OVEREXPRESSION OF ZINC TRANSPORTER GENE IN TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill.)
Loading...
Date
2009-07-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK, BENGALURU
Abstract
Zinc deficiency causes reduction in plant productivity. Zinc is not only
essential for plants but also for humans is a micronutrient of exceptional
biologic and public health importance. Zinc deficiency in soil also leads
to deficiency in human beings through plants. Zinc deficiency in humans
can be addressed through dietary diversification, mineral
supplementation, food fortification and biofortification (increasing
mineral concentrations in edible parts of the crop). For a long and
sustainable approach biofortification is considered to be the best. In this
regard attempt was made to biofortify tomato with zinc. Tomato is
consumed by everyone and also everyday. As tomato can also be
consumed raw, nutrient loss due to cooking can be minimised hence
tomato was found to be an ideal plant for biofortification. In this study
expression analysis of zinc transporters in leaves of tomato plants
treated at different levels of zinc showed LeZIP1, LeZIP3, LeZIP5 and
LeZIP6 as low zinc responsive zinc transporter genes and LeZIP2 as a
high zinc responsive one. Estimation of zinc content in leaves and roots
of these zinc treated plants showed significant increase in zinc content of
zinc deprived plants upon providing moderate zinc. Zinc content in
leaves and roots increased with the increase in the external zinc
application. Thus different zinc contents in plant parts could be
attributed to differential expression of zinc transporter genes. From the
expression analysis of zinc transporter genes, LeZIP1 a low zinc
responsive gene, was found to be closely related to OsZIP1. OsZIP1
known to be a high affinity zinc transporter was subcloned in gateway
destination vector and overexpressed in tomato to increase the zinc
nutrition through transgenic approach.
Description
Keywords
null