RESUMEN
The phytopathogenic bacteria Agrobacterium rhizogenes genetically transforms plants by transferring a portion of the resident Ri plasmid, the T-DNA to the plant. Plant species differ in their temporal competence for transformation. But various physical and chemical methods are found to enhance transformation frequency. Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation efficiency was assessed under the influence of sonication, calcium treatment, acetosyringone and macerating enzymes in suitable combinations in Nicotiana tabacum as a model system. Manual wounding resulted in 21 percent transformation frequency. Where as sonication resulted in 2.2 fold increase, followed by sonication with CaCl2 treatment resulted in 2.5 fold increase and sonication with acetosyringone treatment resulted in 4.1 fold increase in transformation frequency. However, sonication with macerating enzyme treatment resulted in 1.5 to 5.25-fold decrease in transformation frequency. Micro wounding through sonication followed by acetosyringone treatment enhanced transformation frequency substantially. The results of this study may be very useful in genetic manipulation of plants by Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated gene delivery to higher plants, which are recalcitrant to A. tumefaciens mediated genetic manipulation.
RESUMEN
Capsaicin is a bioactive molecule synthesized by enzymatic (putative capsaicin synthase) condensation of vanillylamine, a phenyl propanoid intermediate with 8-methyl-nonenoic acid, a fatty acid derivative from leucine/valine pathway. Analysis of levels of 8-methyl-nonenoic acid and phenyl propanoid intermediates in high, medium, and low pungent Capsicum genotypes revealed that the 8-methyl-nonenoic acid pool plays a crucial role in determining the efficacy of capsaicin levels. Cerulenin-mediated inhibition of 8-methyl-nonenoic acid synthesis decreased the capsaicin biosynthesis in Capsicum cell suspension cultures. Similarly amino oxy acetate inhibited vanillylamine synthesis but failed to reduce capsaicin production. The mRNA transcript analysis of keto acyl synthase (KAS), a crucial enzyme involved in 8-methyl-nonenoic acid and an amino transferase (AMT), involved in vanillylamine biosynthesis was studied. The mRNA transcript analysis revealed the progressive developmental expression of KAS gene in the placenta during the ontogeny of the fruit, whereas AMT transcripts levels did not show significant differences. Hence, the study demonstrates the influence of 8-methyl-nonenoic acid and its possible regulatory role in capsaicin biosynthesis in Capsicum spp.