The Wheat Puroindoline Genes Confer Fungal Resistance in Transgenic Corn |
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| Authors: | Jinrui Zhang John M. Martin Peter Balint‐Kurti Li Huang Michael J. Giroux |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Authors’ addresses: Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, 119 Plant Bioscience Building, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717‐3150, USA;2. USDA‐ARS, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695‐7616, USA (correspondence to M. J. Giroux. E‐mail: mgiroux@montana.edu) |
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| Abstract: | Puroindoline a and b (Pina and Pinb), together make up the functional components of the wheat grain hardness locus (Ha) and have antimicrobial properties. The antifungal activity of puroindoline proteins, PINA and PINB, has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. In this study, Pina and Pinb were introduced into corn under the control of a corn Ubiquitin promoter. Two Pina/Pinb expression–positive transgenic events were evaluated for resistance to Cochliobolus heterostrophus, the corn southern leaf blight (SLB) pathogen. Transgenic corn expressing Pins showed significantly increased tolerance to C. heterostrophus, averaging 42.1% reduction in symptoms. Pins are effective in vivo as antifungal proteins and could be valuable tools in corn SLB control. |
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| Keywords: | Puroindolines corn southern leaf blight resistance |
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