Transgenic Lotus corniculatus plants expressing spermidine syntase from tobacco

SANNAZZARO A., SÁNCHEZ D., CUEVAS J., MAIALE S., ALTABELLA T., TIBURCIO A., PIECKENSTAIN F., RUIZ O.

Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina

Congreso; XXXVII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Invesitigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2001

Sociedad Argentina de Invesitigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

Lotus corniculatus is an agronomically important legume. We have produced and analyzed transgenic plants harboring the spermidine synthase gene from Nicotiana tabacum expressed under the control of the 35ScaMV promoter. This enzyme catalyzes the production of spermidine, a polyamine which is associated whit morphogenesis, development and stress responses. A numberof transgenic lines were obtained (as confirmed by PCR) and some of them were chosen for further analysis. We have determined their polyamine content by HPLC and spermidine synthase activity by radiochemical methods. Spermidine synthase activity varied among transgenic lines. The activity of some lines was similar to control plants, whereas other lines exhibited higher values. Both spermidine and spermine levels were significantly higher in those lines, as compared with controls. It has been reported that tolerant plants from other species accumulate these two poliamines under saline stress condir¡tions. Thus we are currently evaluating salt tolerance of the transgenic lines obtained in this study