title: Tobacco PR-2d promoter is induced in transgenic cucumber in response to biotic and abiotic stimuli.
abstract: The PR-2d promoter/uidA (GUS) gene construct was introduced into the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) genome and several transgenic lines were produced. Activation of the PR-2d promoter was investigated in these plants in response to inoculation with fungal pathogens and after salicylic acid (SA) or cold treatments. Treatment with exogenous SA increased GUS activity 2 to 11 fold over that of the control. Endogenous SA and its conjugate salicylic acid glucoside (SAG) rose in parallel after inoculation with the fungal pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis, with SAG becoming the predominant form. The free SA levels increased 15 fold above the basal level at 5 dpi and preceded the induction of the PR-2d promoter by five days, which occurred at 10 dpi with a 12 fold increase over the control. Inoculation with another fungal pathogen, Erysiphe polyphage, increased GUS activity 4 to 44 fold over that of the control. During normal development of flowers in the cucumber, the PR-2d/uidA gene expressed in the floral organs was similar to that of the primary host. In addition, we present the first evidence that the PR-2d promoter was induced (624 fold) under cold stress. We demonstrate that in the heterologous state the gene construct was expressed according to the signalling pattern of the native species and was stably transmitted to progeny over four generations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw Agricultural University, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szwacka
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malepszy
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature; D028462:Cucumis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005960:Glucosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005960:Glucosides; D012459:Salicylates; C084746:salicylic acid glucoside; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D020156:Salicylic Acid