title: Methanol production is enhanced by expression of an Aspergillus niger pectin methylesterase in tobacco cells.
abstract: Tobacco suspension culture cell (Nicotiana tabacum, BY2) was transformed with an Aspergillus niger pectin methylesterase (PME; EC 3.1.1.11) cDNA under the control of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. The transformant indicated a significant rise of PME and the level of methanol in the transformant increased by 28.7% compared to the vector control transformant. This is the first report of methanol overproduction in plant cells by means of genetic engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasunuma
authors.forename: Ei-ichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fukusaki
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D000432:Methanol / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C022323:pectinesterase; D000432:Methanol