Novel insect resistance in Brassica napus developed by transformation of chitinase and scorpion toxin genes

Plant Cell Rep. 2005 Nov;24(9):549-55. doi: 10.1007/s00299-005-0967-3. Epub 2005 Jul 19.

Abstract

Transgenic plants with introduced pest-resistant gene offer an efficient alternative insect control. The novel insect-resistant gene combination, chitinase(chi) and BmkIT(Bmk), containing an insect-specific chitinase gene and a scorpion insect toxin gene was introduced into Brassica napus cultivar via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Fifty-seven regenerated plantlets with kanamycin-resistance were obtained. Transgenic plants were verified by Southern blot analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and bioassay of artificial inoculation with diamondback moth (Plutella maculipenis) (DBM) larvae indicated that some of the transgenic plants were high-level expression for both chitinase and scorpion toxin proteins and performed high resistance against the tested pest infestation. The genetic analysis of T(1) progeny confirmed that the inheritance of introduced genes followed the Mendelian rules.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Assay
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Brassica napus / genetics
  • Brassica napus / parasitology*
  • Chitinases / genetics*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Kanamycin / pharmacology
  • Moths / physiology*
  • Rhizobium / physiology
  • Scorpion Venoms / genetics*
  • Transformation, Genetic*

Substances

  • Scorpion Venoms
  • Kanamycin
  • Chitinases