Expression of the cercosporin transporter, CFP, in tobacco reduces frog-eye lesion size.
The cercosporin Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter, CFP, under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter, was introduced into the Xanthi cultivar of tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. CFP(+) transgenic plants were physically indistinguishable from non-transgenic Xanthi and progressed normally through growth to seed set. Accumulation of CFP in the leaf membrane fraction of CFP(+ )transgenic plants was associated with decreased cercosporin phytotoxicity. Frog-eye leaf lesions on CFP(+ )transgenic plants infected with Cercospora nicotianae conidia were smaller but were similar in number to those on non-transgenic plants. We conclude that transgenic expression of CFP may have relevance for a disease control strategy in Cercospora-plant pathosystems where cercosporin is implicated in pathogen virulence.
Upchurch
Robert G
RG
Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA. greg_upchurch@ncsu.edu
Rose
Mark S
MS
Eweida
Mohamed
M
Zuo
Weineng
W
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000235:genetics*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C400126:cercosporin transporter protein, Cercospora