Transformation of Synechococcus with a gene for choline oxidase enhances tolerance to salt stress

• Published in: Plant molecular biology Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 897 - 907
• Main Authors: Deshnium, P, Los, D.A, Hayashi, H, Mustardy, L, Murata, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01-12-1995
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; alcohol oxidoreductases; Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Arthrobacter - genetics; Arthrobacter globiformis; Base Sequence; betaine; Betaine - metabolism; biosynthesis; chlorophyll; Chromosomes, Bacterial; cloning; Cloning, Molecular; coda gene; Cyanobacteria - enzymology; Cyanobacteria - genetics; Cyanobacteria - physiology; DNA, Bacterial; Freshwater; genbank/x84895; genetic transformation; Molecular Sequence Data; nucleotide sequences; Osmolar Concentration; photosynthesis; salinity; salt tolerance; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sodium Chloride; stress; structural genes; Synechococcus; Transformation, Genetic
• ISSN: 0167-4412; 1573-5028
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00014964

Choline oxidase, isolated from the soil bacterium Arthrobacter globiformis, converts choline to glycine-betaine (N-trimethylglycine) without a requirement for any cofactors. The gene for this enzyme, designated codA, was cloned and introduced into the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942. The codA gene was expressed under the control of a strong constitutive promoter, and the transformed cells accumulated glycine-betaine at intracellular levels of 60-80 mM. Consequently the cells acquired tolerance to salt stress, as evaluated in terms of growth, accumulation of chlorophyll and photosynthetic activity.