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Functional analysis of an Aspergillus ficuum phytase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its root-specific, secretory expression in transgenic soybean plants

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Abstract

Phytases release inorganic phosphates from phytate in soil. A gene encoding phytase (AfPhyA) was isolated from Aspergillus ficuum and its ability to degrade phytase and release phosphate was demonstrated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A promoter from the Arabidopsis Pky10 gene and the carrot extensin signal peptide were used to drive the root-specific and secretory expression of the AfPhyA gene in soybean plants. The phytase activity and inorganic phosphate levels in transgenic soybean root secretions were 4.7 U/mg protein and 439 μM, respectively, compared to 0.8 U/mg protein and 120 μM, respectively, in control soybeans. Our results demonstrated the potential usefulness of the root-specific promoter for the exudation of recombinant phytases and offered a new perspective on the mobilization of phytate in soil to inorganic phosphates for plant uptake.

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Acknowledgments

The Project Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (C2006000559) and Science and Technology Department of Hebei Province (06547005B-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agriculture and Bioengineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People’s Republic of China

    Shaohui Yang & Jiehua Wang

  2. Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology, Changli, 066600, People’s Republic of China

    Guilan Li & Yake Qiao

  3. School of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People’s Republic of China

    Minggang Li

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  1. Guilan Li
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  2. Shaohui Yang
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  3. Minggang Li
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  4. Yake Qiao
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  5. Jiehua Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiehua Wang.

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Guilan Li and Shaohui Yang authors contribute equally to the paper.

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Li, G., Yang, S., Li, M. et al. Functional analysis of an Aspergillus ficuum phytase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its root-specific, secretory expression in transgenic soybean plants. Biotechnol Lett 31, 1297–1303 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-9992-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-9992-6

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