Wag UR Plant Breeding, Plant Science Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Transgenic Res. 2011 Oct;20(5):1113-23. doi: 10.1007/s11248-011-9484-z. Epub 2011 Jan 19.
Introduction of sustainable scab resistance in elite apple cultivars is of high importance for apple cultivation when aiming at reducing the use of chemical crop protectants. Genetic modification (GM) allows the rapid introduction of resistance genes directly into high quality apple cultivars. Resistance genes can be derived from apple itself but genetic modification also opens up the possibility to use other, non-host resistance genes. A prerequisite for application is the long-term performance and stability of the gene annex trait in the field. For this study, we produced and selected a series of transgenic apple lines of two cultivars, i.e. 'Elstar' and 'Gala' in which the barley hordothionin gene (hth) was introduced. After multiplication, the GM hth-lines, non-GM susceptible and resistant controls and GM non-hth controls were planted in a random block design in a field trial in 40 replicates. Scab resistance was monitored after artificial inoculation (first year) and after natural infection (subsequent years). After the trial period, the level of expression of the hth gene was checked by quantitative RT-PCR. Four of the six GM hth apple lines proved to be significantly less susceptible to apple scab and this trait was found to be stable for the entire 4-year period. Hth expression at the mRNA level was also stable.
在以减少化学作物保护剂使用为目标的苹果种植中，将可持续的痂病抗性引入优良苹果品种具有重要意义。遗传修饰（GM）允许将抗性基因直接快速引入高质量的苹果品种中。抗性基因可以来自苹果本身，但遗传修饰也为使用其他非寄主抗性基因开辟了可能性。应用的前提是基因附加性状在田间的长期表现和稳定性。在这项研究中，我们生产并选择了两个品种的一系列转基因苹果品系，即 'Elstar' 和 'Gala'，其中引入了大麦硫氧素蛋白（hth）基因。在繁殖后，GM hth 品系、非 GM 易感对照和抗性对照以及 GM 非 hth 对照以随机区组设计在 40 个重复的田间试验中种植。在人工接种后（第一年）和自然感染后（随后几年）监测痂病抗性。试验结束后，通过定量 RT-PCR 检查 hth 基因的表达水平。在 6 个 GM hth 苹果品系中，有 4 个被证明对苹果黑星病的敏感性显著降低，并且该性状在整个 4 年期间稳定。hth 在 mRNA 水平的表达也很稳定。
