Surrogate transformation of perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne, using genetically modified Acremonium endophyte

Conditions have been developed for transforming protoplasts of the perennial ryegrass endophyte Acremonium strain 187BB. Unlike most other ryegrass endophytes, this strain does not produce the lolitrem B neurotoxin and is therefore suitable as a host for surrogate introduction of foreign genes into grasses. Transformation frequencies of 700-800 transformants/micrograms DNA were obtained for both linear and circular forms of pAN7-1, a hygromycin (hph) resistant plasmid. Up to 80% of the linear transformants were stable on further culturing but only 25% of the circular transformants retained hygromycin resistance. Integration of pAN7-1 into the genome was confirmed by Southern blotting and probing of genomic digests of transformant DNA. Both single and tandemly repeated copies of the plasmid were found in the genome and both the number and sites of integration varied among the transformants. At least 13 chromosomes were identified in 187BB using contour-clamped homogeneous electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis. Probing of Southern blots of these gels confirmed that pAN7-1 had integrated into different chromosomes. The beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, uidA, was also introduced into 187BB by co-transformation of pNOM-2 with pAN7-1. GUS activity was detected by growing the transformants on plates containing 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-D-glucuronic acid and by enzyme assays of mycelial extracts. Several hph- and uidA-containing transformants were reintroduced into ryegrass seedlings and expression of GUS visualized in vivo, demonstrating that 187BB can be used as a surrogate host to introduce foreign genes into perennial ryegrass.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)