Plant Biotechnology
Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol. 11 No. 1, Issue of January 15, 2008
© 2007 by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received January 26, 2007 / Accepted May 20, 2007
DOI: 10.2225/vol11-issue1-fulltext-5
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Overexpression of the pineapple fruit bromelain gene (BAA) in transgenic Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) results in enhanced resistance to bacterial soft rot

Yu-Jin Jung
 Department of Horticulture
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5107
Fax: 82 31 670 5333
E-mail: yuyu1216@naver.com

Chang-Sun Choi
 Department of Horticulture
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5107
Fax: 82 31 670 5333
E-mail: sunlog@naver.com

Jin-Heui Park
 Department of Horticulture
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5107
Fax: 82 31 670 5333
E-mail: jinnysendai@hanmail.net

Hee-Wan Kang
 Graduate School of Bio-Information Technology
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5420
Fax: 82 31 670 5420
E-mail: kanghw2@hknu.ac.kr

Je-Eul Choi
 Department of Agronomy
College of Agriculture
Chungnam National University
Daejeon 305-764, South Korea
Tel: 042 821 5729
Fax: 042 821 5729
E-mail: choije@cnu.ac.kr 

Ill-Sup Nou
 Faculty of Plant Science and Production
Sunchon National University
Sunchon 540-742, South Korea
Tel: 061 750 3249
Fax: 061 750 3249
E-mail: nis@sunchon.ac.kr

Soon Youl Lee*
 School of Applied Life Sciences
Genetic Informatics Center, GRRC
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5333
Fax: 82 31 670 5333
E-mail: sylee@hknu.ac.kr

Kwon-Kyoo Kang*
 Department of Horticulture
Hankyong National University
67 Sukjong-dong, Ansung city
Kyonggi-do 456-749, South Korea
Tel: 82 31 670 5104
Fax: 82 31 670 5333
E-mail: kykang@hknu.ac.kr

*Corresponding authors

Financial support: This work was supported by a grant from the Agricultural R&D Promotion Center (Project No. 204068-3).

Keywords: Brassica rapa, fruit bromelain, soft rot resistance, transgenic plant.

Abbreviations:

CaMV: cauliflower mosaic virus
CFU: colony forming unit
HCD: hypersensitive cell death
PCR: polymerase chain reaction
RT-PCR: reverse transcription PCR
TSP: total soluble protein
Abstract   Full Text

Bromelain is a crude protein extract obtained from pineapple stems, which comprises a variety of proteolytic enzymes. It exhibits potential therapeutic activities against trauma, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and malignant disorders. In this study, we cloned BAA1 (the gene encoding fruit bromelain) into a plant expression vector that was then used to transform Brassica rapa and overexpress BAA1 under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. We demonstrate that constitutive overexpression of BAA1 in B. rapa confers enhanced resistance to the soft rot pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum ssp. carotovorum. These results suggest that it could be utilized for protecting plants from attack by bacterial pathogens.
Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network