Generation and characterization of transgenic poplar plants overexpressing a cotton laccase gene

Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs; EC 1.10.3.2 or EC 1.14.18.1) catalyzing the oxygen-dependent oxidation of phenols to quinones are ubiquitous among angiosperms and assumed to be involved in plant defense against pests and pathogens. In order to investigate the role of PPO in plant disease resistance, we made transgenic tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Money Maker) plants that overexpressed a potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) PPO cDNA under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The transgenic plants expressed up to 30-fold increases in PPO transcripts and 5- to 10-fold increases in PPO activity and immunodetectable PPO. As expected, these PPO-overexpressing transgenic plants oxidized the endogenous phenolic substrate pool at a higher rate than control plants. Three independent transgenic lines were selected to assess their interaction with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. The PPO-overexpressing tomato plants exhibited a great increase in resistance to P. syringae. Compared with control plants, these transgenic lines showed less severity of disease symptoms, with over 15-fold fewer lesions, and strong inhibition of bacterial growth, with over 100-fold reduction of bacterial population in the infected leaves. These results demonstrate the importance of PPO-mediated phenolic oxidation in restricting plant disease development.

Laccases are encoded by multigene families in plants. Previously, we reported the cloning and characterization of five divergent laccase genes from poplar (Populus trichocarpa) xylem. To investigate the role of individual laccase genes in plant development, and more particularly in lignification, three independent populations of antisense poplar plants, lac3AS, lac90AS, and lac110AS with significantly reduced levels of laccase expression were generated. A repression of laccase gene expression had no effect on overall growth and development. Moreover, neither lignin content nor composition was significantly altered as a result of laccase suppression. However, one of the transgenic populations, lac3AS, exhibited a 2- to 3-fold increase in total soluble phenolic content. As indicated by toluidine blue staining, these phenolics preferentially accumulate in xylem ray parenchyma cells. In addition, light and electron microscopic observations of lac3AS stems indicated that lac3 gene suppression led to a dramatic alteration of xylem fiber cell walls. Individual fiber cells were severely deformed, exhibiting modifications in fluorescence emission at the primary wall/middle lamella region and frequent sites of cell wall detachment. Although a direct correlation between laccase gene expression and lignification could not be assigned, we show that the gene product of lac3 is essential for normal cell wall structure and integrity in xylem fibers. lac3AS plants provide a unique opportunity to explore laccase function in plants.