title: Constitutive expression of human lactoferrin and its N-lobe in rice plants to confer disease resistance.
abstract: The milk protein, lactoferrin, is known to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activities. To explore the possibility of conferring disease resistance in plants by expressing this protein, the gene for the full-length human lactoferrin (HLF), as well as the N-lobe, the N-terminal half molecule (HLFN), was introduced into rice plants and expressed constitutively under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promotor. Western blot analysis of leaves from HLF-transgenic rice plants showed an 80 kDa-band, which was about 1-2 kDa less than human milk lactoferrin. HLFN was expressed as a 45-kDa protein and retained its heparin-binding property. Deglycosylation experiments suggested that both proteins produced by the plants had plant-type oligosaccharide chains. The transgenic rice plants were assessed for resistance against disease-causing bacteria, virus, and fungi. Of the pathogens tested, significant resistance against Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) plantarii, the causative agent of bacterial seedling blight disease, was observed in the transgenic plants expressing HLF or HLFN.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. ktakase@nias.affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onodera
authors.forename: Yaeko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugaki
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omura
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Numata
authors.forename: Katsuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akutsu
authors.forename: Haruto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumura
authors.forename: Kei-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D019117:Burkholderia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D017796:Caulimovirus / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006031:Glycosylation; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015202:Protein Engineering; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012087:Reoviridae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014162:Transfection; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014974:Xanthomonas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides; D006493:Heparin; D007781:Lactoferrin