Generation of broad-spectrum disease resistance by overexpression of an essential regulatory gene in systemic acquired resistance.
The recently cloned NPR1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana is a key regulator of acquired resistance responses. Upon induction, NPR1 expression is elevated and the NPR1 protein is activated, in turn inducing expression of a battery of downstream pathogenesis-related genes. In this study, we found that NPR1 confers resistance to the pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Peronospora parasitica in a dosage-dependent fashion. Overexpression of NPR1 leads to enhanced resistance with no obvious detrimental effect on the plants. Thus, for the first time, a single gene is shown to be a workable target for genetic engineering of nonspecific resistance in plants.
Cao
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Developmental, Cell, and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Botany, Box 91000, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-1000, USA.
Li
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Dong
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