title: Expression of Brassica                      oleracea                      FtsZ1-1 and MinD alters chloroplast division in Nicotiana tabacum generating macro- and mini-chloroplasts.
abstract: FtsZ1-1 and MinD plastid division-related genes were identified and cloned from Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing BoFtsZ1-1 or BoMinD exhibited cells with either fewer but abnormally large chloroplasts or more but smaller chloroplasts relative to wild-type tobacco plants. An abnormal chloroplast phenotype in guard cells was found in BoMinD transgenic tobacco plants but not in BoFtsZ1-1 transgenic tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco plants bearing the macro-chloroplast phenotype had 10 to 20-fold increased levels of total FtsZ1-1 or MinD, whilst the transgenic tobacco plants bearing the mini-chloroplast phenotype had lower increased FtsZ1-1 or absence of detectable MinD. We also described for the first time, plastid transformation of macro-chloroplast bearing tobacco shoots with a gene cassette allowing for expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP). Homoplasmic plastid transformants from normal chloroplast and macro-chloroplast tobacco plants expressing GFP were obtained. Both types of transformants accumulated GFP at ~6% of total soluble protein, thus indicating that cells containing macro-chloroplasts can regenerate shoots in tissue culture and can stably integrate and express a foreign gene to similar levels as plant cells containing a normal chloroplast size and number.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
authors.forename: Veera R N
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Chikkala
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Nugent
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Stalker
authors.forename: Aidyn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mouradov
authors.forename: Trevor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D001937:Brassica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000502:physiology*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins