of the Permease was not affected by silencing SlVRSLip or LeHT1, suggesting that it does not belong to the same network. The triple co-silencing of SlVRSLip, LeHT1 and Permease provoked an immediate cessation of growth of R plants upon infection and the accumulation of large amounts of virus. SlVRSLip is the first lipocalin-like gene shown to be involved in resistance to a plant virus.     

Intracellular expression of TMV-specific single-chain Fv fragments leads to improved virus resistance in shape Nicotiana tabacum

We evaluated the concept for protection of plants against virus infection based on the expression of single-chain Fv (scFv) fragments in the apoplasm or cytosol of transgenic plants. Cloned cDNA of a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-specific scFv antibody, which binds to intact virions, was integrated into the plant expression vector pSS and used for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi-nc. Regenerated transgenic tobacco plants were analysed by northern blot, western blot and ELISA to assess expression and functionality of recombinant antibody (rAb) fragments. A significant increase of scFv levels in T₁ progeny was obtained for plants secreting apoplastic scFv antibodies but not for scFvs expressed in the cytosol. Bioassays revealed that T₁ progeny producing scFvs in different plant cell compartments showed different levels of resistance upon inoculation with TMV. The most dramatic reduction of necrotic local lesion numbers upon virus infection was observed in T₁ plants expressing scFv fragments in the cytosol. Infectivity could be reduced by more than 90%, despite the observation that protein expression levels for functional scFv antibodies were very low. Furthermore, upon inactivation of the N-resistance gene at elevated temperature, a significant portion of the T₁ progenies inhibited systemic virus spread, indicating that expression of TMV-specific cytosolic scFvs confers virus resistance in these transgenic plants. Moreover, inoculation of protoplasts isolated from transgenic and non-transgenic tobacco plants with TMV-RNA demonstrated that accumulation of virus particles is affected by cytosolic scFv expression.     

转基因烟草中Bt毒蛋白基因的表达行为

Bt toxin genes were the insecticidal genes most widely used in genetic engineering of pest resistant plant, were of important significance to study their expression behavior in transgenic plants. In this work, a plant expression vector, pBinMoBc, was constructed. It contained the Cry IA(c) gene under control of chimeric OM promoter and the Ω factor. The vector was transferred into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plant via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. ELISA assay showed that the expression levels of the Cry IA(c) gene in transgenic tobacco plants were significantly higher than that in wild-type tobacco plants. The highest could be up to 0.255% of total soluble proteins; the expression level of CryIA(c) gene in transgenic tobacco plant was changeable during the development stages of tobacco plant. Bioassay showed that pBinMoBc transgenic tobacco plants had more notable insecticidal activity than the wild-type tobacco plants. The above results indicated that pBinMoBc was an effective pest-resistent plant expression vector. This study would be very helpful in screening transgenic cotton with high resistance to cotton bollworm (Heliothis armigeva Hubner).     

转不可翻译PVYN CP基因烟草的抗病性分析

我们曾报道表达不可翻译PVY~N CP基因的转基因烟草抗病性是由RNA介导的,其抗病性类似于转录后的基因沉默(PTGS)。本研究以这类不同抗性的Tn代转基因烟草植株为材料,对自交后的T1代转基因植株的遗传和抗病性进行了分析,并选取部分T_1代抗病株系自交留种。对T_2代RNA介导抗病性转基因植株进行了分子分析和一系列抗病性研究。结果表明,含1-2个转基因拷贝的T_0代感病植株,在T_1代中的Km抗性分离符合单位点插入的3∶1的遗传规律;含3个或3个以上转基因拷贝的T_0代中抗或高抗植株,在T_1代中的Km抗性分离符合多位点插入的15∶1或63∶1的遗传规律。大多数T_1、T_2代转基因植株的抗病性与转基因拷贝数成正相关,转基因在T_1、T_2代植株中能够转录表达,且转基因植株之间转基因mRNA在细胞质中的积累水平与转基因植株的抗病性成负相关。转基因植株的抗病性能够在T_1、T_2代中遗传,且T_2代转基因植株的抗病性具有以下特征:1)既抗病毒粒体又抗病毒RNA的侵染,且这种抗病性不受接种物剂量的影响;2)抗病谱较窄,只对PVY的某些株系具有高度抗病性;3)与传毒方式无关,既抗摩擦接种又抗带毒蚜虫接种;4)与植株的发育阶段没有关系。     

