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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #304144

Title: Root expression from a Beta vulgaris promoter in transgenic Arabidopsis plants

Author
item Smigocki, Anna
item PADMANABAN, SENTHIL - University Of Maryland
item Li, Haiyan
item TECH, KIMBERLY - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Executive Report
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2014
Publication Date: 6/5/2014
Citation: Smigocki, A.C., Padmanaban, S., Li, H., Tech, K. 2014. Root expression from a Beta vulgaris promoter in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Executive Report. www.bsdf-assbt.org/assbt/assbt.htm.

Interpretive Summary: Plant modification biotechnology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Not only is the efficiency of producing modified plants increasing, but also the timing and tissue specificity of foreign gene (trait) production is being more effectively controlled. To develop genetically improved plants with specialized agronomic traits for insect and disease tolerance, a larger arsenal of tissue-specific and developmentally regulated gene regulators (promoters) is required. We describe the expression patterns of a sugar beet promoter in a mustard green plant (Arabidopsis) used as a model plant in this study. The AR27 promoter is shown to be primarily expressed in the roots and flowers of the genetically modified Arabidopsis. This information will be used by scientists to develop improved crops capable of naturally resisting root and flower pests and diseases thus improving the safety of foods for human consumption by reducing the usage of harmful chemical pesticides.

Technical Abstract: Tighter control of gene expression can be achieved by using promoters for expressing genes in a tissue-specific and temporal manner without imparting deleterious effects on non-target tissue. Inducible gene promoters that are specifically activated by pathogen invasion or insect pest attack are needed for effective expression of resistance genes to control plant diseases. We cloned a series of sugar beet promoters by genome walking from EST clones identified as being expressed in sugar beet roots. Fusion of the promoters to the GUS reporter gene was used to determine promoter driven expression patterns in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. In seedlings and mature plants, promoter AR27-driven expression was more highly concentrated in the roots. Leaf expression was not observed or limited to the midveins. In mature plants, expression was also detected in flower buds and siliques. The AR27 promoter should provide a means for effective tissue specific expression of resistance genes in roots and flowers to enhance insect and disease tolerance in plants.