Taproot promoters cause tissue specific gene expression within the storage root of sugar beet

• Published in: Planta Vol. 224; no. 3; pp. 485 - 495
• Main Authors: Oltmanns, H, Briess, W, Pflugmacher, M, Stahl, D.J, Hehl, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 01.08.2006; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Beta vulgaris - anatomy & histology; Beta vulgaris - genetics; Beta vulgaris - metabolism; Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris; beta-glucuronidase; Biological and medical sciences; Classical and quantitative genetics. Population genetics. Molecular genetics; Cloning, Molecular; Developmental stages; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; Genes, Reporter; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Hypocotyl - anatomy & histology; Hypocotyl - metabolism; Hypocotyls; Leaves; Luciferases - analysis; major latex-like protein; Mesembryanthemum crystallinum; Molecular genetics; Nicotiana - anatomy & histology; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana tabacum; plant proteins; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant roots; Plant Roots - anatomy & histology; Plant Roots - genetics; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plant tissues; Plants; Plants, Genetically Modified - anatomy & histology; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Plasmids; promoter regions; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Reporter genes; RNA; root systems; Roots; Sugar; sugar beet; Sugar beets; Sugar industry; thaumatin-like protein; tobacco; Transgenic plants; Xylem; Storage roots; Beta vulgaris var. saccharata; Transgenic plants; Beta; Hypocotyl; Gene; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Transgenic plant; β-Glucuronidase; Root; Enzyme; Luciferase; Tissue specificity; Beta vulgaris; Gene expression; Metabolism; Chenopodiaceae; Phloem; Glycosidases; Hydrolases; Spermatophyta; Oxidoreductases; Cambium; O-Glycosidases
• ISSN: 0032-0935; 1432-2048
• DOI: 10.1007/s00425-006-0230-3

The storage root (taproot) of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) originates from hypocotyl and primary root and contains many different tissues such as central xylem, primary and secondary cambium, secondary xylem and phloem, and parenchyma. It was the aim of this work to characterize the promoters of three taproot-expressed genes with respect to their tissue specificity. To investigate this, promoters for the genes Tlp, His1-r, and Mll were cloned from sugar beet, linked to reporter genes and transformed into sugar beet and tobacco. Reporter gene expression analysis in transgenic sugar beet plants revealed that all three promoters are active in the storage root. Expression in storage root tissues is either restricted to the vascular zone (Tlp, His1-r) or is observed in the whole organ (Mll). The Mll gene is highly organ specific throughout different developmental stages of the sugar beet. In tobacco, the Tlp and Mll promoters drive reporter gene expression preferentially in hypocotyl and roots. The properties of the Mll promoter may be advantageous for the modification of sucrose metabolism in storage roots.