Cultivation and identification of the transgenic alfalfa containing Echinococcus granulosus Eg95 gene

Abstract

Objective To cultivate and identify the transgenic affalfa containing Echinococcus granulosus Eg95 gene. Methods The alfalfa plants were transformed by co-cultivating alfalfa cotyledons via recombinant Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 harboring pBI-Eg95. The transgenic alfalfa explants were selected by kanamyein after calli formation, shoots and roots regeneration in the selective medium, the seedlings of transgenic plants were obtained which were finally transplanted into pots containing nutrient soil. After 2-3 months growth, the complete transgenic alfalfa plants containing Echinococcus granulosus Eg95 gene were obtained. To identify the transgenic alfalfa plants, the total DNA, RNA and leaf protein were extracted from fresh leaf tissue of the transgenic alfalfa plants and confirmed by PCR, RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE and Western blot assay. Results A specific band around 471 bp was amplified by PCR with total DNA, and the same band was obtained by RT-PCR with total RNA, which confirmed that the Eg95 gene was stably integrated into the transformed alfalfa genome. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the relative molecular mass(Mr) of the expressed protein was about 16.5×103, consistent with the Eg95 protein, and the level of Eg95 expression was up to 0.06% of total soluble leaf protein by Bio-Rad Quantity one assay. Western blot verified the expressed protein was reactive with the sera of mice infected with Echinococcus granulosus. Conclusion The transgenic alfalfa plants containing Echinococcus granulosus Eg95 gene are successfully cultivated. Key words: Echinococcus granulosus; Plants, genetically modified; Medicago sativa; Vaccines