ISHS Acta Horticulturae 508: XIX International Symposium on Improvement of Ornamental Plants
ANTIFUNGAL TRANSGENES EXPRESSION IN PETUNIA HYBRIDA |
| Authors: | S. Esposito, M.G. Colucci, L. Frusciante, E. Filippone, M. Lorito, R.A. Bressan |
| Keywords: | endochitinase, genetic transformation, osmotin, Trichoderma harzianum, Petunia hybrida |
| Abstract:
Plant defences against fungal pathogens may be increased by transferring genes encoding antifungal proteins. The gene ech-42, encoding an endochitinase from the antagonist fungus Trichoderma harzianum, was introduced alone or in combination with the osmotin gene from Nicotiana tabacum into a Petunia hybrida pure line by the Agrobacterium tumefaciens leaf disc system. Southern analysis on twenty-four putative transformants confirmed the integration of both transgenes into the P. hybrida genome and indicated that their copies number ranged from one to four. Northern analysis and western blot revealed the expression of the osmotin gene and endochitinase gene, respectively. In vivo inoculation tests on some transgenic lines with Botrytis cinerea, an airborne pathogen that causes grey mould disease, revealed a statistically significant reduction of the disease symptoms in comparison with the controls, ranging from 20% to 50%. | |
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