Expression of active Streptomyces phage phiC31 integrase in transgenic wheat plants

• Published in: Plant cell reports Vol. 27; no. 12; pp. 1821 - 1831
• Main Authors: Rubtsova, Myroslava, Kempe, Katja, Gils, Angelika, Ismagul, Ainur, Weyen, Jens, Gils, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.12.2008; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bacteriophages - enzymology; Bacteriophages - genetics; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Breeding; Cell Biology; Crops; Development; DNA, Viral - genetics; Enzymes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Genetic Transformation and Hybridization; Genetic Vectors; Haploidy; Hybrids; Inbreeding; Integrase; Integrases - genetics; Life Sciences; Phages; Plant Biochemistry; Plant breeding; Plant growth; Plant Sciences; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plasmids - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; recombinase; Recombination; Recombination, Genetic; Streptomyces; Streptomyces - virology; T-DNA; Transgenes; Transgenic plants; Triticum - enzymology; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - growth & development; Triticum - virology; Triticum aestivum; Wheat; DH inbred lines; Wheat dwarf virus (WDV); phage phiC31 integrase; Site-specific recombination; Virus-based activity assay; Monocotyledones; Recombination; Streptomyces phage phiC31 integrase; Mastrevirus; Actinomycetales; Site specificity; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Bacteria; Geminiviridae; Transgenic plant; Pure line; Vegetals; Streptomycetaceae; Streptomyces; Virus; Wheat dwarf virus; Actinomycetes; Spermatophyta; Triticum aestivum; Phage
• ISSN: 0721-7714; 1432-203X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00299-008-0604-z

Site-specific recombination systems are becoming an important tool for the genetic modification of crop plants. Here we report the functional expression of the Streptomyces phage-derived phiC31 recombinase (integrase) in wheat. T-DNA constructs containing a phiC31 integrase transgene were stably transformed into wheat plants via particle gun bombardment. A plant-virus-based assay system was used to monitor the site-specific recombination activity of the recombinant integrase protein in vivo. We established several independent doubled haploid (DH) inbred lines that constitutively express an active integrase enzyme without any apparent detrimental effects on plant growth and development. The potential of phiC31 integrase expression in crop plants related to transgene control technologies or hybrid breeding systems is discussed.