title: A transgenic approach to control hemipteran insects by expressing insecticidal genes under phloem-specific promoters.
abstract: The first generation transgenic crops used strong constitutive promoters for transgene expression. However, tissue-specific expression is desirable for more precise targeting of transgenes. Moreover, piercing/sucking insects, which are generally resistant to insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins, have emerged as a major pests since the introduction of transgenic crops expressing these toxins. Phloem-specific promoters isolated from Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) were used for the expression of two insecticidal proteins, Hadronyche versuta (Blue Mountains funnel-web spider) neurotoxin (Hvt) and onion leaf lectin, in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Here we demonstrate that transgenic plants expressing Hvt alone or in combination with onion leaf lectin are resistant to Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug), Myzus persicae (green peach aphids) and Bemisia tabaci (silver leaf whitefly). The expression of both proteins under different phloem-specific promoters resulted in close to 100% mortality and provided more rapid protection than Hvt alone. Our results suggest the employment of the Hvt and onion leaf lectin transgenic constructs at the commercial level will reduce the use of chemical pesticides for control of hemipteran insect pests.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.|Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan.|Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, 533 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Shaista
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Javaid
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, 533 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jander
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mukhtar
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nasir A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), P. O. Box 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mansoor
mesh_terms: D060848:Agatoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D052658:Babuvirus / Q000235:genetics; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D052585:Phloem / Q000378:metabolism*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D060848:Agatoxins; D007306:Insecticides; D037121:Plant Lectins