Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of chickpea with alpha-amylase inhibitor gene for insect resistance.
Chickpea is the world's third most important pulse crop and India produces 75% of the world's supply. Chickpea seeds are attacked by Callosobruchus maculatus and C. chinensis which cause extensive damage. The alpha-amylase inhibitor gene isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris seeds was introduced into chickpea cultivar K850 through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A total of 288 kanamycin resistant plants were regenerated. Only 0.3% of these were true transformants. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and Southern hybridization confirmed the presence of 4.9 kb alpha-amylase inhibitor gene in the transformed plants. Western blot confirmed the presence of alpha-amylase inhibitor protein. The results of bioassay study revealed a significant reduction in the survival rate of bruchid weevil C. maculatus reared on transgenic chickpea seeds. All the transgenic plants exhibited a segregation ratio of 3:1.
Ignacimuthu
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Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai 600 034, India. eri_lc@hotmail.com
Prakash
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D029863:Cicer / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015202:Protein Engineering; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000235:genetics*; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D048889:Weevils / Q000254:growth & development; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C061510:alpha-amylase inhibitor, Phaseolus vulgaris; D000516:alpha-Amylases