Transgenic Rice Expressing Snowdrop Lectin (Galanthus nivalis agglutinin; GNA) Shows Resistance to Rice Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål)

Abstract

Transgenic rice plants with increased resistance to rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) were generated by particle bombardment-mediated transformation of plants with a gene encoding snowdrop lectin (Galanthus nivalis agglutinin; GNA) under control of the rice Rubisco small subunit (rbcS) promoter.. A large number of transgenic rice plants containing the GNA gene were generated.The integration, expression, and inheritance of this gene in the R1 and R2 generations were demonstrated by Southern and western blot analyses. The plants contained one to five copies of the transgene. The GNA protein comprised approximately 0.01-2.0% of total soluble protein in the R1 and R2 transgenic plants. Insect bioassays and feeding studies showed that the GNA protein expressed in the R2 transgenic rice plants reduced the survival of brown planthoppers. The introduction of GNA into rice plants therefore can help to control insect pests.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus changes alfalfa (Medicago sativa) metabolites in response to leaf spot (Phoma medicaginis) infection, with subsequent effects on pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) behavior

“…Besides plant hormones, TI, a phenolic compound, is important in plant defense against insects (Lee et al ., 1999). Damaged plants produce phenolic substances to protect themselves from further attack by harmful organisms.…”

“…3). Moreover, pathogen infection induced TI and increased TP in alfalfa plants, indicating that pathogen host plants become positively shielded against future aphid infestation (Lee et al ., 1999; Modafar & Boustani, 2001). AM fungus colonization and pathogen infection changed the contents of VOCs in host plants (Fig.…”

Caracterização de genes de cafe (coffea sp.) induzidos durante a infestação do bicho mineiro (leucoptera coffeella)

“…De fato, a maior parte dos trabalhos envolvendo inibidores de proteinase e defesa vegetal demonstrou que essas proteínas têm ação danosa contra artrópodos herbívoros León et al, 2000). Diversos inibidores de proteinase foram usados para criar plantas transgênicas que inibiram o desenvolvimento de insetos quando fornecidas como alimento ao artrópodo (Hilder et al, 1987;Lecardonnel et al, 1999;Lee et al, 1999;Lawrence e Novak, 2001). Em outros trabalhos, os inibidores foram adicionados à dieta de insetos, acarretando na redução do crescimento, da fecundidade, e da reprodução desses animais Amirhusin et al, 2004;Franco et al, 2004).…”