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Transgenic zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) plants obtained by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

  • Genetic Transformation and Hybridization
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Abstract

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) is an important turfgrass that spreads by stolons and rhizomes. By exploring the potential of direct shoot formation from stolons, we developed a straightforward and efficient transformation protocol without callus induction and propagation. Sterilized stolon nodes were infected and co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring pCAMBIA vectors. Hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hph) was used as the selectable marker and hygromycin was used as the selection agent. Both green and albino shoots were directly regenerated from the infected stolon nodes 4–5 weeks after hygromycin selection. Greenhouse-grown plants were obtained 10–12 weeks after Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Based on the number of transgenic plants obtained and the number of stolon nodes infected, a transformation frequency of 6.8% was achieved. Stable integration of the transgenes in the plant genome was demonstrated by PCR and Southern blot hybridization analyses. Expression of the transgenes was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis and GUS staining. The new transformation system opens up new opportunities for the functional characterization of genes and promoters and the development of novel germplasm in zoysiagrass.

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Abbreviations

hph :

hygromycin phosphotransferase gene

gusA :

β-glucuronidase gene

PCR:

polymerase chain reaction

RT-PCR:

reverse transcriptase-PCR

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dooly Barlow and Judy Grider for their valuable help. The research was supported by the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forage Improvement Division, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, 2510 Sam Noble Parkway, Ardmore, OK 73401, USA

    Yaxin Ge, Tina Norton & Zeng-Yu Wang

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  1. Yaxin Ge
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  2. Tina Norton
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  3. Zeng-Yu Wang
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Correspondence to Zeng-Yu Wang.

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Communicated by H. Lörz

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Ge, Y., Norton, T. & Wang, ZY. Transgenic zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) plants obtained by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Plant Cell Rep 25, 792–798 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0123-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0123-8

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