THE PLANT CELL, Vol 2, Issue 12 1131-1143, Copyright © 1990 by American Society of Plant Biologists

RESEARCH ARTICLES

Tissue-Specific and Pathogen-Induced Regulation of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia [beta]-1 ,3-Glucanase Gene

C. Castresana, F. de Carvalho, G. Gheysen, M. Habets, D. Inze and M. Van Montagu
Laboratorium voor Genetica, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium

The Nicotiana plumbaginifolia gn1 gene encoding a [beta]-1,3-glucanase isoform has been characterized. The gn1 product represents an isoform distinct from the previously identified tobacco [beta]-1,3-glucanases. By expressing gn1 in Escherichia coli, we have determined directly that the encoded protein does, indeed, correspond to a [beta]-1,3-glucanase. In N. plumbaginifolia, gn1 was found to be expressed in roots and older leaves. Transgenic tobacco plants containing the 5[prime]-noncoding region of gn1 fused to the [beta]-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene also showed maximum levels of GUS activity in roots and older leaves. No detectable activity was present in the upper part of the transgenic plants with the exception of stem cells at the bases of emerging shoots. The expression conferred by the gn1 promoter was differentially induced in response to specific plant stress treatments. Studies of three plant-bacteria interactions showed high levels of GUS activity when infection resulted in a hypersensitive reaction. Increased gene expression was confined to cells surrounding the necrotic lesions. The observed expression pattern suggests that the characterized [beta]-1,3-glucanase plays a role both in plant development and in the defense response against pathogen infection.

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