Comparison of isozyme transformation in maize as a result of insertion of the chitinase gene

Abstract

Isozymes of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), esterase (EST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analyzed on transgenic maize (with external chitinase gene) and its parent by vertical poly- acrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). This study was made using shoots at the fourth leaf stage. Results showed that: POD and EST were detected in 6 bands. POD-2 and POD-3 were present at the bud and seedling stages. POD-1, POD-4, POD-5 and POD-6 were only present at the seedling stage. POD-6 expressed stronger in the transgenic maize with chitinase than in its parent. EST-2 was pres- ent only at the bud stage, and its expression in transgenic maize was stronger than that in its parent. EST-5 only existed at the seedling stage. EST-4 did not exist in the parent maize seedlings and EST-1, EST-3 and EST-6 were present at the bud or seedling stage. Four bands were detected for CAT. CAT-1 and CAT-3 were weaker bands than the others. CAT-3 in transgenic maize was stronger than in its parent. Three bands of SOD were detected; SOD-1 and SOD-2 existed at the bud and seedling stages, but SOD-3 was not shown in buds of the parent corn. All data showed that the expression of isozymes in transgenic and parent maize had obvious differences.