Chitinase-mediated inhibitory activity of Brassica transgenic on growth of Alternaria brassicae.
Chitinase, capable of degrading the cell walls of invading phytopathogenic fungi, plays an important role in plant defense response, particularly when this enzyme is overexpressed through genetic engineering. In the present study, Brassica plant (Brassica juncea L.) was transformed with chitinase gene tagged with an overexpressing promoter 35 S CaMV. The putative transgenics were assayed for their inhibitory activity against Alternaria brassicae, the inducer of Alternaria leaf spot of Brassica both in vitro and under polyhouse conditions. In in vitro fungal growth inhibition assays, chitinase inhibited the fungal colony size by 12-56% over the non-trangenic control. The bioassay under artificial epiphytotic conditions revealed the delay in the onset of disease as well as reduced lesion number and size in 35S-chitinase Brassica as compared to the untransformed control plants.
Chaudhary Swaran Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Research Station, Sangla Valley, Kuppa (Zira Farm), Kinnaur-172 106, Himachal Pradesh, India. kalyanmondal@yahoo.com
Kalyan K
KK
Mondal
Subhas Chandra
SC
Chatterjee
Navin
N
Viswakarma
Ram Charan
RC
Bhattacharya
Anita
A
Grover
D000528:Alternaria / Q000254:growth & development*; D017796:Caulimovirus / Q000235:genetics; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
D002688:Chitinases