Cre recombinase expression can result in phenotypic aberrations in plants.
The cre recombinase gene was stably introduced and expressed in tomato, petunia and Nicotiana tabacum. Some plants expressing the cre gene driven by a CaMV 35S promoter displayed growth retardation and a distinct pattern of chlorosis in their leaves. Although no direct relation can be proven between the phenotype and cre expression, aberrant phenotypes always co-segregate with the transgene, which strongly suggests a correlation. The severity of the phenotype does not correlate with the level of steady-state mRNA in mature leaves, but with the timing of cre expression during organogenesis. The early onset of cre expression in tomato is correlated with a more severe phenotype and with higher germinal transmission frequencies of site-specific deletions. No aberrant phenotype was observed when a tissue-specific phaseolin promoter was used to drive the cre gene. The data suggest that for the application of recombinases in plants, expression is best limited to specific tissues and a short time frame.
Coppoolse
Eric R
ER
Department of Genetics, Institute for Molecular Biological Sciences, BioCentrum Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.r.coppoolse@plant.wag-ur.nl
de Vroomen
Marianne J
MJ
Roelofs
Dick
D
Smit
Jaap
J
van Gennip
Femke
F
Hersmus
Bart J M
BJ
Nijkamp
H John J
HJ
van Haaren
Mark J J
MJ
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018745:Genome, Plant; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D009154:Mutation; D032306:Petunia / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D063245:Plant Development; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D018744:DNA, Plant; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C036483:T-DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases