Transgenic expression of antibacterial proteins AP24, lysozyme and dermaseptine in Solanum tuberosum (var. Spunta) plants confers broad spectrum resistance to pathogens"

RIVERO, M.M., MENCACCI, N., FURMAN, N., BRAVO-ALMONACID, F. AND MENTABERRY, A

Pinamar, Argentina,

Congreso; XLI Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Bioquímicas.; 2005

Engineered resistance to micro-organisms represents a promising approach for generating broad-spectrum pathogen-resistant potato plants.  Solanum tuberosum (var. spunta) plants were transformed with genetic constructions constitutively expressing the chicken lysozyme, the tobacco AP24 osmotine or the Phyllomedusa dermaseptine coding sequences, respectively. Transgenic potato lines transformed with either the lysozyme and AP24, the dermaseptine or the three antimicrobial genes were assayed under controlled conditions for resistance to the phytopathogenic bacteria Erwinia carotovora spp. atroseptica and to the fungal pathogen Fusarium solani Carp. Transgenic plants and tubers were inoculated with Erwinia and Fusarium fresh cultures.  Disease development was measured using arbitrary semi-quantitative scales. Transgenic lines respectively transformed with the dermaseptine, lysozyme, AP24 plus lysozyme or dermaseptine plus lysozyme and AP24 sequences were screened. Transgenic plants expressing combinations of two or three antimicrobial compounds exhibited increased resistance to both pathogens as compared to those expressing only one of them.