Molecular Tools for Generating " Clean" Transgenic Crops. (S-radhakrishnan869136-poster)
Authors:
P. Radhakrishnan* - Univ. of Arkansas V. Srivastava - Univ. of Arkansas
Abstract:
Scientists face two major challenges while developing a genetically engineered (transgenic) crop. They are (i) genetic instability, caused by the position effect and complex integration pattern of the “gene of interest” (transgene) (ii) Presence of unnecessary genes in the transgene locus. A practical solution for these problems can be obtained by using site-specific recombination systems. Genetic stability in transgenic crops can be achieved by inserting a single copy of the transgene at a predetermined location in the genome (site-specific integration) using a site-specific recombination system called Cre/lox from bacteriophage P1. The site-specific
integration locus thus obtained contains transgene along with some unnecessary DNA fragments, which although are essential during the development of transgenic crops become unwanted once the transgenic crop is identified. Ideal transgenic crops would be those that contain only the transgene. Therefore a strategy was developed to generate ‘clean’ site-specific locus, which requires the use of two site-specific recombination systems, Cre/lox and FLP/frt from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cre/lox system is well characterized in rice, but FLP/frt is not. The main objective of this project is to evaluate the efficacy to FLP/frt system for genetic manipulation of rice. Our data suggests that in general FLP is lower in efficiency than Cre, however it is possible to isolate efficient FLP lines which will serve as practical tools for genetic engineering of rice plants.
Speaker Information: Parthiban Radhakrishnan, Univ. of Arkansas, 110 North Harmon Avenue Apartment # 7, Fayetteville, AR 72701; Phone: (479) 283-6850; E-mail:
