title: Anthocyanin production as a potential visual selection marker during plant transformation.
abstract: A mutant allele of the transcription factor gene MYB10 from apple induces anthocyanin production throughout the plant. This gene, including its upstream promoter, gene coding region and terminator sequence, was introduced into apple, strawberry and potato plants to determine whether it could be used as a visible selectable marker for plant transformation as an alternative to chemically selectable markers, such as kanamycin resistance. After transformation, red coloured calli, red shoots and red well-growing plants were scored. Red and green shoots were harvested from apple explants and examined for the presence of the MYB10 gene by PCR analysis. Red shoots of apple explants always contained the MYB10 gene but not all MYB10 containing shoots were red. Strawberry plants transformed with the MYB10 gene showed anthocyanin accumulation in leaves and roots. No visible accumulation of anthocyanin could be observed in potato plants grown in vitro, even the ones carrying the MYB10 gene. However, acid methanol extracts of potato shoots or roots carrying the MYB10 gene contained up to four times higher anthocyanin content than control plants. Therefore anthocyanin production as result of the apple MYB10 gene can be used as a selectable marker for apple, strawberry and potato transformation, replacing kanamycin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen UR Plant Breeding, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 386, 6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands. anne.kortstee@wur.nl
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kortstee
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helderman
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: R G F
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brendolise
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schouten
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D031985:Fragaria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D027845:Malus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007612:Kanamycin; D000432:Methanol