title: Enhanced resistance to fungal pathogens in transgenic Populus tomentosa Carr. by overexpression of an nsLTP-like antimicrobial protein gene from motherwort (Leonurus japonicus).
abstract: The antimicrobial protein gene LJAMP2 is a plant non-specific lipid transfer protein from motherwort (Leonurus japonicus). In this study, it was introduced into Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa Carr.) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with neomycin phosphotransferase II gene conferring kanamycin resistance as selectable marker. A total of 16 poplar lines were obtained, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis established the stable integration of transgenes in the plant genome. Reverse transcription-PCR detected LJAMP2 expression in transgenic plants. Resistance to fungal pathogens Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) of transgenic poplar lines was tested. In vitro inhibitory activity against the fungal pathogens was evident from the crude leaf extracts from the transformants. In vivo assays showed that, after infection with both A. alternata (Fr.) Keissler and C. gloeosporioides (Penz.), there was a significant reduction in disease symptoms in transgenic poplar plants compared with the control. These results suggest that constitutive expression of the LJAMP2 gene from motherwort can be exploited to improve resistance to fungal pathogens in poplar.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Eco-environment and Bio-resource of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 1 Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Zhichun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jiqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xingyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Keming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D031332:Leonurus / Q000235:genetics*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*