Role of polyisoprenoids in tobacco resistance against biotic stresses

Infection with avirulent pathogens, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) or Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci induced accumulation of polyisoprenoid alcohols, solanesol and a family of polyprenols [from polyprenol composed of 14 isoprene units (Pren-14) to -18, with Pren-16 dominating] in the leaves of resistant tobacco plants Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN. Upon TMV infection, solanesol content was increased seven- and eight-fold in the inoculated and upper leaves, respectively, while polyprenol content was increased 2.5- and 2-fold in the inoculated and upper leaves, respectively, on the seventh day post-infection. Accumulation of polyisoprenoid alcohols was also stimulated by exogenously applied hydrogen peroxide but not by exogenous salicylic acid (SA). On the contrary, neither inoculation of the leaves of susceptible tobacco plants nor wounding of tobacco leaves caused an increase in polyisoprenoid content. Taken together, these results indicate that polyisoprenoid alcohols might be involved in plant resistance against pathogens. A putative role of accumulated polyisoprenoids in plant response to pathogen attack is discussed. Similarly, the content of plastoquinone (PQ) was increased two-fold in TMV-inoculated and upper leaves of resistant plants. Accumulation of PQ was also stimulated by hydrogen peroxide, bacteria ( P.  syringae ) and SA. The role of PQ in antioxidant defense in cellular membranous compartments is discussed in the context of the enzymatic antioxidant machinery activated in tobacco leaves subjected to viral infection. Elevated activity of several antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, especially the CuZn superoxide dismutase isoform) and high, but transient elevation of catalase was found in inoculated leaves of resistant tobacco plants but not in susceptible plants.     

转不可翻译PVY^N CP基因烟草的抗病性分析

我们曾报道表达不可翻译PVY^N CP基因的转基因烟草抗病性是由RNA介导的,其抗病性类似于转录后的基因沉默(PTGS)。本研究以这类不同抗性的T0代转基因烟草植株为材料,对自交后的T1代转基因植株的遗传和抗病性进行了分析,并选取部分T1代抗病株系自交留种。对T2代RNA介导抗病性转基因植株进行了分子分析和一系列抗病性研究。结果表明,含1—2个转基因拷贝的T0代感病植株,在T1代中的Km抗性分离符合单位点插入的3：1的遗传规律;含3个或3个以上转基因拷贝的T0代中抗或高抗植株,在T1代中的Km抗性分离符合多位点插入的15：1或63：1的遗传规律。大多数T1、T2代转基因植株的抗病性与转基因拷贝数成正相关,转基因在T1、T2代植株中能够转录表达,且转基因植株之间转基因mRNA在细胞质中的积累水平与转基因植株的抗病性成负相关。转基因植株的抗病性能够在T1、T2代中遗传,且T2代转基因植株的抗病性具有以下特征：1)既抗病毒粒体又抗病毒RNA的侵染,且这种抗病性不受接种物剂量的影响;2)抗病谱较窄,只对PVY的某些株系具有高度抗病性;3)与传毒方式无关,既抗摩擦接种又抗带毒蚜虫接种;4)与植株的发育阶段没有关系。     

Differential Susceptibilities between Leaf Disks and Plants in the Transmission of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus by Frankliniella occidentalis to TSWV Hosts and Transgenic Plants

