Grapevine Biotechnology

Marker gene elimination with the Cre/lox recombination system from grapevine as an example for woody plants.

Production of transgenic plants usually requires the use of selection marker genes, which allows the selection and regeneration of genetically modified cells to whole plants. For this reason, genes coding for antibiotic resistance are frequently used. However, there is no agronomic or other value of the selection marker genes for the use of transgenic plants in agriculture.
Within the framework of a joint research project of the BMBF on the 'safety of transgenic plants' at AlPlanta a bacterial recombination system (Cre lox system) is tested for use in the elimination of the selection marker gene from transgenic grapevines. Here the cre recombinase is transiently expressed in the cells, inducing the elimination of the selection marker gene (antibiotic resistance) that is flanked by lox - recognition sites. The system has already been successfully used in tobacco with the help of a PVX as a viral vector.
Our intended strategy for grapevine is to use grapevine-infecting viral vectors (Raspberry Ringspot Virus (RpRSV), Arabis Mosaic Virus (ArMV), developed at AlPlanta) to transiently express cre recombinase in genetically engineered grapevines plants or embryogenic cell cultures. In this way, transgenic grapevines can be produced which are free of unwanted selection marker genes coding for, e.g. antibiotic resistance.

http://www.biosicherheit.de
http://www.bmbf.de/pub/projektliste_biologische_sicherheit_gvp.pdf


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