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Published on: July 23, 2014
RNAi-mediated abrogation of trehalase expression does not affect trehalase activity in sugarcane
Brian P O'Neill1, Matthew P Purnell, Lars K Nielsen
1Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia ; BSES Limited, PO Box 86, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068 Australia.
Abstract:
To engineer trehalose metabolism in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) two transgenes were introduced to the genome: trehalose-6-phosphate synthase- phosphatase (TPSP), to increase trehalose biosynthesis and an RNAi transgene specific for trehalase, to abrogate trehalose catabolism. In RNAi-expressing lines trehalase expression was abrogated in many plants however no decrease in trehalase activity was observed. In TPSP lines trehalase activity was significantly higher. No events of co-integration of TPSP and RNAi transgenes were observed. We suggest trehalase activity is essential to mitigate embryonic lethal effects of trehalose metabolism and discuss the implications for engineering trehalose metabolism.
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