title: Spatial control of transgene expression in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using the GAL4 enhancer trapping system.
abstract: We used enhancer trapping with the GAL4 transcriptional activator from yeast to obtain spatial control of transgene expression in all organs of the model monocotyledonous species rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare). Our T-DNA enhancer trapping cassette consisted of two principle components: (1) the minimal promoter-equipped gal4 gene placed adjacent to the right border, and (2) the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp) fused to the upstream activation sequence element (UAS) to which GAL4 binds and activates expression, so that gfp expression corresponds to gal4 expression. Agrobacterium-mediated integration of the cassette into the rice genome often brings the gal4 gene under transcriptional control of local genomic enhancers and promoters, resulting in gal4/gfp expression patterns ranging in specificity from single-cell types to constitutive expression. We produced more than 13 000 enhancer trap lines with this cassette and screened T(0) adult plants (1982 lines), T(1) seed (2684 lines) and T(1) seedlings (2667 lines) for gfp expression. Approximately 30% of the lines produced GFP, and we identified lines with gfp expression in specific cell types of all major organs of the rice plant. Subsequently, using the GUS reporter gene (uidA), we demonstrated that UAS:geneX constructs can be transactivated in specific cell types where gal4 and gfp are expressed, thus providing an excellent system for the manipulation of gene expression and physiological function in specific cell types of rice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
authors.forename: Alexander A T
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Julian M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hibberd
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: Pauline A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Essah
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haseloff
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tester
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guiderdoni
mesh_terms: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C052130:GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors