CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSION

untransformed

DRR206

The simplest approach to genetic engineering involves expressing a gene constitutively, that is, in all tissues of the plant. The figure shows canola plants that have been inoculated at the stems with the blackleg fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans.  The stems of untransformed plants are completely girdled, resulting in plant death.  Plants containing the constitutively-expressed pea defense gene DRR206 exhibit no symptoms and grow vigorously.

Left: untransformed Westar canola
Right: Westar canola transformed with pea  defense gene DRR206

Reference:
Wang Y. Nowak G, Culley D, Hadwiger L, Fristensky B (1999). Constitutive expression of pea defense gene DRR206 confers resistance to blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans) disease in transgenic canola (Brassica napus). Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 12:410-418.

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