EXPRESSION EFFECT OF GENE ENCODING LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN GBII10 ON THE RESISTANCE OF Nicotiana tabacum var. HAVANA PETIT SR1 TO Peronospora hyoscyami f. sp. tabacina

摘要

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is an economically important crop in Cuba. Its yield and quality can be affected by several pathogenic microorganisms. The oomycete Peronospora hyoscyami f. sp. tabacina is the causal agent of the tobacco blue mold, which is the most important disease of this crop,. The noncultivated tobacco species Nicotiana megalosiphon has been shown to be highly resistant to P. hyoscyami f. sp. tabacina. This pathogen induces the Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP) gene expression as a defense mechanism of the plant following infection. In order to evaluate the LTP effect on the N. tabacum resistance to blue mold disease, LTP GBII10 isolated from N. megalosiphon was expressed in susceptible plants of N. tabacum var. Havana Petit SR1. Constitutive expression of LTP GBII10 gene in transgenic tobacco enhanced resistance to the disease showing an inhibitory effect in the development of P. hyoscyami f. sp. tabacina. LTP GBII10 is suggested to be used in the marker assisted selection of tobacco resistant genotypes and in obtaining transgenic plants in other economically important crops. Also, the inhibitory effect of LTP GBII10 against plant pathogenic microorganisms could be evaluated.