Expression of a human S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase cDNA in transgenic tobacco and its effects on polyamine biosynthesis
Abstract
S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC; EC 4.1.1.50) is a key regulatory enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Numerous studies have shown that the enzyme activity and polyamine levels are generally correlated with cellular growth in plants, animals and bacteria. In order to gain more insight into the role of polyamines in plants, human SAMDC cDNA under control of the 35S promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus, along with a neomycin phosphotransferase gene, was transferred to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) viaAgrobacterium tumefaciens. Transgenic plants showed the presence of human SAMDC mRNA and a 2-4-fold increase in SAMDC activity. In the transformed tissues, putrescine levels were significantly reduced, while spermidine content was 2–3 times higher than the control tissues. Cellular spermine content was either increased or remained unchanged. Excised leaf segments from transformed plants frequently produced shoots even on callus inducing medium.
Department
Biological Sciences
Publication Date
6-11-1993
Journal Title
Transgenic research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Noh, E.W., Minocha, S.C. Expression of a humanS-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase cDNA in transgenic tobacco and its effects on polyamine biosynthesis. Transgenic Research 3, 26–35 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01976024