Bcl-xL transformed peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) exhibits paraquat tolerance

• Published in: Plant cell reports 2008-01, Vol.27 (1), p.85-92
• Main Authors: Chu, Y, Deng, X. Y, Faustinelli, P, Ozias-Akins, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arachis - drug effects; Arachis - genetics; Arachis - metabolism; Arachis hypogaea; Arachis hypogaea L; bcl-X Protein - genetics; bcl-X Protein - metabolism; Bcl-xL; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Blotting, Northern; Blotting, Southern; Blotting, Western; Cell Biology; Cultivars; Drought; Drug Resistance - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic engineering; Genetic technics; genetic transformation; Genetic Transformation and Hybridization; Humans; Life Sciences; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Models, Genetic; Paraquat; Paraquat - pharmacology; Paraquat tolerance; Plant Biochemistry; Plant growth; Plant Sciences; Plants, Genetically Modified - drug effects; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transgenic animals and transgenic plants; Transgenic plants
• ISSN: 0721-7714; 1432-203X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00299-007-0444-2

The human Bcl-xL gene was transformed into peanut cultivar Georgia Green via microprojectile bombardment. Following selection on hygromycin-containing medium and regeneration, eighty hygromycin-resistant callus clusters were recovered. Southern blot analysis of ten fertile lines revealed multiple insertions of the Bcl-xL transgene in most lines. Western blot analysis of primary plants and T1 progenies demonstrated detectable levels of Bcl-xL expression in four transgenic lines. We could not detect Bcl-xL protein in other tested lines even though transcripts were identified by RT-PCR and northern blot. Three of the western-positive transgenic lines either were sterile or the progenies lost the expressive copy of Bcl-xL. Only T1 progenies from line BX25-4-2a-19 continued to express an intermediate level of Bcl-xL. This line demonstrated paraquat tolerance at the 5 μM level. Tolerance to salt of T1 and T2 seeds from seven other transgenic lines also was tested, but no tolerance was found in these lines. A high level of Bcl-xL transgene expression may be deleterious to plant growth and development even though the gene may confer tolerance to other abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought and pathogens.