Elsevier

Biotechnology Advances

Volume 24, Issue 4, July–August 2006, Pages 410-419
Biotechnology Advances

Research review paper
Genetic modulation of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling in plants

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.01.003Get rights and content

Abstract

With the isolation and characterization of the key enzymes and proteins, and the corresponding genes, involved in ethylene biosynthesis and sensing it has become possible to manipulate plant ethylene levels and thereby alter a wide range of physiological processes. The phytohormone ethylene is an essential signaling molecule that affects a large number of physiological processes; plants deprived of ethylene do not grow and develop normally. In a search for flexible on–off ethylene control, scientists have used inducible organ- and tissue-specific promoters to drive expression of different transgenes. Here, the various strategies that have been used to genetically engineer plants with decreased ethylene biosynthesis and sensitivity are reviewed and discussed.

Introduction

The hormone ethylene is essential for proper plant development, growth and survival. It is responsible for signaling changes during germination, flower and fruit development, the onset of plant defense responses, and cross-talk with other plant hormones (Mattoo and Shuttle, 1991, Abeles et al., 1992, Arshad and Frankenberger, 2002, Stepanova and Alonso, 2005). Transcriptional profiling by cDNA-AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) and microarray analysis revealed that ethylene regulates transcription of a large number of genes governing cell wall and lipid metabolism, protein degradation through the ubiquitin–proteasome-dependent proteolysis, water transport, peptide and ion cellular localization, signalling, and many other basic cellular processes (De Paepe et al., 2004). In Arabidopsis, 7% of the investigated 6000 genes are ethylene-regulated (Zhong and Burns, 2003). Ethylene has the ability to trigger exaggerated disease symptoms and exacerbate an environmental pressure. Except for fruit ripening and lateral root initiation, high levels of ethylene are usually deleterious to plant growth and health.

Section snippets

Key targets for genetic manipulation of ethylene levels

Biosynthesis of ethylene requires S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), which is a precursor in several other pathways and is abundant within plant tissues. The rate-limiting step in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway is generally considered to be the conversion of SAM to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and 5′-methylthioadenosine (MTA) in the reaction catalyzed by ACC synthase. MTA is then recycled to l-methionine to allow for levels of l-methionine to remain relatively unchanged even during

Flower senescence

The central role of ethylene in flower senescence, fruit ripening and spoilage has caused it to be of interest to the horticulture, agriculture and food industry. Ethylene biosynthesis, perception and signal transduction have become the targets of extensive genetic manipulation in order to extend the shelf life and appearance of ornamental flowers.

Flower wilting is caused by the death of cells as a result of increased membrane permeability, activation of reactive oxygen species and the

Engineering plants with increased resistance to pathogens

Plants respond to pathogen invasion in a complex way. The plant defense system against pathogen attack includes the hypersensitive response (HR), a component of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) responsible for the rapid death of infected cells and formation of local and necrotic lesions to restrict the growth of pathogens. HR causes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by the induction of SAR genes such as 1,3-glucanase, chitinases and other pathogenesis related (PR)

Conclusion

There is considerable commercial interest in developing fruit that will not ripen until a specific external cue is provided, or having flowers with an extended shelf life, or plants that are able to withstand a range of environmental stresses. Ethylene is a pivotal signaling molecule, and by modulating aspects of its synthesis and perception the bioengineering of plants that are more robust than their non-transformed counterparts in the face of pathogen infection, flooding, drought, high

Acknowledgements

We thank the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada for its ongoing support of research in our laboratory.

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