Antisense gene that inhibits synthesis of the hormone ethylene in transgenic plants (original) (raw)

Nature volume 346, pages 284–287 (1990) Cite this article

Abstract

ETHYLENE controls many physiological and developmental processes in higher plants, including ripening of fruit, abscission, senescence and responses to wounding1. Although the accumulation of messenger RNAs in ripening fruit and senescing leaves has been correlated with ethylene production and perception2–4, the regulatory mechanisms governing ethylene synthesis and the stimulation of gene expression by ethylene are not understood. We have previously shown that the complementary DNA, pTOM13, corresponds to an mRNA whose synthesis is correlated with that of ethylene in ripening fruit and wounded leaves5,6,8. The pTOM13 mRNA encodes a protein of relative molecular mass 35,0006. The cDNA and three related genomic clones have been sequenced, but the function of the protein is unknown7–9. We show here that antisense RNA, which has previously been used only to reduce the expression of genes of known function10–12, when applied to pTOM13, reduces ethylene synthesis in a gene dosage-dependent manner. Analysis of these novel mutants suggests that pTOM13 encodes a polypeptide involved in the conversion of 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid to ethylene by the ethylene-forming enzyme (ACC-oxidase).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 52 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.83 per issue

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abeles, F. B. Ethylene in Plant Biology (Academic, New York, 1973).
    Google Scholar
  2. Grierson, D. et al. _Phil. Trans. R. Soc._B314, 399–410 (1986).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Davies, K. M., Hobson, G. E. & Grierson, D. Pl. Cell Environ. 11, 729–738 (1988).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. Davies, K. M. & Grierson, D. Planta 179, 73–80 (1989).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Smith, C. J. S., Slater, A. & Grierson, D. Planta 168, 94–100 (1986).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  6. Slater, A. et al. Plant molec. Biol. 5, 137–147 (1985).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Holdsworth, M. J., Schuch, W. & Grierson, D. Plant molec. Biol. 11, 81–88 (1988).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Holdsworth, M. J. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 731–739 (1987).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Holdsworth, M. J., Schuch, W. & Grierson, D. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 10600 (1987).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. van der Krol, A. R. et al. Nature 333, 866–869 (1988).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Smith, C. J. S. et al. Nature 334, 724–726 (1988).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Sheehy, R. E., Kramer, M. & Hiatt, W. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. USA. 85, 8805–8809 (1988).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  13. Pietrzak, M., Shilliter, R. D., Hohn, T. & Potrykus, I. Nucleic Acids Res. 14, 5857–5868 (1986).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  14. Bevan, M. W. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 8711–8722 (1984).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  15. Bird, C. R. et al. Plant molec. Biol. 11, 651–662 (1988).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  16. Yang, S. F. Current Topics in Plant Biochemistry and Physiology Vol. 4 (eds Randall, D. D., Blevins, D. G. & Lasson, R. L.) 126–138 (University of Missouri, Columbia, 1985).
    Google Scholar
  17. Sato, T. & Theologis, A. Proc. natln. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 6621–6625 (1989).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  18. Raeder, V. & Broda, P. Lett. appl. Microbiol. 1, 17–20 (1985).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  19. Chomczynski, P. & Qasba, P. K. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 122, 340–344 (1984).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  20. Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F. & Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1989).
    Google Scholar
  21. Murray, M. G. & Thompson, W. F. Nucleic Acids Res. 8, 4321–4325 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  22. Grierson, D. & Tucker, G. A. Planta 157, 174–179 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  23. Hoffman, N. E. & Yang, S. F. Pl. Physiol. 69, 317–322 (1982).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AFRC Research Group in Plant Gene Regulation, Department of Physiology and Environmental Science, University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
    A. J. Hamilton, G. W. Lycett & D. Grierson

Authors

  1. A. J. Hamilton
  2. G. W. Lycett
  3. D. Grierson

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hamilton, A., Lycett, G. & Grierson, D. Antisense gene that inhibits synthesis of the hormone ethylene in transgenic plants.Nature 346, 284–287 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/346284a0

Download citation