Genetic transformation of durum wheat for resistance to fungal pathogens.

摘要

Transgenic technology is routinely used to genetically modify durum wheat for different aims. Among these; the introduction of defense genes against fungal pathogens is of major interest. The commercial durum wheat variety Ofanto was stably transformed by bombardment of immature inflorescences using the plasmid pMM3; containing the expression cassette pRbcs-^52 as tool to confer resistance to fungal pathogens. The b-32 protein is a maize cytosolic albumin with a molecular weight of 32 kDa; synthesized in temporal and quantitative coordination with the storage proteins in the endosperm; molecularly homologous and enzymatically acting as a functional ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP). Three indipendent transformed lines were obtained using the cv.Ofanto; and the primary events were crossed with parental non-transformed Ofanto; in order to avoid somaclonal variation effects; until F3 generations. The presence of gene b32 and of its transcripts in the leaves of transgenic plants is shown by means of PCR and RT-PCR experiments. The molecular characterisation of these lines is presented. In vivo analysis of homozygous lines in pathogenicity assays; in order to assess the effects of b-32 upon fungal infection; is in progress.