Open Access(262) Transgenic Tomato Lines Expressing Plant Defense Genes Show Resistance to Early Blight Disease
Author(s) -
Scott C. Schaefer,
Ksenija Gašić,
Schuyler S. Korban
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
hortscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.518
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 2327-9834
pISSN - 0018-5345
DOI - 10.21273/hortsci.40.4.1015c
Subject(s) - biology , transgene , genetically modified crops , southern blot , blight , transformation (genetics) , genetically modified tomato , gene , plant disease resistance , microbiology and biotechnology , pathogen , inoculation , botany , horticulture , genetics
Several plant defense genes, including an iris ribosomal-inactivating protein (I-RIP) and a maize β-glucanase (M-GLU) as well as a small antimicrobial peptide (5 kd) from Mirabilisjalapa (Mj-AMP) were separately introduced into tomato ( Lycopersiconesculentum ) cv. Sweet Chelsea using Agrobacteriumtumefaciens -mediated transformation. Transgenic lines carrying each of the transgenes were confirmed for integration into the tomato genome using Southern blot hybridization. Transcription of I-RIP, M-GLU , and Mj-AMP genes in various transgenic lines was determined using Northern blot analysis. Plants of some transgenic lines were inoculated with a 2 × 10 4 to 3 × 10 4 conidial spores/mL suspension of the fungal pathogen Alternariasolani , the causal agent of tomato early blight disease. Several transgenic lines carrying either a M-GLU or Mj-AMP transgene showed a higher level of resistance to early blight than control (nontransgenic) plants. The implications of this approach on developing disease resistance in tomato will be discussed.