Long-term expression of the uidA gene in Gladiolus plants under control of either the ubiquitin, rolD, mannopine synthase, or cauliflower mosaic virus promoters following three seasons of dormancy.

Abstract

UidA silencing did not occur following three seasons of dormancy for 23 independently transformed lines of Gladiolus plants carrying the bar- uidA fusion gene under control of either the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV 35S), ubiquitin ( UBQ3), mannopine synthase ( mas2), or rolD promoters. The highest levels of GUS (beta-glucuronidase) expression were observed in callus, shoots, and roots of plants carrying the bar- uidA fusion gene under control of the CaMV 35S promoter and in shoots and roots of greenhouse-grown plants that contained the rolD promoter. There was no major difference in GUS expression when plants carrying the fusion gene driven by either the CaMV 35S, mas2, or UBQ3 promoters were grown in vitro as compared to growth in the greenhouse, although plants containing the rolD promoter expressed at 4- to 11-fold higher levels in shoots and roots, respectively, when grown in the greenhouse. The levels of GUS expression in greenhouse-grown plants were higher in roots than shoots for all four promoters. Of the 21 plants analyzed, 20 contained one to three copies of the bar- uidA fusion gene. Of the 23 plants analyzed, 11 had rearrangements of the transgene, but without apparent effects on levels of GUS expression.