title: Over-expression of a tobacco nitrate reductase gene in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) increases seed protein content and weight without augmenting nitrogen supplying.
abstract: Heavy nitrogen (N) application to gain higher yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) resulted in increased production cost and environment pollution. How to diminish the N supply without losing yield and/or quality remains a challenge. To meet the challenge, we integrated and expressed a tobacco nitrate reductase gene (NR) in transgenic wheat. The 35S-NR gene was transferred into two winter cultivars, "Nongda146" and "Jimai6358", by Agrobacterium-mediation. Over-expression of the transgene remarkably enhanced T1 foliar NR activity and significantly augmented T2 seed protein content and 1000-grain weight in 63.8% and 68.1% of T1 offspring (total 67 individuals analyzed), respectively. Our results suggest that constitutive expression of foreign nitrate reductase gene(s) in wheat might improve nitrogen use efficiency and thus make it possible to increase seed protein content and weight without augmenting N supplying.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xuan-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Xing-Guo
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000737:chemistry; D050901:Nitrate Reductase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000201:enzymology; D012639:Seeds / Q000201:enzymology*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D007612:Kanamycin; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D009584:Nitrogen
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