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Transgenic tomato plants expressing an Arabidopsis thionin (Thi2.1) driven by fruit-inactive promoter battle against phytopathogenic attack

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Abstract

Tomato is one of the most important crop plants; however, attacks by pathogens can cause serious losses in production. In this report, we explore the potential of using the Arabidopsis thionin (Thi2.1) gene to genetically engineer enhanced resistance to multiple diseases in tomato. Potential thionin toxicity in fruits was negated by the use of a fruit-inactive promoter to drive the Thi2.1 gene. In transgenic lines containing RB7/Thi2.1, constitutive Thi2.1 expression was detected in roots and incidentally in leaves, but not in fruits. Disease assays revealed that the transgenic lines that were tested conferred significant levels of enhanced resistance to bacterial wilt (BW) and Fusarium wilt (FW). Further studies indicated that BW disease progression in transgenic lines was delayed by a systemic suppression of bacterial multiplication. By adopting a safe genetic engineering strategy, the present investigation is another step forward demonstrating thionin practicality in crop protection.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to The Institute of Molecular Biology for providing experimental equipments and facility and AVRDC—The World Vegetable Center for their technical assistance. We also thank Dr. Kenrick Deen for his critical review of this manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from Academia Sinica and grant NSC-92-2317-B-001-037 from the National Science Council of the Republic of China. This work was carried out in compliance with the current laws governing genetic experimentation in Taiwan, the Republic of China. Yuan-Li Chan and Venkatesh Prasad contributed equally to this work. Chiu-Ping Cheng and Ming-Tsair Chan also contributed equally to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of BioAgricultural Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan

    Yuan-Li Chan, Venkatesh Prasad,   Sanjaya, Ming-Tsair Chan & Chiu-Ping Cheng

  2. Eexon Science Inc., Gui Shan Country, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan

    Kuei Hung Chen & Po Chang Liu

Authors
  1. Yuan-Li Chan
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  2. Venkatesh Prasad
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  3.   Sanjaya
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  4. Kuei Hung Chen
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  5. Po Chang Liu
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  6. Ming-Tsair Chan
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  7. Chiu-Ping Cheng
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Correspondence to Ming-Tsair Chan or Chiu-Ping Cheng.

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Chan, YL., Prasad, V., Sanjaya,  . et al. Transgenic tomato plants expressing an Arabidopsis thionin (Thi2.1) driven by fruit-inactive promoter battle against phytopathogenic attack. Planta 221, 386–393 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-004-1459-3

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