Expression of a stilbene synthase gene in Nicotiana tabacum results in synthesis of the phytoalexin resveratrol

Abstract

A gene from groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) coding for stilbene synthase was transferred together with a chimaeric kanamycin resistance gene. It was found to be rapidly expressed after induction with UV light and elicitor in tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum). Comparative studies of stilbene synthase mRNA synthesis in groundnut and transgenic tobacco suspension cultures revealed the same kinetics of gene expression. Stilbene synthase specific mRNA was detectable 30 minutes after elicitor induction and 10 minutes after UV irradiation. The maximum of mRNA accumulation was between 2 and 8 hours post induction. 24 hours after induction stilbene synthase mRNA accumulation ceased. Furthermore, in transgenic tobacco plants, the gene was found to be inducible in sterile roots, stems and leaves. Stilbene synthase was demonstrated in crude protein extracts from transgenic tobacco cell cultures using specific antibodies. Resveratrol, the product of stilbene synthase, was identified by HPLC and antisera raised against resveratrol.

A Stress-Inducible Resveratrol O-Methyltransferase Involved in the Biosynthesis of Pterostilbene in Grapevine

“…Transgenic expression of VST1 in various plant species, including tobacco (Nicotiana spp. ), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), papaya (Carica papaya), and grapevine, has been shown to result in resveratrol and resveratrol derivative accumulation in transformed plants (Hain et al, 1990;Thomzik et al, 1997;Hipskind and Paiva, 2000;Coutos-Thévenot et al, 2001). As a control, tobacco leaves were infiltrated with Agrobacterium harboring a 35S-GFP construct (Haseloff et al, 1997).…”

“…In consequence, the ability to synthesize stilbenes can be conferred to many plant species by expressing an STS gene (Hain et al, 1990;Hipskind and Paiva, 2000;Yu et al, 2006). In this work, we used tobacco leaves capable of stilbene biosynthesis due to the transient expression of the grapevine STS VST1 cDNA to characterize the activity of ROMT in planta.…”

“…Given the antibiotic properties of stilbenes, STS genes have been used as targets for transgenic crop enhancement. STS genes from peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and grape have been expressed in tobacco and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), respectively, and in both cases, enhanced resistance to pathogenic fungi was conferred to the transgenic host plants (Hain et al, 1990;Hipskind and Paiva, 2000). Due to the higher fungitoxicity of pterostilbene compared to resveratrol (Pezet and Pont, 1990;Pezet et al, 2004), the combination of STS and ROMT genes in transgenic plants may lead to improved resistance characteristics.…”

p21 Gene Expression Is Modulated by Egr1

“…1 (3,5,4Ј-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural stilbene endowed with antioxidant properties, synthesized in plants to counteract environmental oxidative stress such as UV irradiation or exposure to ozone (1)(2)(3). The molecule, distributed at a significant level in the skin of grapes and in a few other spermatophytes, is functionally classified as an antifungine phytoalexin, which confers resistance to pathogen attack (1).…”

Defense gene expression in Sorghum bicolor against Macrophomina phaseolina in leaves and roots of susceptible and resistant cultivars

“…Stilbene synthase enzyme has been reported to produce phytoalexin resveratrol which imparts fungal resistance in plants (Hain et al 1990). Sorghum was the first example of stilbene synthase (SbSTS1) gene in monocots (Yu et al 2006) and is known to contribute to the plant defense against pathogens .…”