Studies of transgenic tobacco plants containing Escherichia Coli glutathione reductase.

Abstract

Glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes are thought to play an important role in the plant chloroplast antioxidant system. Tobacco plants transformed with E. coli glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase genes were used to investigate the role of these gene products (enzymes) in the chloroplast antioxidant system. These plants were T1318 (transformants with increased levels of cytoplasmic glutathione reductase activity) and GOR1OT (transformants with increased levels of cytoplasmic' glutathione reductase activity and chloroplastic superoxide dismutase). In addition, 10~M methyl violegen (paraquat), was used to perturb the system experimentally under high light, low light and in darkness. During these experiments GRA (glutathione reductase activity) was assayed and the results expressed as mg-1protein, mg-1 chlorophyll and g-1 tissue, using different types of transgenic plants. T131 B-cytosolic GOR transformants had a higher GRA under high light intensity. Under low light intensity T131B had a small increase in GRA compared to controls (T131 Bs in 1mM CaS04). Also leaf discs in the dark showed similar GRA as did controls. The three treatments had no effect on the GRA of untransformed plants. GOR1OT (cytoplamic GOR and chloroplastic SOD transformants) had a slight increase in GRA under high light intensity and in darkness. At low light intensity GOR10T showed similar results to controls.

The results indicate the overall absolute increase in GRA in transgenic plants after methyl violegen treatment. The higher activity than that of nontransgenic controls indicate that bacterial GRA must have also increased following exposure to methyl violegen.