Transformation of tobacco with a gene for the thermophilic acyl-lipid desaturase enhances the chilling tolerance of plants.
The desC gene for the acyl-lipid Delta9-desaturase from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus vulcanus was introduced into Nicotiana tabacum under control of the 35S promoter. Expression of the desaturase was confirmed by Western blotting. Lipid analysis revealed that lipid content and the extent of fatty acid unsaturation significantly increased in leaves of transgenic plants. Chilling tolerance of those plants also increased, as estimated by the electrolyte leakage from the tissues damaged by cold treatments. Seeds of plants that expressed the desC gene imbibed at low temperatures demonstrated higher chilling tolerance than those of the control plants. The results demonstrate that the cyanobacterial thermophilic acyl-lipid desaturase was efficiently expressed in tobacco at ambient temperatures, and its expression resulted in the enhanced chilling tolerance of the transgenic plants.
Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Science, Botanicheskaya Street 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia.
Irina V
IV
Orlova
Tatiana S
TS
Serebriiskaya
Valeri
V
Popov
Natalia
N
Merkulova
Alexander M
AM
Nosov
Tamara I
TI
Trunova
Vladimir D
VD
Tsydendambaev
Dmitry A
DA
Los
D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C467900:acyl-CoA delta9-desaturase