Dual Reproductive Cell-Specific Promoter-Mediated Split-Cre/LoxP System Suitable for Exogenous Gene Deletion in Hybrid Progeny of Transgenic

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2021 Jun 2

PMID 34064885

Authors

Chen Yang

Jia Ge

Xiaokang Fu

Keming Luo

Changzheng Xu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Genetically modified (GM) crops possess some superior characteristics, such as high yield and insect resistance, but their biosafety has aroused broad public concern. Some genetic engineering technologies have recently been proposed to remove exogenous genes from GM crops. Few approaches have been applied to maintain advantageous traits, but excising exogenous genes in seeds or fruits from these hybrid crops has led to the generation of harvested food without exogenous genes. In a previous study, split-Cre mediated by split intein could recombine its structure and restore recombination activity in hybrid plants. In the current study, the recombination efficiency of split-Cre under the control of ovule-specific or pollen-specific promoters was validated by hybridization of transgenic containing the improved expression vectors. In these vectors, all exogenous genes were flanked by two sites, including promoters, resistance genes, reporter genes, and split- genes linked to the reporter genes via LP4/2A. A gene deletion system was designed in which was driven by , and was driven by and . Transgenic lines containing NCre were used as paternal lines to hybridize with transgenic lines containing CCre. Because this hybridization method results in no co-expression of the and genes controlled by reproduction-specific promoters in the F1 progeny, the desirable characteristics could be retained. After self-crossing in F1 progeny, the expression level and protein activity of reporter genes were detected, and confirmed that recombination of split-Cre had occurred and the exogenous genes were partially deleted. The gene deletion efficiency represented by the quantitative measurements of GUS enzyme activity was over 59%, with the highest efficiency of 73% among variable hybrid combinations. Thus, in the present study a novel dual reproductive cell-specific promoter-mediated gene deletion system was developed that has the potential to take advantage of the merits of GM crops while alleviating biosafety concerns.

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