Maize Transformation Research Articles

Construction of an expression vector carrying gene coding mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (mtlD) from Escherichia coli JM109 strain to transfer into maize

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the important cereal crops in the world, and the maize demand is increasing but the productivity and yield of maize have been affected by extreme adverse conditions, of tghose drought is one of the main factors reducing productivity due to inhibition of growth and decreasing photosynthesis in plants. Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (mtlD) is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fructose 2- and 6-phosphate to mannitol-1-phosphate in the photosynthesis pathway of plants. To produce maize containing mtlD gene to increase the height, fresh and dry weight, salt/drought tolerance in host plant based on accumulation of mannitol, we constructed an expression vector carrying the mtlD gene. The mtlD gene was isolated from E. coli JM109, cloned and sequenced in vector pJET1.2. This sequence was then optimized by OptimumGeneTM software to make it appropriate into plants. The modified gene was recombined into a mediate pRTRA vector containing 35S promoter and 35S terminator, the 35Spro::mtlD::35S cassette was construced into pCAMBIA1300 Ti-plasmid. The new recombinant vector was transformed into A. tumefaciens which could be used as a material for maize transformation. Citation: Le Bac Viet, Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, Nguyen Huy Hoang, Nong Van Hai, Huynh Thi Thu Hue, 2017. Construction of an expression vector carrying gene coding mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (MTLD) from Escherichia coli JM109 strain to transfer into maize. Tap chi Sinh hoc, 39(1): 61-67. DOI: 10.15625/0866-7160/v39n1.7073. *Corresponding author: hthue@igr.ac.vn Received 30 December 2015, accepted 20 March 2017

Maize (Zea mays) Hi-II Transformation via Agrobacterium-Mediated T-DNA Transfer.

Genetic transformation of maize via Agrobacterium tumefaciens is still more art than science, with different researchers achieving substantially different transformation results. This article describes our advanced Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system in Hi-II maize. The system utilizes simple binary vectors and immature embryos for the transformation, employing the bar gene as a plant selectable marker in combination with bialaphos for subsequent culture selection. The transformation process is efficient and highly reproducible. Certain inbred maize lines can also be transformed with some modification of the system. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Assessment of ptxD gene as an alternative selectable marker for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation.

Bacterial phosphite oxidoreductase gene and chemical phosphite can be used as a selection system for Agrobacterium -mediated maize transformation. Application of phosphite (Phi) on plants can interfere the plant metabolic system leading to stunted growth and lethality. On the other hand, ectopic expression of the ptxD gene in tobacco and Arabidopsis allowed plants to grow in media with Phi as the sole phosphorous source. The phosphite oxidoreductase (PTXD) enzyme catalyzes the conversion of Phi into phosphate (Pi) that can then be metabolized by plants and utilized as their essential phosphorous source. Here we assess an alternative selectable marker based on a bacterial ptxD gene for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation. We compared the transformation frequencies of maize using either the ptxD/Phi selection system or a standard herbicide bar/bialaphos selection system. Two maize genotypes, a transformation amenable hybrid Hi II and an inbred B104, were tested. Transgene presence, insertion copy numbers, and ptxD transcript levels were analyzed and compared. This work demonstrates that the ptxD/Phi selection system can be used for Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation of both type I and type II callus culture and achieve a comparable frequency as that of the herbicide bar/bialaphos selection system.

Strategies to improve low copy transgenic events in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize.

Transgenic plants containing low copy transgene insertion free of vector backbone are highly desired for many biotechnological applications. We have investigated two different strategies for increasing the percentage of low copy events in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation experiments in maize. One of the strategies is to use a binary vector with two separate T-DNAs, one T-DNA containing an intact E.coli manA gene encoding phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) as selectable marker gene cassette and another T-DNA containing an RNAi cassette of PMI sequences. By using this strategy, low copy transgenic events containing the transgenes were increased from 43 to 60 % in maize. An alternate strategy is using selectable marker gene cassettes containing regulatory or coding sequences derived from essential plant genes such as 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) or MADS box transcription factor. In this paper we demonstrate that higher percentage of low copy transgenic events can be obtained in Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation experiments using both strategies. We propose that the above two strategies can be used independently or in combination to increase transgenic events that contain low copy transgene insertion in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation experiments.

Effect of Agrobacterium strain and plasmid copy number on transformation frequency, event quality and usable event quality in an elite maize cultivar.

Improving Agrobacterium -mediated transformation frequency and event quality by increasing binary plasmid copy number and appropriate strain selection is reported in an elite maize cultivar. Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation is a well-established method for gene testing and for introducing useful traits in a commercial biotech product pipeline. To develop a highly efficient maize transformation system, we investigated the effect of two Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains and three different binary plasmid origins of replication (ORI) on transformation frequency, vector backbone insertion, single copy event frequency (percentage of events which are single copy for all transgenes), quality event frequency (percentage of single copy events with no vector backbone insertions among all events generated; QE) and usable event quality frequency (transformation frequency times QE frequency; UE) in an elite maize cultivar PHR03. Agrobacterium strain AGL0 gave a higher transformation frequency, but a reduced QE frequency than LBA4404 due to a higher number of vector backbone insertions. Higher binary plasmid copy number positively correlated with transformation frequency and usable event recovery. The above findings can be exploited to develop high-throughput transformation protocols, improve the quality of transgenic events in maize and other plants.

Progress of cereal transformation technology mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Monocotyledonous plants were believed to be not transformable by the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens until two decades ago, although convenient protocols for infection of leaf disks and subsequent regeneration of transgenic plants had been well established in a number of dicotyledonous species by then. This belief was reinforced by the fact that monocotyledons are mostly outside the host range of crown gall disease caused by the bacterium and by the failures in trials in monocotyledons to mimic the transformation protocols for dicotyledons. However, a key reason for the failure could have been the lack of active cell divisions at the wound sites in monocotyledons. The complexity and narrow optimal windows of critical factors, such as genotypes of plants, conditions of the plants from which explants are prepared, tissue culture methods and culture media, pre-treatments of explants, strains of A. tumefaciens, inducers of virulence genes, transformation vectors, selection marker genes and selective agents, kept technical hurdles high. Eventually it was demonstrated that rice and maize could be transformed by co-cultivating cells of callus cultures or immature embryos, which are actively dividing or about to divide, with A. tumefaciens. Subsequently, these initial difficulties were resolved one by one by many research groups, and the major cereals are now transformed quite efficiently. As many as 15 independent transgenic events may be regenerated from a single piece of immature embryo of rice. Maize transformation protocols are well established, and almost all transgenic events deregulated for commercialization after 2003 were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Wheat, barley, and sorghum are also among those plants that can be efficiently transformed by A. tumefaciens.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene TPS1 improves drought tolerance in Zea mays L. by increasing the expression of SDD1 and reducing stomatal density

Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, can effectively protect the biological structures of plants from damage under stress conditions (i.e., high or low temperature, drought, and dehydration) by forming a special protective membrane on the plant-cell surface. Transformation of maize with stably expressed trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS), the key enzyme of trehalose biosynthesis, to improve drought-resistance has important theoretical and economic values. In this study, we constructed the TPS1 gene expression vector driven by the rd29a promoter, transformed immature embryos using Agrobacterium-mediated methods, and screened the transgenic maize plants. As a result, trehalose accumulated in rd29a::TPS1 transgenic maize plants even though it was not detected in wild-type (WT) maize. After determination under repeated drought conditions, we found that the survival rate of the rd29a::TPS1 maize was 70 % higher than that of the WT. Photosynthetic physiological indicators of transgenic maize under drought conditions were better than those of the WT. Microscopic observations of the detached newborn leaves showed that stomata density on the leaf surface of rd29a::TPS1 transgenic maize after drought treatment was reduced by 20 % rom that on the WT leaf, while there were fewer and shorter villi on the leaf surface of transgenic maize than on the WT leaf. In addition, real-time PCR analyses showed that stomata density and distribution 1 (SDD1) expression in the rd29a::TPS1 transgenic maize increased. We concluded that TPS1 improves drought-resistance in maize not only by increasing trehalose content but also by decreasing stomata density and reducing the transpiration rate in transgenic maize plants.

Maize, tropical (Zea mays L.).

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important food crop globally after wheat and rice. In sub-Saharan Africa, tropical maize has traditionally been the main staple of the diet; 95 % of the maize grown is consumed directly as human food and as an important source of income for the resource-poor rural population. The biotechnological approach to engineer biotic and abiotic traits implies the availability of an efficient plant transformation method. The production of genetically transformed plants depends both on the ability to integrate foreign genes into target cells and the efficiency with which plants are regenerated. Maize transformation and regeneration through immature embryo culture is the most efficient system to regenerate normal transgenic plants. However, this system is highly genotype dependent. Genotypes adapted to tropic areas are difficult to regenerate. Therefore, transformation methods used with model genotypes adapted to temperate areas are not necessarily efficient with tropical lines. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the method of choice since it has been first achieved in 1996. In this report, we describe a transformation method used successfully with several tropical maize lines. All the steps of transformation and regeneration are described in details. This protocol can be used with a wide variety of tropical lines. However, some modifications may be needed with recalcitrant lines.

Maize transformation technology development for commercial event generation.

Maize is an important food and feed crop in many countries. It is also one of the most important target crops for the application of biotechnology. Currently, there are more biotech traits available on the market in maize than in any other crop. Generation of transgenic events is a crucial step in the development of biotech traits. For commercial applications, a high throughput transformation system producing a large number of high quality events in an elite genetic background is highly desirable. There has been tremendous progress in Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation since the publication of the Ishida et al. (1996) paper and the technology has been widely adopted for transgenic event production by many labs around the world. We will review general efforts in establishing efficient maize transformation technologies useful for transgenic event production in trait research and development. The review will also discuss transformation systems used for generating commercial maize trait events currently on the market. As the number of traits is increasing steadily and two or more modes of action are used to control key pests, new tools are needed to efficiently transform vectors containing multiple trait genes. We will review general guidelines for assembling binary vectors for commercial transformation. Approaches to increase transformation efficiency and gene expression of large gene stack vectors will be discussed. Finally, recent studies of targeted genome modification and transgene insertion using different site-directed nuclease technologies will be reviewed.

Agrobacterium-mediated high-frequency transformation of an elite commercial maize (Zea mays L.) inbred line.

An improved Agrobacterium -mediated transformation protocol is described for a recalcitrant commercial maize elite inbred with optimized media modifications and AGL1. These improvements can be applied to other commercial inbreds. This study describes a significantly improved Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol in a recalcitrant commercial maize elite inbred, PHR03, using optimal co-cultivation, resting and selection media. The use of green regenerative tissue medium components, high copper and 6-benzylaminopurine, in resting and selection media dramatically increased the transformation frequency. The use of glucose in resting medium further increased transformation frequency by improving the tissue induction rate, tissue survival and tissue proliferation from immature embryos. Consequently, an optimal combination of glucose, copper and cytokinin in the co-cultivation, resting and selection media resulted in significant improvement from 2.6 % up to tenfold at the T0 plant level using Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 in transformation of PHR03. Furthermore, we evaluated four different Agrobacterium strains, LBA4404, AGL1, EHA105, and GV3101 for transformation frequency and event quality. AGL1 had the highest transformation frequency with up to 57.1 % at the T0 plant level. However, AGL1 resulted in lower quality events (defined as single copy for transgenes without Agrobacterium T-DNA backbone) when compared to LBA4404 (30.1 vs 25.6 %). We propose that these improvements can be applied to other recalcitrant commercial maize inbreds.

Improvement of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Hi-II maize (Zea mays L.) by heat-shock treatment with immature embryos

Improvement of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Hi-II maize (Zea mays L.) by heat-shock treatment with immature embryos

FluxTransgenics: a flexible LIMS-based tool for management of plant transformation experimental data

BackgroundThe production and commercial release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are currently the focus of important discussions. In order to guarantee the quality and reliability of their trials, companies and institutions working on this subject must adopt new approaches on management, organization and recording of laboratory conditions where field studies are performed. Computational systems for management and storage of laboratory data known as Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are essential tools to achieve this.ResultsIn this work, we have used the SIGLa system – a workflow based LIMS as a framework to develop the FluxTransgenics system for a GMOs laboratory of Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) Maize and Sorghum (Sete Lagoas, MG - Brazil). A workflow representing all stages of the transgenic maize plants generation has been developed and uploaded in FluxTransgenics. This workflow models the activities involved in maize and sorghum transformation using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens method. By uploading this workflow in the SIGLa system we have created Fluxtransgenics, a complete LIMS for managing plant transformation data.ConclusionsFluxTransgenics presents a solution for the management of the data produced by a laboratory of genetically modified plants that is efficient and supports different kinds of information. Its adoption will contribute to guarantee the quality of activities and products in the process of transgenic production and enforce the use of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).The adoption of the transformation protocol associated to the use of FluxTransgenics has made it possible to increase productivity by at least 300%, increasing the efficiency of the experiments from between 0.5 and 1 percent to about 3%. This has been achieved by an increase in the number of experiments performed and a more accurate choice of parameters, all of which have been made possible because it became easier to identify which were the most promising next steps of the experiments. The FluxTransgenics system is available for use by other laboratories, and the workflows that have been developed can be adapted to other contexts.

Expression of a truncated ATHB17 protein in maize increases ear weight at silking.

ATHB17 (AT2G01430) is an Arabidopsis gene encoding a member of the α-subclass of the homeodomain leucine zipper class II (HD-Zip II) family of transcription factors. The ATHB17 monomer contains four domains common to all class II HD-Zip proteins: a putative repression domain adjacent to a homeodomain, leucine zipper, and carboxy terminal domain. However, it also possesses a unique N-terminus not present in other members of the family. In this study we demonstrate that the unique 73 amino acid N-terminus is involved in regulation of cellular localization of ATHB17. The ATHB17 protein is shown to function as a transcriptional repressor and an EAR-like motif is identified within the putative repression domain of ATHB17. Transformation of maize with an ATHB17 expression construct leads to the expression of ATHB17Δ113, a truncated protein lacking the first 113 amino acids which encodes a significant portion of the repression domain. Because ATHB17Δ113 lacks the repression domain, the protein cannot directly affect the transcription of its target genes. ATHB17Δ113 can homodimerize, form heterodimers with maize endogenous HD-Zip II proteins, and bind to target DNA sequences; thus, ATHB17Δ113 may interfere with HD-Zip II mediated transcriptional activity via a dominant negative mechanism. We provide evidence that maize HD-Zip II proteins function as transcriptional repressors and that ATHB17Δ113 relieves this HD-Zip II mediated transcriptional repression activity. Expression of ATHB17Δ113 in maize leads to increased ear size at silking and, therefore, may enhance sink potential. We hypothesize that this phenotype could be a result of modulation of endogenous HD-Zip II pathways in maize.

Maize (Zea mays L.) transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection of pollinated ovules

A novel transformation system was established for maize using Agrobacterium infection of in vitro cultured ovules. The maize ovules were isolated 24h after pollination and infected with Agrobacterium. The embryos were isolated from the pollinated ovules 2–3 weeks after Agrobacterium infection, regenerated to plantlets and investigated for transgene expression and inheritance. Experimental evaluations were focused on the four main aspects. Firstly, through the introduction of gus gene for monitoring transformation and development of embryo, it was confirmed that transgenic plants can be generated from in vitro cultured maize ovules infected with Agrobacterium. Secondly, in order to standardize the transformation protocol, several important factors that affected transformation efficiency were optimized. They included Agrobacterium delivery approach, surfactant, AS concentration, and cocultivation duration. Thirdly, stable expression and Mendelian inheritance of the introduced genes were analyzed in independent lines over two generations. Fourthly, the pollinated ovule culture-regeneration potential and transformation efficiency of five maize inbred lines were investigated to confirm the genotype independence of this transformation system. We conclude that the transformation system established in this study can be used to generate high-quality transgenic maize plants rapidly and directly.

Combined small RNA and degradome sequencing reveals microRNA regulation during immature maize embryo dedifferentiation

Genetic transformation of maize is highly dependent on the development of embryonic calli from the dedifferentiated immature embryo. To better understand the regulatory mechanism of immature embryo dedifferentiation, we generated four small RNA and degradome libraries from samples representing the major stages of dedifferentiation. More than 186million raw reads of small RNA and degradome sequence data were generated. We detected 102 known miRNAs belonging to 23 miRNA families. In total, we identified 51, 70 and 63 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in the stage I, II, III samples, respectively, compared to the control. However, only 6 miRNAs were continually up-regulated by more than fivefold throughout the process of dedifferentiation. A total of 87 genes were identified as the targets of 21 DEM families. This group of targets was enriched in members of four significant pathways including plant hormone signal transduction, antigen processing and presentation, ECM-receptor interaction, and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism. The hormone signal transduction pathway appeared to be particularly significant, involving 21 of the targets. While the targets of the most significant DEMs have been proved to play essential roles in cell dedifferentiation. Our results provide important information regarding the regulatory networks that control immature embryo dedifferentiation in maize.

Molecular Identification of Four Genetically Modified Maize (Bt11, Bt176, Mon810 and T25) by Duplex Quantitative Real-Time PCR

In response to the increasing number of genetically modified (GM) events released on the market, control laboratories explore various strategies to simplify and reduce the number of tests needed to characterise the content in genetically modified organism (GMO) of a given sample. Lastly, multiplexing is considered as one of the possible ways to decrease the time and cost of analysis. Here, we report the development of four duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the identification and the quantification of four maize transformation events from which commercial lines have been authorised in Europe namely, Bt11 and Bt176 (Syngenta, DE, USA), Mon810 MaisGard™ (Monsanto, MO, USA) and T25 Liberty Link™ (Bayer CropScience, Monheim, Germany). The duplex PCR tests combine a maize-specific PCR test hybridising in the Adh1 locus with an event-specific detection system designed on a junction fragment for each of these four GM maize. Real-time PCR tests, suitable to comply with the European regulation, were designed by using Taqman® chemistry.

Scientific opinion on a request from the European Commission related to the safeguard clause notified by Greece on genetically modified maize MON 810 according to Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC

Following a request of the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (EFSA GMO Panel) evaluated the documentation submitted by Greece in support of its request for the prohibition of the placing on the market of the genetically modified maize MON 810 according to Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC. The EFSA GMO Panel notes that the majority of the publications referred to by Greece were already addressed by the EFSA GMO Panel in previous scientific outputs on maize MON 810 or other related insect-resistant genetically modified maize transformation events. In the remaining evidence provided by Greece, the EFSA GMO Panel could not identify any new data subject to scientific scrutiny or scientific information that would invalidate its previous risk assessments of maize MON 810. With regard to issues related to management and monitoring of maize MON 810, the EFSA GMO Panel refers to its recent recommendations for management and monitoring measures of maize MON 810. In conclusion, the EFSA GMO Panel considers that, based on the documentation submitted by Greece, there is no specific scientific evidence, in terms of risk to human and animal health or the environment, that would support the notification of a safeguard clause under Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC and that would invalidate the GMO Panel’s previous risk assessments of maize MON 810.

Handbook of maize: genetics and genomics

Handbook of maize: genetics and genomics

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration capacity in Argentinean maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines

Somatic embryogenesis, which is still the method of choice for tissue culture, regeneration and transformation of maize, is largely considered highly genotype-dependent. The Hi II, a highly embryogenic genotype, has been extensively used in transformation protocols. However, this is not an inbred line; instead, it has a proportion of the undesirable A-188 background, and the progeny segregates for phenotypic characteristics and shows poor agronomic performance. In an effort to identify genotypes that combine a high somatic embryogenic response and good agronomic performance, we evaluated 48 advanced inbred lines developed at INTA. Callus development and somatic embryogenesis capacity were measured in 200 immature embryos per line. Embryogenic capacity [EC (mature somatic embryos/callus evaluated) x 100], Regeneration Capacity (RC) and Fertile Plant Recovery in greenhouse (FPR, fertile plants/regenerated plants) were recorded. A total of 17 lines reached an EC > 50%, and 14 out of those 17 lines regenerated seedlings. The FPR ranged between 50 and 100%. Also, we selected three promising lines with high agronomic performance, as alternatives to Hi II, in order to be included in a maize transformation scheme via somatic embryogenesis. In addition, we report the usefulness of Single Sequences Repeat (SSRs) in the determination of genetic diversity among 14 divergent lines for somatic embryogenesis response. The seven lines displaying good in vitro behaviour can be crossed to obtain hybrids combining desirable alleles for somatic embryogenesis response and different genetic backgrounds.

Bt maize and integrated pest management ‐ a European perspective

The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), the Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) and the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) are the main arthropod pests in European maize production. Practised pest control includes chemical control, biological control and cultural control such as ploughing and crop rotation. A pest control option that is available since 1996 is maize varieties that are genetically engineered (GE) to produce insecticidal compounds. GE maize varieties available today express one or several genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that target corn borers or corn rootworms. Incentives to growing Bt maize are simplified farm operations, high pest control efficiency, improved grain quality and ecological benefits. Limitations include the risk of resistance evolution in target pest populations, risk of secondary pest outbreaks and increased administration to comply with licence agreements. Growers willing to plant Bt maize in the European Union (EU) often face the problem that authorisation is denied. Only one Bt maize transformation event (MON810) is currently authorised for commercial cultivation, and some national authorities have banned cultivation. Spain is the only EU member state where Bt maize adoption levels are currently delivering farm income gains near full potential levels. In an integrated pest management (IPM) context, Bt maize can be regarded as a preventive (host plant resistance) or a responsive pest control measure. In any case, Bt maize is a highly specific tool that efficiently controls the main pests and allows combination with other preventive or responsive measures to solve other agricultural problems including those with secondary pests.