1 research outputs found
Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing Chitinases of Fungal Origin Show Enhanced Resistance to Biotic and Abiotic Stress Agents
Genes encoding defense-related proteins have been used to alter the resistance of plants to pathogens and other environmental challenges, but no single fungal gene overexpression has produced broad-spectrum stress resistance in transgenic lines. We have generated transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) lines that overexpress the endochitinases CHIT33 and CHIT42 from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma harzianum and have evaluated their tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. Both CHIT33 and CHIT42, individually, conferred broad resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens, salinity, and heavy metals. Such broad-range protective effects came off with no obvious detrimental effect on the growth of tobacco plants.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio
de Educaci贸n y Ciencia and the Direcci贸n General de Universidades
e Investigaci贸n of the Junta de Andaluc铆a, Spain. M.d.l.M.D. was the
recipient of a postgraduate fellowship from the Ministerio de
Educaci贸n y Ciencia. B.C. is a fellow of Programa Averroes, Junta
de Andaluc铆a, Spain.Peer reviewe