Expression of a Dermaseptin peptide in tobacco hairy roots enhances antifungal activity

Plant pathogens, insects and weeds contribute to more than 30% of crop plants losses annually. Toxic chemicals have been extensively used to control plant diseases, especially plant pathogenic fungi. These chemicals not only pose a health threat to humans’ life and the environment, but eventually lead to a higher incident of fungicide resistance plant fungi. Hence, breeding cultivars resistance to devastating fungi by using genetic engineering and biotechnology approaches is a valuable and sustainable solution. The production of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) is a part of the immune system of all living organisms, such as plants, to combat pathogenic bacteria. Hairy root cultures hold an immense potential for production of foreign proteins, e.g., antimicrobial peptides. The aim of the present study was cloning, expression and assess the antifungal activity of a Dermaseptin peptide gene in Nicotiana tabacum hairy roots, using Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Hairy roots were generated and confirmed by PCR analysis using specific Dermaseptin primers. Results of this study showed that Dermaseptin peptide was successfully produced in transgenic hairy roots. Total proteins were extracted from few high-expressor of transgenic hairy roots and used for antifungal activity, using disc diffusion method in Alternaria solani in vitro cultures. Alternaria solani growth was significantly retarded as compared with controls, suggesting that expressed Dermaseptin peptide possess considerable antifungal activity.

کلیدواژه ها:

Hairy root ، Antimicrobial Peptide and Agrobacterium rhizogenes