title: Transformation of Althaea officinalis L. by Agrobacterium rhizogenes for the production of transgenic roots expressing the anti-HIV microbicide cyanovirin-N.
abstract: The marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis L.) has been used for centuries in medicine and other applications. Valuable secondary metabolites have previously been identified in Agrobacterium rhizogenes-generated transgenic 'hairy' roots in this species. In the present study, transgenic roots were produced in A. officinalis using A. rhizogenes. In addition to wild-type lines, roots expressing the anti-human immunodeficiency virus microbicide candidate, cyanovirin-N (CV-N), were generated. Wild-type and CV-N root lines were transferred to liquid culture and increased in mass by 49 and 19 % respectively over a 7 day culture period. In the latter, the concentration of CV-N present in the root tissue was 2.4 μg/g fresh weight, with an average secretion rate into the growth medium of 0.02 μg/ml/24 h. A. officinalis transgenic roots may therefore in the future be used not only as a source of therapeutic secondary metabolites, but also as an expression system for the production of recombinant pharmaceuticals.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Unit, Research Centre for Infection and Immunity, St. George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK, pdrake@sgul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Pascal M W
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Moraes Madeira
authors.forename: Tim H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: Julian K-C
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D060054:Agrobacterium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D031583:Althaea / Q000235:genetics; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019149:Bioreactors; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003470:Culture Media; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006801:Humans; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; C107733:cyanovirin N