Germin-like protein 2 gene promoter from rice is responsive to fungal pathogens in transgenic potato plants.
Controlled transgene expression via a promoter is particularly triggered in response to pathogen infiltration. This is significant for eliciting disease-resistant features in crops through genetic engineering. The germins and germin-like proteins (GLPs) are known to be associated with plant and developmental stages. The 1107-bp Oryza sativa root GLP2 (OsRGLP2) gene promoter fused to a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene was transformed into potato plants through an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The OsRGLP2 promoter was activated in response to Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. and Alternaria solani Sorauer. Quantitative real-time PCR results revealed 4-5-fold increase in promoter activity every 24 h following infection. There was a 15-fold increase in OsRGLP2 promoter activity after 72 h of F. solani (Mart.) Sacc. treatment and a 12-fold increase observed with A. solani Sorauer. Our results confirmed that the OsRGLP2 promoter activity was enhanced under fungal stress. Furthermore, a hyperaccumulation of H2O2 in transgenic plants is a clear signal for the involvement of OsRGLP2 promoter region in the activation of specific genes in the potato genome involved in H2O2-mediated defense response. The OsRGLP2 promoter evidently harbors copies of GT-I and Dof transcription factors (AAAG) that act in response to elicitors generated in the wake of pathogen infection.
Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Faiza
F
Munir
Center for Integrative Legume Research, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Satomi
S
Hayashi
School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Jacqueline
J
Batley
Department of Biochemistry, University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Syed Muhammad Saqlan
SM
Naqvi
Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. tmahmood.qau@gmail.com.
Tariq
T
Mahmood
D000528:Alternaria / Q000472:pathogenicity; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
D006023:Glycoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C058814:germin
Alternaria solani; Fusarium solani; Oryza sativa; OsRGLP2 promoter; Transformation; Transgenic potato plants