The Sweet Pepper Ferredoxin-Like Protein (pflp) Conferred Resistance Against Soft Rot Disease in Oncidium Orchid

• Published in: Transgenic research Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 329 - 336
• Main Authors: Liau, Chia-Hui, Lu, Jian-Cheng, Prasad, Venkatesh, Hsiao, Hsin-hao, You, Su-Juan, Lee, Jent-turn, Yang, Ning-Sun, Huang, Hsiang-En, Feng, Teng-Yung, Chen, Wen-Huei, Chan, Ming-Tsair
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.06.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agrobacterium radiobacter; Biological and medical sciences; Capsicum; Capsicum - chemistry; Capsicum annuum; chemistry; complementary DNA; disease resistance; Ferredoxins; Ferredoxins - immunology; Ferredoxins - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; gene transfer; Genes; Genetic engineering; genetic transformation; genetics; Immunity, Innate; Immunity, Innate - genetics; immunology; messenger RNA; microbiology; Oncidium; Orchidaceae; Orchidaceae - genetics; Orchidaceae - immunology; Pectobacterium carotovorum; Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum; physiology; Plant Diseases; Plant Diseases - microbiology; plant diseases and disorders; plant pathogenic bacteria; Plants, Genetically Modified; Transgenic plants; Envinia; Oncidium; Agrobacterium; disease resistance; transformation; orchid
• ISSN: 0962-8819; 1573-9368
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1023343620729

Genetic engineering to date has not been used to introduce disease resistance genes into the orchid gene pool. The ferredoxin-like protein gene originally isolated from sweet pepper is thought to function as a natural defense against infection due to its antimicrobial properties. Hence it was reasoned that introduction of this gene might produce Oncidium plants resistant to Erwinia carotovora, the causal agent for the soft rot disease. An expression vector containing sweet pepper ferredoxin-like protein (pflp) cDNA, hph and gusA coding sequence was successfully transformed into protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) of Oncidium orchid, using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105. A total of 17 independent transgenic orchid lines was obtained, out of which six transgenic lines (beta-glucuronidase (GUS) positive) were randomly selected and confirmed by Southern, northern and western blot analyses. A bioassay was conducted on the transgenic lines. Transgenic plants showed enhanced resistance to E. carotovora, even when the entire plant was challenged with the pathogen. Our results suggest that pflp may be an extremely useful gene for genetic engineering strategies in orchids to confer resistance against soft rot disease.