Articles
RECENT ADVANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN CHERRY BIOTECHNOLOGY
Article number
1020_11
Pages
89 – 97
Language
English
Abstract
While worldwide production of genetically modified crops has been increasing dramatically since 1996, the use of transformation technologies for Prunus crops has been rather modest when compared to the major commercialized genetically engineered crops.
To date, only transgenic plum HoneySweet with PPV (plum pox virus) resistance has received USDA non-regulated status.
The lack of efficient biotechnology platforms is considered to be the bottleneck preventing the improve¬ment of Prunus species through genetic transformation.
To overcome this limitation for cherry species, previous efforts have focused on optimizing shoot micro¬propagation, plant regeneration, gene delivery, and stable transformation.
To date, plant regeneration has been reported for 19 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars, 12 sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) cultivars, and 24 genotypes for other cherry species such as cherry hybrids, black cherries (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), and wild cherries (Prunus avium L.). Stable transgenic plants have been reported for sour cherry Montmorency, cherry rootstocks Gisela 6 and Colt, and Prunus subhirtella Miq. Rosa, but only reporter genes were used in these successful transformations.
Most recently, an interfering RNAs (RNAi) vector targeted to prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) has been transformed into the hybrid cherry rootstocks.
This RNAi strategy, utilizing transformed rootstocks to achieve virus-resistance in the scion, minimizes concerns about transgene-flow and foreign protein production in commercial scion cultivars, and it is therefore a potential approach for engineering virus resistance for fruit-bearing cherry genotypes without direct transformation of the fruiting genotype itself.
As more genomic resources for Prunus species become available, more genes of interest will be identified and isolated.
In the future, success in cherry genetic engineering will still depend on availability of desirable target genes and reliable transformation systems with efficient plant regeneration, efficient gene delivery, and effective selection without using antibiotics or herbicides.
To date, only transgenic plum HoneySweet with PPV (plum pox virus) resistance has received USDA non-regulated status.
The lack of efficient biotechnology platforms is considered to be the bottleneck preventing the improve¬ment of Prunus species through genetic transformation.
To overcome this limitation for cherry species, previous efforts have focused on optimizing shoot micro¬propagation, plant regeneration, gene delivery, and stable transformation.
To date, plant regeneration has been reported for 19 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars, 12 sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) cultivars, and 24 genotypes for other cherry species such as cherry hybrids, black cherries (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), and wild cherries (Prunus avium L.). Stable transgenic plants have been reported for sour cherry Montmorency, cherry rootstocks Gisela 6 and Colt, and Prunus subhirtella Miq. Rosa, but only reporter genes were used in these successful transformations.
Most recently, an interfering RNAs (RNAi) vector targeted to prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) has been transformed into the hybrid cherry rootstocks.
This RNAi strategy, utilizing transformed rootstocks to achieve virus-resistance in the scion, minimizes concerns about transgene-flow and foreign protein production in commercial scion cultivars, and it is therefore a potential approach for engineering virus resistance for fruit-bearing cherry genotypes without direct transformation of the fruiting genotype itself.
As more genomic resources for Prunus species become available, more genes of interest will be identified and isolated.
In the future, success in cherry genetic engineering will still depend on availability of desirable target genes and reliable transformation systems with efficient plant regeneration, efficient gene delivery, and effective selection without using antibiotics or herbicides.
Publication
Authors
G.-Q. Song
Keywords
genetic engineering, micropropagation, plant regeneration, Prunus avium L., Prunus cerasus L., transformation, woody plant breeding
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