Premium
Expression of snowdrop lectin (GNA) in transgenic rice plants confers resistance to rice brown planthopper
Author(s) -
Rao K. V.,
Rathore Keerti S.,
Hodges Thomas K.,
Fu X.,
Stoger Eva,
Sudhakar D.,
Williams Sarah,
Christou Paul,
Bharathi M.,
Bown David P.,
Powell Kevin S.,
Spence Jacqui,
Gatehouse Angharad M. R.,
Gatehouse John A.
Publication year - 1998
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.1998.00226.x
Subject(s) - biology , brown planthopper , transgene , genetically modified crops , genetically modified rice , phloem , gene , botany , oryza sativa , gene expression , genetics
Summary Snowdrop lectin (Galanthus nivalisagglutinin; GNA) has been shown previously to be toxic towards rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens; BPH) when administered in artificial diet. BPH feeds by phloem abstraction, and causes ‘hopper burn’, as well as being an important virus vector. To evaluate the potential of thegnagene to confer resistance towards BPH, transgenic rice (Oryza sativaL.) plants were produced, containing thegnagene in constructs where its expression was driven by a phloem‐specific promoter (from the rice sucrose synthaseRSs1gene) and by a constitutive promoter (from the maize ubiquitinubi1gene). PCR and Southern analyses on DNA from these plants confirmed their transgenic status, and that the transgenes were transmitted to progeny after self‐fertilization. Western blot analyses revealed expression of GNA at levels of up to 2.0% of total protein in some of the transgenic plants. GNA expression driven by theRSs1promoter was tissue‐specific, as shown by immunohistochemical localization of the protein in the non‐lignified vascular tissue of transgenic plants. Insect bioassays and feeding studies showed that GNA expressed in the transgenic rice plants decreased survival and overall fecundity (production of offspring) of the insects, retarded insect development, and had a deterrent effect on BPH feeding.gnais the first transgene to exhibit insecticidal activity towards sap‐sucking insects in an important cereal crop plant.