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Transformation of Synechococcus with a gene for choline oxidase enhances tolerance to salt stress

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Abstract

Choline oxidase, isolated from the soil bacterium Arthrobacter globiformis, converts choline to glycinebetaine (N-trimethylglycine) without a requirement for any cofactors. The gene for this enzyme, designated codA, was cloned and introduced into the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942. The codA gene was experssed under the control of a strong constitutive promoter, and the transformed cells accumulated glycinebetaine at intracellular levels of 60–80 mM. Consequently the cells acquired tolerance to salt stress, as evaluated in terms of growth, accumulation of chlorophyll and photosynthetic activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Regulation Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji, 444, Okazaki, Japan

    Patcharaporn Deshnium & Dmitry A. Los

  2. Department of Molecular Biomechanics, the Graduate University of Advanced Studies, Myodaiji, 444, Okazaki, Japan

    Norio Murata

  3. Department of Chemistry, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan

    Hidenori Hayashi

  4. Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary

    Laszlo Mustardy

Authors
  1. Patcharaporn Deshnium
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  2. Dmitry A. Los
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  3. Hidenori Hayashi
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  4. Laszlo Mustardy
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  5. Norio Murata
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Deshnium, P., Los, D.A., Hayashi, H. et al. Transformation of Synechococcus with a gene for choline oxidase enhances tolerance to salt stress. Plant Mol Biol 29, 897–907 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014964

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014964

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