Bt gene cry2Aa2 driven by a tissue specific ST-LS1 promoter from potato effectively controls Heliothis virescens

• Published in: Transgenic research Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 289 - 298
• Main Authors: Zaidi, M.A, Mohammadi, M, Postel, S, Masson, L, Altosaar, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-06-2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillus thuringiensis - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Toxins - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Blotting, Southern; cry2Aa2 gene; crystal proteins; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; Genes; Genetic engineering; Genetic technics; Heliothis virescens; inheritance (genetics); insect pests; Insecta; insecticidal proteins; Larva; leaf and stem specific protein; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - metabolism; Nicotiana tabacum; Pest Control, Biological; pest resistance; plant proteins; Plants, Genetically Modified; Polymerase Chain Reaction; promoter regions; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Proteins; recombinant DNA; Solanum tuberosum; Solanum tuberosum - genetics; tobacco; transgenes; Transgenic animals and transgenic plants; Transgenic plants; Cry2Aa2; Heliothis virescens; Solanum tuberosum; Insecta; Bacillus thuringiensis; Green tissue specific; Maruca vitrata; ST-LS1; Bacillaceae; Potato; Tissue; Pyralidae; Bacillales; Gene; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lepidoptera; Bacteria; Spermatophyta; Noctuidae; Solanaceae; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0962-8819; 1573-9368
• DOI: 10.1007/s11248-004-7714-3

Expression of the Cry2Aa2 protein was targeted specifically to the green tissues of transgenic tobacco Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi plants. This deployment was achieved by using the promoter region of the gene encoding the Solanum tuberosum leaf and stem specific (ST-LS1) protein. The accumulated levels of toxin in the leaves were found to be effective in achieving 100% mortality of Heliothis virescens larvae. The levels of Cry2Aa2 expression in the leaves of these transgenic plants were up to 0.21% of the total soluble proteins. Bioassays with R1 transgenic plants indicated the inheritance of cry2Aa2 in the progeny plants. Tissue-specific expression of the Bt toxin in transgenic plants may help in controlling the potential occurrence of insect resistance by limiting the amount of toxin to only predated tissues. The results reported here validate the use of the ST-LS1 gene promoter for a targeted expression of Bt toxins in green tissues of plants.