Expression and assembly of functional bacterial luciferase in plants.
The luxA and luxB structural genes of Vibrio harveyi luciferase [alkanal,reduced FMN:oxygen oxidoreductase (1-hydroxylating, luminescing), EC 1.14.14.3] were introduced into a plant expression vector and transferred into tobacco and carrot cells by Agrobacterium-mediated or direct DNA transformation. Simultaneous expression of the luxA and luxB genes was monitored by protein immunoblot analysis. Luciferase-mediated light emission provided evidence for the assembly of the two protein subunits into a functional dimeric enzyme in plant protoplasts, in transformed calli, and in leaves of transformed plants. Bacterial luciferase may provide a useful marker-gene system for the quantitative assay of coordinate gene expression in transgenic plants.
Koncz
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Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, D-5000 Cologne 30, Federal Republic of Germany.
Olsson
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Langridge
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Schell
J
J
Szalay
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