Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transgenic Rice as a Vehicle for the Production of the Industrial Enzyme Transglutaminase

  • Published:
Transgenic Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Transglutaminases have a range of catalytic activities, most of which concern the post-translational modification of proteins. The most important of these activities is the cross-linking of proteins into large supramolecular networks. The widespread use of transglutaminases has increased the demand for an inexpensive, efficient and safe source of recombinant enzyme. We explored the use of plant-based systems for the production of this important industrial enzyme. Transgenic rice plants engineered with a rat prostate transglutaminase (rTG p ), driven by the strong constitutive maize-1 ubiquitin promoter and its first intron, were shown to express the recombinant enzyme at the mRNA and protein levels. The Ca2+ dependence of the recombinant enzyme was confirmed by the biotin-labelled cadaverine-incorporation assay. In this communication we report the molecular and biochemical characterisation of transgenic plants expressing rTG p and this sets the stage for establishing a bioreactor system for the production of transglutaminases in plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bassie L, Noury M, Lepri O, Lahaye T, Christou P and Capell T (2000) Promoter strength influences polyamine metabolism and morphogenic capacity in transgenic rice tissues expressing the oat arginine decarboxylase cDNA constitutively. Transgenic Res 9: 33–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burgoyne RD and Weiss JL (2001) The neuronal calcium sensor family of Ca2+-binding proteins. Biochem J 353: 1–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen AH and Quail PH (1996) Ubiquitin promoter-based vectors for high-level expression of selectable and/or screenable marker genes in monocotyledonous plants. Transgenic Res 5: 213–218.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Collighan R, Cortez J and Griffin M (2002) The biotechnological applications of transglutaminases. Minerva Biotech 14: 143–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards K, Johnstone C and Thompson C (1991) A simple and rapid method for the preparation of plant genomic DNA for PCR. Nucl Acids Res 19: 1349.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin M, Casadio R and Bergamini CM (2002) Transglutaminases: nature's biological glues. Biochem J 368: 377–396.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ho KCh, Quarmby VE, French FS and Wilson EM (1992) Molecular cloning of rat prostate transglutaminase complementary DNA. The major androgen-regulated protein DP1 of rat dorsal prostate and coagulating gland. J Biol Chem 267: 12660–12667.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lilley G, Skill J, Griffin M and Bonner P (1998) Detection of Ca2+-dependent transglutaminase activity in root and leaf tissue of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Plant Physiol 117: 115–1123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorand L and Graham RM (2003) Transglutaminases: crosslinking enzymes with pleiotropic functions. Nature Rew 4: 140–156.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sambrook J, Fritsch EF and Maniatis T (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd edn. Cold Spring Harbor Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serafini-Fracassini D, Del Duca S and D'Orazi D (1988) First evidence for polyamine conjugation mediated by an enzymic activity in plants. Plant Physiol 87: 757–761.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stöger E, Sack M, Fisher R and Christou P (2002) Plantibodies: applications, advantages and bottlenecks. Curr Opin Biotech 13: 161–166.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sudhakar D, Duc LT, Bong BB, Tinjuangjun P, Maqbool SB, Valdez M et al. (1998) An efficient rice transformation system utilizing mature seed-derived explants and a portable, inexpensive particle bombardment device. Transgenic Res 7: 289–294.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trung-Nghia P, Bassie L, Safwat G, Thu-Hang P, Lepri O, Rocha P et al. (2003) Reduction in the endogenous arginine decarboxylase transcript levels in rice leads to depletion of the putrescine and spermidine pools with no concomitant changes in the expression of downstream genes in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Planta 218: 125–134.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Genetics Department, Instituto de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (C.S.I.C.), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    M.I. Claparols

  2. Crop Genetics and Biotechnology Department, Fraunhofer IME, Auf dem Aberg 1, D-57392, Schmallenberg, Germany

    L. Bassie, B. Miro, J. Rodriguez-Montesinos, P. Christou & T. Capell

  3. Department of Biology E.S., University of Bologna, via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    S. Del Duca & D. Serafini-Fracassini

Authors
  1. M.I. Claparols
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Bassie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Miro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Del Duca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. Rodriguez-Montesinos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P. Christou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. D. Serafini-Fracassini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. T. Capell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Capell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Claparols, M., Bassie, L., Miro, B. et al. Transgenic Rice as a Vehicle for the Production of the Industrial Enzyme Transglutaminase. Transgenic Res 13, 195–199 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TRAG.0000026073.96199.c4

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TRAG.0000026073.96199.c4

Search

Navigation