title: FOX-superroots of Lotus corniculatus, overexpressing Arabidopsis full-length cDNA, show stable variations in morphological traits.
abstract: Using the full-length cDNA overexpressor (FOX) gene-hunting system, we have generated 130 Arabidopsis FOX-superroot lines in bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) for the systematic functional analysis of genes expressed in roots and for the selection of induced mutants with interesting root growth characteristics. We used the Arabidopsis-FOX Agrobacterium library (constructed by ligating pBIG2113SF) for the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of superroots (SR) and the subsequent selection of gain-of-function mutants with ectopically expressed Arabidopsis genes. The original superroot culture of L. corniculatus is a unique host system displaying fast root growth in vitro, allowing continuous root cloning, direct somatic embryogenesis and mass regeneration of plants under entirely hormone-free culture conditions. Several of the Arabidopsis FOX-superroot lines show interesting deviations from normal growth and morphology of roots from SR-plants, such as differences in pigmentation, growth rate, length or diameter. Some of these mutations are of potential agricultural interest. Genomic PCR analysis revealed that 100 (76.9%) out of the 130 transgenic lines showed the amplification of single fragments. Sequence analysis of the PCR fragments from these 100 lines identified full-length cDNA in 74 of them. Forty-three out of 74 full-length cDNA carried known genes. The Arabidopsis FOX-superroot lines of L. corniculatus, produced in this study, expand the FOX hunting system and provide a new tool for the genetic analysis and control of root growth in a leguminous forage plant.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Agriculture and Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Himuro
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashiguchi
authors.forename: Takanari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Motoaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinozaki
authors.forename: Minami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D000070116:Lotus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary