Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of potato with human lactoferrin gene

Abstract

Aim. Obtaining of the new Ukrainian potato cultivars with complex resistance to phytopathogens. Methods. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of potato cultivars Vernisage and Zarevo with human lactoferrin gene possessing antimicrobial activity was carried out. For transformation, supervirulent A. tumefaciens strain EHA 105 with hLf gene and gene for the resistance to kanamycine was used. Selection was carried out for 3 months on MSK-S1 and MSK-S2 media supplemented with 100 mg/l kanamycine. Integration of lactoferrin gene in transgenic plant lines was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with specific for hLf gene primers. Results. After selection, potato lines with the resistance to kanamycine were obtained. The transgenic potato lines with integrated into their genomes hLf gene were obtained. Integration of lactoferrin gene was confirmed for 1 line of Zarevo cultivar and 3 lines of Vernisage cultivar. Transformation frequency was of 6.8% for cv. Vernisage and 6.25% for cv. Zarevo. Conclusions. Selected potato lines would be used in further studies on their resistance to bacterial and fungal pathogens. Keywords: human lactoferrin gene hLf, Solanum tuberosum, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, transgenic plants.