Browsing by Author "Torres, H"

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    Enhanced resistance to bacterial infection by Erwinia carotovora subsp atroseptica in transgenic potato plants expressing the attacin or the cecropin SB-37 genes
    (1999) Arce, P; Moreno, M; Gutierrez, M; Gebauer, M; Dell'Orto, P; Torres, H; Acuña, I; Oliger, P; Venegas, A; Jordana, X; Kalazich, J; Holuigue, L
    Blackleg and soft rot diseases, caused by the bacterium Erwinia carotovora, are among the diseases that cause important losses in culture and storage of potato. In this paper, we introduced bacterial resistance into potato, via genes encoding for proteins with antibacterial activity. For this purpose, potato clones were transformed either with the gene encoding the acidic attacin protein from Hyalophora cecropia, or with the gene encoding the cecropin analog peptide SB-37. These clones were evaluated for soft rot and blackleg resistance, after inoculation with the bacterial strain Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica T7. Results reported in this paper indicate that a considerable percentage of the potato clones (15-22%) showed increased resistance to bacterial infection, revealed by reduced severity of blackleg or soft rot symptoms. Expression of the transgenes was demonstrated in some of the clones by Northern blot analysis. This is the first report indicating that. expression of the gene encoding for an attacin protein and for the cecropin SB-37 peptide in transgenic potato confers increased resistance to bacterial infection.
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    Expression of the chicken lysozyme gene in potato enhances resistance to infection by Erwinia carotovora subsp, Atroseptica
    (2000) Serrano, C; Arce-Johnson, P; Torres, H; Gebauer, M; Gutierrez, M; Moreno, M; Jordana, X; Venegas, A; Kalazich, J; Holuigue, L
    Infection of potato plants and tubers with the bacterium Erwinia carotovora subsp, atroseptica produces blackleg and soft rot diseases, which cause significant losses to crops and stored potatoes. In order to obtain resistance against this bacterium, the gene chly encoding the enzyme lysozyme from chicken was introduced into potato plants (cv. Desiree) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Sixty-three and 69 transgenic potato clones were evaluated in the greenhouse for resistance to blackleg and soft rot diseases, respectively. Results reported in this paper indicate that 21%-29% of the potato clones showed increased resistance to infection by the bacterium E. c, subsp, atroseptica T7, as revealed by a reduced severity of blackleg or soft rot symptoms. Nine clones showing different levels of resistance were selected for further molecular analysis. The number of copies of the transgene integrated in the plant genome of these clones was estimated by Southern blot analysis. The level of transgene expression, detected by Northern blot analysis, correlated with the level of resistance detected in these clones.