Transgenic tobacco plants which express the chiA gene from Serratia marcescens have enhanced tolerance to Rhizoctonia solani

Abstract

We have prepared independent lines of transgenic tobacco plants which express high levels of the Serratia marcescens ChiA protein intracellulary or extracellularly (in glycosylated or unglycosylated forms). We have measured the susceptibility, of these plants to Rhizoctonia solani infection in greenhouse trials and in the field. Transgenic tobacco plants which constitutively express the S. marcescens ChiA protein exhibit tolerance to the fungal pathogen R. solani. Disease tolerance is observed in transgenic tobacco plants which express the bacterial chitinase intra-or extracellulary. This is the first report to document disease reduction in the field in transgenic plants engineered for funga..