Antisense gene that inhibits synthesis of the hormone ethylene in transgenic plants

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 346; no. 6281; pp. 284 - 287
• Main Authors: Hamilton, A. J, Lycett, G. W, Grierson, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 19.07.1990; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase; Abscission; Antisense RNA; Biological and medical sciences; Carboxylic acids; Charitable foundations; Complementary DNA; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Enzymes; Ethylene; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene dosage; Gene expression; Genetic engineering; Lycopersicon esculentum; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Polypeptides; Proteins; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Ripening; Senescence; Synthesis; Transcription; Transgenic plants; New York; United States > US; Missouri; Enzyme; Ethylene; Antisense RNA; Biosynthesis; Gene expression; Metabolism; Wound; Ripening; Gene; Vegetable crop; Carboxylic acid; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lycopersicon esculentum; Development; Plant growth substance; Spermatophyta; Transgenic plant; Solanaceae
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/346284a0

Ethylene controls many physiological and developmental processes in higher plants, including ripening of fruit, abscission, senescence and responses to wounding1. Although the accumulation of messenger RNAs in ripening fruit and senescing leaves has been correlated with ethylene production and perception2-4, the regulatory mechanisms governing ethylene synthesis and the stimulation of gene expression by ethylene are not understood. We have previously shown that the complementary DNA, pTOM13, corresponds to an mRNA whose synthesis is correlated with that of ethylene in ripening fruit and wounded leaves5'6,8. The pTOM13 mRNA encodes a protein of relative molecular mass 35,0006. The cDNA and three related genomic clones have been sequenced, but the function of the protein is unknown7-9. We show here that antisense RNA, which has previously been used only to reduce the expression of genes of known function10-12, when applied to pTOM13, reduces ethylene synthesis in a gene dosage-dependent manner. Analysis of these novel mutants suggests that pTOM13 encodes a polypeptide involved in the conversion of 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid to ethylene by the ethyleneforming enzyme (ACC-oxidase).