ARS | Publication request: STRESS TOLERANCE IN TRANSGENIC TOMATO SEEDLINGS THAT OVEREXPRESS MN-SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE

Submitted to: Abstract of International Horticultural Congress
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 1, 2002
Publication Date: June 21, 2002
Citation: WANG, Y., WISNIEWSKI, M.E., MEILAN, R., FUCHIGAMI, L. STRESS TOLERANCE IN TRANSGENIC TOMATO SEEDLINGS THAT OVEREXPRESS MN-SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE. ABSTRACT OF INTERNATIONAL HORTICULTURAL CONGRESS. 2002.

Technical Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radicals, are inevitable by-products of biological redox reactions. ROS can denature enzymes and damage important cellular components. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the breakdown of superoxide into O2 and H2O2. The effect of increased Mn-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD)on stress tolerance was studied using transformed tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants. Overexpression of a Mn-SOD in trangenic tomato enhanced seedling growth, compared to wild-type (WT) plants under a variety of environmental stresses (high temperature, salt, and chilling. A novel Mn-SOD was detected by native PAGE in transformed plants but enzyme activity varied among different independent lines. Seeds obtained from transgenic plants could germinate at low temperature (9 degrees C) in the dark, whereas seeds from WT plants could not. Seedlings from transgenic plants showed resistance to the superoxide-generating herbicide methyl viologen, high and low temperature stress, and salinity stress.