Characterization of transgenic tall fescue plants expressing two antioxidant genes in response to environmental stresses = 두가지 항산화유전자를 동시에 발현시킨 형질전환 톨 페스큐 식물체의 환경스트레스에 대한 내성 특성 해명

Abstract

Environmental stress is the major limiting factor in plant productivity. As an effort to solve the global food and environmental problems using the plant biotechnology, we have developed transgenic tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer method. To develop transgenic tall fescue plants with enhanced tolerance to the environmental stresses, both CuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) genes were incorporated in a pIG121 binary vector and the both of the genes were controlled separately by an oxidative stress-inducible sweet potato peroxidase 2 (SWPA2) promoter expressed in chloroplasts. Leaf discs of transgenic plants showed 10-30% less damage compared to the wild-type when they exposed to a wide range of environmental stresses including methyl viologen (MV), H2O2 and heavy metals. In addition, when 200 μM MV was sprayed onto the whole plants, transgenic plants showed a significant reduction of visible damage compared to wild-type plants that were almost damaged. These results suggest that over expression of CuZnSOD and APX genes in transgenic plants might be a useful strategy to protect the crops against a wide range of environmental stresses.