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Transgenic rice plants harboring an introduced potato proteinase inhibitor II gene are insect resistant

Nature Biotechnology volume 14, pages 494–498 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

We introduced the potato proteinase inhibitor II (PINII) gene (pin2) into several Japonica rice varieties, and regenerated a large number of transgenic rice plants. Wound-inducible expression of the pin2 gene driven by its own promoter, together with the first intron of the rice actin 1 gene (actl), resulted in high-level accumulation of the PINII protein in the transgenic plants. The introduced pin2 gene was stably inherited in the second, third, and fourth generations, as shown by molecular analyses. Based on data from the molecular analyses, several homozygous transgenic lines were obtained. Bioassay for insect resistance with the fifth-generation transgenic rice plants showed that transgenic rice plants had increased resistance to a major rice insect pest, pink stem borer (Sesamia inferens). Thus, introduction of an insecticidal proteinase inhibitor gene into cereal plants can be used as a general strategy for control of insect pests.

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Author notes

  1. Deping Xu

    Present address: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Crop Protection Program, Johnston, Iowa, 50131-1004

  2. Ray Wu: Corresponding author (e-mail: ves3@cornell.edu).

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853

    Xiaolan Duan, Xiaogang Li & Mahmoud Abo-EI-Saad

  2. Department of Agronomy, Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou, 310029, P.R. China

    Qingzhong Xue

Authors
  1. Xiaolan Duan
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  2. Xiaogang Li
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  4. Mahmoud Abo-EI-Saad
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  5. Deping Xu
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  6. Ray Wu
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Duan, X., Li, X., Xue, Q. et al. Transgenic rice plants harboring an introduced potato proteinase inhibitor II gene are insect resistant. Nat Biotechnol 14, 494–498 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0496-494

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0496-494

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