TITLE	Expression of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) insecticidal crystal protein gene in transgenic potato
AUTHOR	Ming-Tsair Chan Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Republic of China Liang-Jwu Chen Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China Hsin-Hsiung Chang Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 10764, Republic of China
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ABSTRACT	The crystal proteins, d-endotoxins, of Bacillus thuringiensis are specifically lethal to Lepidopteran insects. A truncated B.t. toxin gene, cryIA(a), encoding an insecticidal crystal protein (ICP) directed by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter was transferred to potato plants by an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. The integration of the cryIA(a) gene into potato genome was determined by Southern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The copy number of the integrated gene was estimated by inverse polymerase chain reaction (IPCR). The cryIA(a) RNA transcripts in transgenic potato plants were demonstrated by Northern blot analysis. Seven out of thirty transgenic plants expressed the cryIA(a) gene. Those transgenic plants containing multiple transgene copies did not express cryIA(a) gene. Nevertheless, transgenic potato plants grown in the greenhouse contained 7_52 ng ICP per gram fresh leaf.
KEYWORD	Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Bacillus thuringiensis; cryIA(a) gene expression; Insecticidal crystal protein; Transgenic potato;
ARTICLE INFO	Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica, Volume 37 Number 1 January 1996, page 17-23, 7 pages
PUBLISHER	Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China