Overexpression of glutamate decarboxylase in transgenic tobacco plants deters feeding by phytophagous insect larvae

Gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) is a ubiquitous four-carbon, non-protein amino acid synthesized by glutamate decarboxylase. Previous research suggests that the endogenous synthesis of GABA, a naturally occurring inhibitory neurotransmitter at neuromuscular junctions, serves as a plant resistance mechanis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical ecology 2003-09, Vol.29 (9), p.2177-2182
Main Authors: MacGregor, K.B, Shelp, B.J, Peiris, S, Bown, A.W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Amino acids
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Assay
DNA, Complementary
Feeding Behavior
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
gamma-aminobutyric acid
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation
Genetics and breeding of economic plants
glutamate decarboxylase
Glutamate Decarboxylase - biosynthesis
Glutamate Decarboxylase - genetics
Glutamate Decarboxylase - pharmacology
Insect Control - methods
Insects
Larva
Larvae
Leaves
Moths - physiology
Nicotiana - chemistry
Nicotiana - genetics
Nicotiana tabacum
Pest animals
Pest resistance
Plant resistance
Plant tissues
Plants
Plants, Edible - chemistry
Plants, Genetically Modified
resistance mechanisms
Tobacco
Transgenic plants
Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims
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Description
Summary:Gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) is a ubiquitous four-carbon, non-protein amino acid synthesized by glutamate decarboxylase. Previous research suggests that the endogenous synthesis of GABA, a naturally occurring inhibitory neurotransmitter at neuromuscular junctions, serves as a plant resistance mechanism against invertebrate pests. In this study, two homozygous transgenic tobacco lines constitutively overexpressing a single copy of a full-length chimeric glutamate decarboxylase cDNA and possessing enhanced capacity for GABA accumulation (GAD plants), a homozygous transgenic line lacking the gene insert, and wild-type tobacco were employed. Tobacco budworm larvae were presented with plant attached wild type and transgenic leaves for 4 hr in a feeding preference study. Larvae consumed six to twelve times more leaf tissue from wild-type plants than from GAD plants. These results suggest that leaf GABA accumulation, which is known to occur in response to insect larval walking and feeding, represents a rapidly deployed local resistance mechanism.
ISSN:0098-0331
1573-1561
DOI:10.1023/a:1025650914947