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Heritable transgene expression pattern imposed onto maize ubiquitin promoter by maize adh-1 matrix attachment regions: tissue and developmental specificity in maize transgenic plants

  • Genetics and Genomics
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Abstract

Matrix attachment regions (MARs) have been used to enhance transgene expression and to reduce transgene expression instability in various organisms. In plants, contradictory data question the role of MAR sequences. To assess the use of MAR sequences in maize, we have used two well-characterized MARs from the maize adh-1 region. The MARs have been cloned either 5′ to or at both sides of a reporter gene expression cassette to reconstitute a MAR-based domain. Histochemical staining revealed a new transgene expression pattern in roots of regenerated plants and their progeny. Furthermore, MARs systematically induced variegation. We show here that maize adh-1 MARs are able to modify transgene expression patterns as a heritable trait, giving a new and complementary outcome following use of MARs in genetic transformation.

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Fig. 3A–F

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Abbreviations

adh-1 :

Alcohol dehydrogenase 1

GUS :

β-Glucuronidase

HSC80 :

Heat shock cognate 80 gene

MAR :

Matrix attachment regions

Rsyn-7 :

Root specific synthetic promoter

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Dr. Z. Avramova for providing stimulating discussion and for the 5′ and 3′ maize adh-1 MARs. The authors are obliged to Peter Quail for the gift of the pAHC25 plasmid. We are also grateful to Dr. H. Vaucheret for his comments on the manuscript. This study would not have been possible without the greenhouse and culture chamber team (Richard Blanc, Jean-Claude Girard, Christophe Serre and Christophe Troquier) who provided us with excellent plant growth conditions. This work was supported by INRA and the French Ministry for Scientific Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR INRA-UBP 1095 Amélioration et Santé des Plantes, Domaine de Crouelle, 63039, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    François Torney, Anne Partier, Véronique Says-Lesage, Isabelle Nadaud, Pierre Barret & Michel Beckert

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  1. François Torney
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  2. Anne Partier
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  3. Véronique Says-Lesage
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  4. Isabelle Nadaud
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  5. Pierre Barret
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  6. Michel Beckert
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Correspondence to Michel Beckert.

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Communicated by H. Lörz

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Torney, F., Partier, A., Says-Lesage, V. et al. Heritable transgene expression pattern imposed onto maize ubiquitin promoter by maize adh-1 matrix attachment regions: tissue and developmental specificity in maize transgenic plants. Plant Cell Rep 22, 931–938 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-004-0779-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-004-0779-x

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