The efficiency by which tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was transmitted to plants and leaf disks by the vector Frankliniella occidentalis , was analysed. The virus was efficiently transmitted to Datura stramonium, Impatiens sp. and tobacco plants, i.e. 60–100% of the plants became infected when 1–3 viruliferous thrips were confined per plant for a period of 3 days. However, lettuceexhibited a lower susceptibility since only 25% of the test plants were infected when challenged by 10 viruliferous thrips per plant for 3 days. In contrast, complete resistance was found when transgenic tobacco plants, expressing the nucleocapsid protein of TSWV, were challenged with up to 10 viruliferous thrips per plant, whereas all non-transgenic control plants were infected when 5 viruliferous thrips per plant were used. To improve and accelerate the tramission studies, the applicability of leaf disks in these studies was tested. Leaf disks of 16 different plant species appeared to be highly susceptible. Infection ratings ranging from 51.6 to 95.0% were obtained when one viruliferous adult was placed singly on these leaf disks for a period for 24 h. The leaf disk assay was also employed to screen resistance of transgenic plants expressing the nucleocapsid protein of TSWV. One transgenic tomato line displayed complete immunity whereas a second line appeared to be susceptible. For the transgenic tobacco line, positive ELISA reactions were found for a few leaf disks (7.5%) suggesting that some virus replication did occur. However, the ELISA readings for these disks were significantly lower than those for leaf disks of non-transgenic controls. Finally, the significance of the use of the leaf disks and test plants in virus-vector studies is discussed.     

Expression of Multiple Virus-derived Resistance Determinants in Transgenic Plants Does Not Lead to Additive Resistance Properties

Plants can be protected against infection by potyviruses by expressing different portions of potyviral genomes as transgenes. This strategy has proven effective with several potyvirus genes, including the Nla, Nlb, and coat protein coding regions. Given the effectiveness of separate potyvirus coding regions as determinants of resistance, we tested the hypothesis that combinations of potyvirus coding regions would provide additively greater protection of plants against potyviruses. For this, we compared transgenic plant lines that expressed either the coat protein (CP) or the Nla+Nlb+coat protein (NNC) coding regions from tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV). We found that plants that carry the NNC gene combination were invariably less resistant to TVMV than were lines that contain a CP gene alone. Additionally, we found that NNC lines displayed virtually no resistance to tobacco etch virus (TEV), in contrast to the CP lines. We conclude that combining more than one virus-derived resistance determinant in a single construct is detrimental to the production of virus-resistant plants.     

一种基于过敏性反应机制的抗植物病毒侵染策略

基于植物的过敏性反应机制,构建了PVY Nib基因和来自于细菌Bacillus amy—loliquefaciens的一类Rnase基因Barnase基因的融合基因的植物表达载体。在此表达载体内两基因的拼接处,保留了原来PVY蛋白酶识别PVYNIb和CP蛋白剪切位点的七肽保守序列。通过农杆菌介导获得此融台基因的转基因烟草植株。病毒侵染试验表明,转基因植物在病毒侵染后,发病症状被改变。少部分转融合基因的植株对病毒侵染表现局部抗性。     

Genetic transformation with untranslatable coat protein gene of <Emphasis Type="Italic">sugarcane yellow leaf virus</Emphasis> reduces virus titers in sugarcane

Sugarcane yellow leaf syndrome, characterized by a yellowing of the leaf midrib followed by leaf necrosis and growth suppression, is caused by sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV). We produced SCYLV-resistant transgenic sugarcane from a susceptible cultivar (H62-4671) and determined the amount of virus present following inoculation. The transgenic plants were produced through biolistic bombardment of cell cultures with an untranslatable coat protein gene. Presence of the transgene in regenerated plants was confirmed using PCR and Southern blot analysis. The transgenic lines were inoculated by viruliferous aphids and the level of SCYLV in the plants was determined. Six out of nine transgenic lines had at least 10³-fold lower virus titer than the non-transformed, susceptible parent line. This resistance level, as measured by virus titer and symptom development, was similar to that of a resistant cultivar (H78-4153). The selected SCYLV-resistant transgenic sugarcane lines will be available for integration of the resistance gene into other commercial cultivars and for quantification of viral effects on yield.