As a first step toward the exploitation of the disaccharide trehalose as a stress-protective and preservative agent in plants, we engineered trehalose biosynthesis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and potato (Solanum tuberosum) by introducing the otsA and otsB genes from Escherichia coli, which encode trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase, respectively. In leaves of transgenic tobacco plants, very low levels of trehalose accumulation were obtained (0.11 mg g-1 fresh weight), whereas in transgenic potato tubers, no trehalose accumulated at all. Plant trehalase activity was shown to affect the accumulation of trehalose in these plants. An increase in trehalose accumulation, up to 0.41 and 4.04 mg g-1 fresh weight in tobacco leaves and potato microtubers, respectively, was noted when the potent trehalase inhibitor validamycin A was added to in vitro plants and to hydroponically grown greenhouse plants. Stunted growth and the formation of lancet-shaped leaves by trehalose-accumulating tobacco plants suggest a negative effect of trehalose biosynthesis on N. tabacum development. It is surprising that experiments with wild-type plants cultured in the presence of validamycin A indicate that, despite current belief, the capacity to synthesize trehalose may not be restricted to primitive phyla of vascular plants and certain “resurrection plants,” but may exist throughout the angiosperms.

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Phytase from Aspergillus niger increases the availability of phosphorus from feed for monogastric animals by releasing phosphate from the substrate phytic acid. A phytase cDNA was constitutively expressed in transgenic tobacco (Nicofiana tabacum) plants. Secretion of the protein to the extracellular fluid was established by use of the signal sequence from the tobacco pathogen-related protein S.l h e specific phytase activity in isolated extracellular fluid was found to be approximately 90-fold higher than in total leaf extract, showing that the enzyme was secreted. This was confirmed by use of immunolocalization. Despite differences in glycosylation, specific activities of tobacco and Aspergdhs phytase were identical. Phytase was found to be biologically active and to accumulate in leaves up to 14.4% of total soluble protein during plant maturation. Comparison of phytase accumulation and relative mRNA levels showed that phytase stably accumulated in transgenic leaves during plant growth.

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As a first example of the feasibility of producing industrial bulk enzymes in plants, we have expressed Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase in transgenic tobacco, and applied the seeds directly in starch liquification. The enzyme was properly secreted into the intercellular space, and maximum expression levels of about 0.3% of total soluble protein were obtained. No apparent effect of the presence of the enzyme on plant phenotype was observed. The molecular weight of the enzyme produced in tobacco was around 64 kD. The difference, compared to 55.2 kD for the bacterial enzyme, was found to result from complex-type carbohydrate chains attached to the protein. Application studies on the liquefaction of starch were done with transgenic seeds containing the recombinant alpha-amylase. The resulting hydrolysis products were virtually identical with those obtained from degradation with alpha-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis.