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A New Chimeric Gene as a Marker for Plant Transformation: The Expression of Escherichia coli β-Galactosidase in Sunflower and Tobacco Cells

Bio/Technology volume 2, pages 520–527 (1984)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 July 1984

Abstract

Gene regulation has been studied in bacterial, yeast and mammalian systems using β-galactosidase gene fusions. Transformation systems have recently been developed which permit the extension of gene fusion studies to plants. The nopaline synthase-β-galactosidase fusion described in this paper was constructed using the unique BamHI site of the nopaline synthase gene to construct an in-frame fusion, pGHlac+. The expression of the pGHlac+ construct in plants was assayed in vitro using ONPG and in vivo using X-Gal. Native gel electro-phoresis followed by staining with fluoro-genic substrate was used to establish the physical presence of the fusion protein in the plant tissue and to confirm its enzymatic activity. Applications of the novel fusion gene are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo, 63130

    Lucy Kayes

  2. Department of Biophysics & Theoretical Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill., 60637

    Malcolm Casadaban

  3. Plant Breeding Institute, Maris Lane, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 2LQ, U.K.

    Michael Bevan

  4. CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, Biotechnology Research, P.O. Box 12257, Research Triangle Park, N.C., 27709

    Georgia Helmer & Mary-Dell Chilton

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Helmer, G., Casadaban, M., Bevan, M. et al. A New Chimeric Gene as a Marker for Plant Transformation: The Expression of Escherichia coli β-Galactosidase in Sunflower and Tobacco Cells. Nat Biotechnol 2, 520–527 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0684-520

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