Expression of a chimeric CaMV 35SBacillus thuringiensisinsecticidal protein gene in transgenic tobacco

✍ Scribed by Nadine B. Carozzi; Gregory W. Warren; Nalini Desai; Susan M. Jayne; Richard Lotstein; Douglas A. Rice; Stephen Evola; Michael G. Koziel

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 969 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-4412
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00040612

✦ Synopsis

Insecticidal transgenic tobacco plants containing a truncated Bacillus thuringiensis cryIA(b) crystal protein (ICP) gene expressed from the CaMV 35S promoter were analyzed for ICP gene expression under field and greenhouse conditions over the course of a growing season. We present new information on temporal and tissue-specific expression of a CaMV 35S/cryIA(b) gene. Levels of cryIA(b) protein and m R N A were compared in both homozygous and hemizygous lines throughout plant development. Levels of ICP m R N A and protein increased during plant development with a pronounced rise in expression at the time of flowering. Homozygous ICP lines produced higher levels of ICP than the corresponding hemizygous lines. ELISA analysis of different tissues in the tobacco plant showed ICP gene expression in most tissues with a predominance of ICP in older tissue. All transgenic ICP tobacco lines which were studied in the field and greenhouse contained 400 ng to 1 #g ICP per gram fresh weight in leaves from the mid-section of the plant at flowering. The amounts of ICP produced by field lines were directly comparable to levels observed in greenhouse-grown plants.