TRANSGENIC TOMATO PLANTS WITH ACQUIRED RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE PV. TOMATO

摘要

The bacterial spot caused by pathogen <i> Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (P. s. tomato) </i> is a devastating disease affecting tomato plants. The invention shows that the mere inhibition of the expression of gene <i> Ep5C </i>, coding an extracellular cationic peroxidase is sufficient to impart marked resistance to <i> P. s. tomato </i>. Said inhibition found in tomato plants provides a resistance with no need for activation of defence pathways currently described and controlled by salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. In addition the invention shows that <i> Ep5C </i> is repressed at the transcription level in healthy plants through the formation of a stable complex including proteins and one <i> cis </i> acting element identified within the 5' region of the gene promoter. Said complex is disabled in tissue infected with <i> P. s. tomato </i> and shows maximum expression in the gene. Thus <i> Ep5C </i> gene as well as its promoter provides a new genetic asset to develop plants resisting to be bacterial spot disease.