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Transgenic Pea Seeds Expressing the α-Amylase Inhibitor of the Common Bean are Resistant to Bruchid Beetles

Bio/Technology volume 12, pages 793–796 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

Infestations of stored legume seeds by bruchid beetles, such as the cowpea weevil and the Azuki bean weevil cause substantial economic and nutritional losses of these food crops, especially in developing countries. Seeds of the common bean are resistant to these bruchids largely because of the presence of α-amylase inhibitor (αAI-Pv), a seed protein that is toxic to the larvae. The αAI-Pv gene is therefore a candidate for a genetic engineering approach that would make other legumes (pea, chickpea, cowpea, Azuki bean) resistant to bruchid infestations. We tested this possibility by transforming peas (Pisum sativum) with the αAI-Pv gene driven by a strong seed-specific promoter. The levels of αAI protein in the pea seeds were as high as in bean seeds and the peas were resistant to the cowpea and Azuki bean weevils.

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Author notes

  1. José J. Pueyo

    Present address: CSIC, Apartado 202, 50080, Zaragoza, Spain

  2. Maarten J. Chrispeels: e-mail: mchrispeels@ucsd.edu).

  3. Richard E. Shade and Larry L. Murdock: The first four authors contributed equally to the experimental work reported here.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0116

    Maarten J. Chrispeels

  2. Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, 2601, Australia

    Hartmut E. Schroeder, Linda M. Tabe & T. J. V. Higgins

  3. Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-1158

    Richard E. Shade & Larry L. Murdock

Authors
  1. Richard E. Shade
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  2. Hartmut E. Schroeder
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  4. Linda M. Tabe
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  6. T. J. V. Higgins
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  7. Maarten J. Chrispeels
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Shade, R., Schroeder, H., Pueyo, J. et al. Transgenic Pea Seeds Expressing the α-Amylase Inhibitor of the Common Bean are Resistant to Bruchid Beetles. Nat Biotechnol 12, 793–796 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0894-793

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