title: Pyramided rice lines harbouring Allium sativum (asal) and Galanthus nivalis (gna) lectin genes impart enhanced resistance against major sap-sucking pests.
abstract: We have developed transgene pyramided rice lines, endowed with enhanced resistance to major sap-sucking insects, through sexual crosses made between two stable transgenic rice lines containing Allium sativum (asal) and Galanthus nivalis (gna) lectin genes. Presence and expression of asal and gna genes in pyramided lines were confirmed by PCR and western blot analyses. Segregation analysis of F₂ progenies disclosed digenic (9:3:3:1) inheritance of the transgenes. Homozygous F₃ plants carrying asal and gna genes were identified employing genetic and molecular methods besides insect bioassays. Pyramided lines, infested with brown planthopper (BPH), green leafhopper (GLH) and whitebacked planthopper (WBPH), proved more effective in reducing insect survival, fecundity, feeding ability besides delayed development of insects as compared to the parental transgenics. Under infested conditions, pyramided lines were found superior to the parental transgenics in their seed yield potential. This study represents first report on pyramiding of two lectin genes into rice exhibiting enhanced resistance against major sucking pests. The pyramided lines appear promising and might serve as a novel genetic resource in rice breeding aimed at durable and broad based resistance against hoppers.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Osmania University, University Campus, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500007, India.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bharathi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijaya Kumar
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Pasalu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.forename: V D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D027801:Galanthus / Q000235:genetics; D005737:Garlic / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D006720:Homozygote; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000235:genetics; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D053147:Plant Exudates; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins; D053147:Plant Exudates; D037121:Plant Lectins; C063117:snowdrop lectin