Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Over-expression of a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene from Phaseolus coccineus L. enhances gibberellin inactivation and induces dwarfism in Solanum species

  • Genetic Transformation and Hybridization
  • Published:
Plant Cell Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gibberellins (GAs) are endogenous hormones that play a predominant role in regulating plant stature by increasing cell division and elongation in stem internodes. The product of the GA 2-oxidase gene from Phaseolus coccineus (PcGA2ox1) inactivates C19-GAs, including the bioactive GAs GA1 and GA4, by 2β-hydroxylation, reducing the availability of these GAs in plants. The PcGA2ox1 gene was introduced into Solanum melanocerasum and S. nigrum (Solanaceae) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with the aim of decreasing the amounts of bioactive GA in these plants and thereby reducing their stature. The transgenic plants exhibited a range of dwarf phenotypes associated with a severe reduction in the concentrations of the biologically active GA1 and GA4. Flowering and fruit development were unaffected. The transgenic plants contained greater concentrations of chlorophyll b (by 88%) and total chlorophyll (11%), although chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents were reduced by 8 and 50%, respectively. This approach may provide an alternative to the application of chemical growth retardants for reducing the stature of plants, particularly ornamentals, in view of concerns over the potential environmental and health hazards of such compounds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Biemelt S, Tschiersch H, Sonnewald U (2004) Impact of altered gibberellin metabolism on biomass accumulation, lignin biosynthesis, and photosynthesis in transgenic tobacco plants. Plant Physiol 135:254–265

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bulley SM, Wilson FM, Hedden P, Phillips AL, Croker S, James DJ (2005) Modification of gibberellin biosynthesis in the grafted apple scion allows control of tree height independent of the root stock. Plant Biotech J 3:215–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carrera E, Bou J, García-Martinez JL, Prat S (2000) Changes in GA 20-oxidase gene expression strongly affect stem length, tuber induction and tuber yield of potato plants. Plant J 22:247–256

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chareonpornwattana S, Thara KV, Wang L, Datta SK, Panbangred W, Muthukrishnan S (1999) Inheritance, expression, and silencing of a chitinase transgene in rice. Theor Appl Genet 98:371–378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coles JP, Philips AL, Croker SJ, Garcia-Lepe R, Lewis MJ, Hedden P (1999) Modification of gibberellin production and plant development in Arabidopsis by sense and antisense expression of gibberellin 20-oxidase genes. Plant J 17:547–556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hedden P (1999) Recent advances in gibberellin biosynthesis. J Exp Bot 50:553–563

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hedden P (2003) The genes of the Green Revolution. Trends Genet 19:5–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hedden P, Phillips A (2000) Gibberellin metabolism: new insights revealed by the genes. Trends Plant Sci 5:523–530

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hedden P, Phillips AL, Coles J, Thomas S, Appleford N, Ward D, Beale M, Lenton J (1999) Gibberellin biosynthesis: genes, regulation and genetic manipulation. RIKEN Rev 21:29–30

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar AK, Murti GSR, Shikhamany SD (1998) Effect of cycocel and paclobutrazol on morphological attributes, bunch characteristics, and endogenous gibberellin levels in ‘Arkavati’ grape (Vitis vinifera L.) trained in two systems. Gartenbauwissenschaften 63:63–65

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kunz C, Schöb H, Stam M, Kooter JM, Meins F (1996) Developmentally regulated silencing and reactivation of tobacco chitinase transgene expression. Plant J 10:437–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lange MJP, Lange T (2006) Gibberellin biosynthesis and the regulation of plant development. Plant Biol 8:281–290

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler HK (1987) Chlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembranes. Methods Enzymol 148:350–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murashige T, Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays of tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 15:473–497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Onuegbu BA (1997) Effect of cycocel on induction of biotic tolerance in cassava (Mannihot esculenta). Indian J Agric Sci 67:275–276

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips AL (2004) Genetic and transgenic approaches to improving crop performance. In: Davies PJ (ed) Plant hormones: biosynthesis, signal transduction, action! Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 582–609

    Google Scholar 

  • Rademacher W (2000) Growth retardants: effects on gibberellin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways. Ann Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 51:501–531

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radi A, Lange T, Niki T, Koshioka M, Lang MJP (2006) Ectopic expression of pumpkin gibberellin oxidases alters gibberellin biosynthesis and development of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Plant Physiol 140:528–536

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakamoto T, Kobayashi M, Itoh H, Tagiri A, Kayano T, Tanaka H, Iwahori S, Matsuoka M (2001) Expression of a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene around the shoot apex is related to phase transition in rice. Plant Physiol 125:1508–1516

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sakamoto T, Morinaka Y, Ishiyama K, Kobayashi M, Itoh H, Kayano T, Iwahori S, Matsuoka M, Tanaka H (2003) Manipulation of gibberellin metabolism in transgenic rice. Nat Biotechnol 21:909–913

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T (1989) Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, 2nd edn. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor

    Google Scholar 

  • Schomburg FM, Bizzel CM, Lee DJ, Zeevaart JAD, Amasino RM (2003) Over-expression of a novel class of GA 2-oxidases decreases GA levels and creates dwarf plants. Plant Cell 15:151–163

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh DP, Jermakow AM, Swain SA (2002) Gibberellins are required for seed development and pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 14:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas SG, Hedden P (2006) Gibberellin metabolism and signal transduction. In: Hedden P, Thomas SG (eds) Plant hormone signalling. Blackwell, Kundli, pp 147–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas SG, Phillips AL, Hedden P (1999) Molecular cloning and functional expression of gibberellin 2-oxidases, multifunctional enzymes involved in gibberellin deactivation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96:4698–4703

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

AB was supported by a Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and British Petroleum, UK, AP by the Department of Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and SK by Fine Agrochemicals. Paul Hopkins is thanked for GA analysis. Rothamsted Research is sponsored by the BBSRC.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Sciences Division, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK

    C. Dijkstra, E. Adams, A. Bhattacharya, A. F. Page, P. Anthony, S. Kourmpetli, J. B. Power, K. C. Lowe & M. R. Davey

  2. Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ, UK

    S. G. Thomas, P. Hedden & A. L. Phillips

Authors
  1. C. Dijkstra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Adams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Bhattacharya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. F. Page
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Anthony
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. Kourmpetli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. J. B. Power
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. K. C. Lowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. S. G. Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. P. Hedden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. A. L. Phillips
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. M. R. Davey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. R. Davey.

Additional information

Communicated by W. Harwood.

C. Dijkstra, E. Adams, A. Bhattacharya and A. F. Page contributed equally to this paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dijkstra, C., Adams, E., Bhattacharya, A. et al. Over-expression of a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene from Phaseolus coccineus L. enhances gibberellin inactivation and induces dwarfism in Solanum species. Plant Cell Rep 27, 463–470 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-007-0471-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-007-0471-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation