ISHS Acta Horticulturae 521: XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 11: Application of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and Breeding - Gene Expression and Molecular Breeding, Genome Analysis.
THE FEASIBILITY OF FUNGAL DISEASE RESISTANCE IN APPLE BY EXPRESSION OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE GENES |
| Authors: | W. Broothaerts, K. De Cubber, S. Zaman, S. Coppens, J. Keulemans |
| Keywords: | Malus x domestica, Venturia inaequalis, antimicrobial peptide, Apple, fungal disease, genetic transformation, scab |
| Abstract:
Fungal diseases in apple can cause considerable damage to both the trees and their fruits. Although fungicide spraying is a common and mostly efficient way to control disease development, its cost and the pressure to the environment obviate the need for alternative approaches to inhibit fungi. Using genetic transformation as a tool for heterologous gene transfer, we are expressing various antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in apple. In this paper, we describe the analysis of transgenic plants that were transformed with one of the AMP genes, i.e. A1-AMP. A total of 28 independent transgenic lines of cultivar Jonagold were obtained, which had integrated the T-DNA region containing the A1-AMP gene as revealed by PCR analysis. The A1-peptide was expressed in the leaves of these plants at varying levels, mounting up to 0,15% of total soluble protein content. Using an in vitro fungal inhibition assay, it was shown that the leaf-derived AMP-peptides retained their activity after extraction from the transgenic tissues. Artificial inoculation assays employing conidiospores of Venturia inaequalis are being used to study the resistance of the transgenic plants. This work is in progress. | |
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