Transgenic plums (Prunus domestica L.) express the plum pox virus coat protein gene

Plum hypocotyl slices were transformed with the coat protein (CP) gene of plum pox virus (PPV-CP) following cocultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing the plasmid pGA482GG/PPVCP-33. This binary vector carries the PPV-CP gene construct, as well as the chimeric neomycin phosphotransferase and β-glucuronidase genes. Integration and expression of the transferred genes into regenerated plum plants was verified through kan resistance, GUS assays, and PCR amplification of the PPV-CP gene. Twenty-two transgenic clones were identified from approximately 1800 hypocotyl slices. DNA, mRNA, and protein analyses of five transgenic plants confirmed the integration of the engineered CP gene, the accumulation of CP mRNA and of PPV-CP-immunoreactive protein. CP mRNA levels ranged from high to undetectable levels, apparently correlated with gene structure, as indicated by DNA blot analysis. Western analysis showed that transgenic plants produced amounts of CP which generally correlated with amounts of detected mRNA.