title: Development of novel types of plastid transformation vectors and evaluation of factors controlling expression.
abstract: Two new vector types for plastid transformation were developed and uidA reporter gene expression was compared to standard transformation vectors. The first vector type does not contain any plastid promoter, instead it relies on extension of existing plastid operons and was therefore named "operon-extension" vector. When a strongly expressed plastid operon like psbA was extended by the reporter gene with this vector type, the expression level was superior to that of a standard vector under control of the 16S rRNA promoter. Different insertion sites, promoters and 5'-UTRs were analysed for their effect on reporter gene expression with standard and operon-extension vectors. The 5'-UTR of phage 7 gene 10 in combination with a modified N-terminus was found to yield the highest expression levels. Expression levels were also strongly dependent on external factors like plant or leaf age or light intensity. In the second vector type, named "split" plastid transformation vector, modules of the expression cassette were distributed on two separate vectors. Upon co-transformation of plastids with these vectors, the complete expression cassette became inserted into the plastome. This result can be explained by successive co-integration of the split vectors and final loop-out recombination of the duplicated sequences. The split vector concept was validated with different vector pairs.
authors.affiliation: Icon Genetics AG, Research Centre Freising, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herz
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Füssl
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steiger
authors.forename: Hans-Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Koop
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D008027:Light; D009876:Operon; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000235:genetics; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014026:Nicotiana; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; C422369:photosystem II, psbA subunit; D019426:Integrases; D005966:Glucuronidase