Journal
PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE
Volume 97, Issue 2, Pages 215-223Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11240-009-9517-y
Keywords
Cytokinins; Isopentenyltransferase; Agrobacterium tumefaciens; PR-protein genes
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Transgenic grapefruit plants (Citrus paradisi cv. 'Duncan') with the isopentenyltransferase (ipt) gene under the control of APETALA3 promoter have been produced using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The relative expression level of the ipt gene was between 2.3 and 7 times higher in transformed plants than in the wild-type but despite the presence of a tissue-specific promoter, the expression was not limited only to flower tissue. Increased levels of trans-zeatin riboside between 9.4 and 32-fold found in transgenic grapefruit were considered the consequence of ectopic expression of the ipt gene. Chlorophyll levels in fully expanded uppermost leaves were also about 30% higher in transgenic than in wild-type plants. Involvement of cytokinins in control of expression of three pathogenesis-related protein genes: beta-1,3-glucanase, a stress related PR gene 24P220, and an acidic chitinase, 24P262 was examined. Expression of beta-1,3-glucanase, and 24P220 gene were significantly enhanced in transgenic plants while the expression of chitinase was reduced to low levels. Our results confirm the effect of cytokinins on expression of genes implicated in the response of grapefruit plants to pathogen attack and suggest a possible role of cytokinins in pathogen resistance.
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