Purple-leaved Ficus lyrata plants produced by overexpressing a grapevine VvMybA1 gene.
CONCLUSIONS
This study established an efficient method of regenerating plants of Ficus lyrata and producing purple-leaved F. lyrata plants through genetic transformation using a VvMybA1 gene of grapevine.
Ficus lyrata, a species with unique violin- or guitar-shaped leaves, was regenerated from leaf-derived calli cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 4.5 μM N-phenyl-N'-1, 2, 3-thiadiazol-5-yl urea (TDZ) and 0.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Leaf discs were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 105 harboring a binary vector DEAT that contains the VvMybA1 gene and neomycin phosphotransferase (npt II) gene and subsequently cultured on the established regeneration medium supplemented with 100 mg l(-1) kanamycin. Results showed that 87.5 % of the leaf discs produced kanamycin-resistant callus, and 68.8 % of them produced adventitious shoots. Transgenic plants with three leaf colors including green, green-purple, and purple were produced. Regular and quantitative real-time PCR analyses confirmed the integration of transgenes into the host genome. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the VvMybA1 gene was responsible for the purple-colored phenotype. Purple-leaved plants with strong color stability grew vigorously in a greenhouse. This study illustrated the feasibility of using a genetically engineered VvMybA1 gene for drastic modification of leaf color of an important woody ornamental plant.
Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, 2725 S. Binion Road, Apopka, FL, 32703, USA.
Jietang
J
Zhao
Zhijian T
ZT
Li
Juan
J
Chen
Richard J
RJ
Henny
Dennis J
DJ
Gray
Jianjun
J
Chen
D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D030681:Ficus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D038081:Organogenesis; D010858:Pigmentation; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012038:Regeneration; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D027843:Vitis / Q000235:genetics*
D000872:Anthocyanins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010940:Plant Proteins; C036483:T-DNA