Premium
Male sterility in transgenic tobacco plants induced by tapetum‐specific deacetylation of the externally applied non‐toxic compound N ‐acetyl‐ l ‐phosphinothricin
Author(s) -
Kriete G.,
Niehaus K.,
Perlick A.M.,
Pühler A.,
Broer I.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.1996.9060809.x
Subject(s) - tapetum , nicotiana tabacum , transgene , sterility , biology , genetically modified crops , gene , stamen , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , botany , biochemistry , pollen , microspore
Summary A system for the inducible destruction of plant tissues based on the deacetylation of the non‐toxic compound N ‐acetyl‐ l ‐phosphinothricin ( N ‐ac‐Pt) has been developed. The argE gene product of Escherichia coli , representing a N ‐acetyl‐ l ‐ornithine deacetylase was identified to remove the acetyl‐group from N ‐ac‐Pt giving the cytotoxic compound l ‐phosphinothricin (Pt, glufosinate). Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants constitutively expressing the argE gene were constructed. No effect of the bacterial N ‐acetyl‐ l ‐ornithine deacetylase on plant growth and reproduction could be traced. However, application of N ‐ac‐Pt on leaves of the transgenic plants led to the formation of necrotic areas due to the release of Pt. Additionally, due to the uptake of the N ‐ac‐Pt by roots, transgenic shoots grown on medium containing N ‐ac‐Pt bleached within 6–7 days and finally died. Untransformed controls showed no reaction to high amounts of N ‐ac‐Pt applied, either under sterile or under unsterile conditions. In order to construct inducible male‐sterile plants, the argE coding region was fused to a DNA fragment carrying sequences homologous to the tobacco TA29 promoter, known to function exclusively in the tapetum. Owing to the tapetum‐specific expression of the chimeric gene the application of N ‐ac‐Pt led to empty anthers resulting in male‐sterile plants. The sanity of the female reproductive part of the male‐sterile flowers could be demonstrated by cross‐pollination. Without N ‐ac‐Pt treatment the plants turned out to be completely fertile making fertility restoration in the F 1 generation superflous. The system presented is easy to handle and might be applicable to a wide range of crop plants.