Stockdale JN (2024) Pollen-specific expression of ecori restriction endonuclease for bioconfinement in panicum virgatum l. Univ Tennessee Thesis.
Objective: In this study, pollen-specific promoters controlling the expression of the EcoRI endonuclease, interrupted by a catalase intron, were evaluated for efficacy to produce sterile pollen.
Summary: The TaPSG719, PvPS1, Osg6B, OsRTS, and Zm13 promoters were assessed for pollen-specific expression patterns, none of which have previously been characterized in switchgrass. The effectiveness of pollen-targeted EcoRI expression to produce sterile pollen was not determined. However, this study identified the Zm13 and PvPS1 promoters as strong candidates for male-specific gene expression and provided valuable insights for the design and production of genetically engineered switchgrass
Usage: In the Genesafe prototype system, saporin was used as a sterility gene to inhibit protein synthesis and cause seed sterility when expressed in plant cells. The system relied on hybridizing two parent plants (P1 and P2), with saporin expression controlled by a late embryo-specific promoter (LEA4A or LEA14 from cotton) and repressed by a blocker sequence. After hybridization, a stimulus would trigger Cre/loxP recombinase to excise the blocker, enabling saporin expression in the next generation. However, in tobacco trials, seed sterility was not achieved due to inefficient promoter activity and low saporin production.
Related Products: Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)