Project Number
IWBT 04-03
Project title
The cloning and characterisation of the polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) encoding gene in Vitis vinifera
Project leader
Vivier, M A
Institution
University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of AgriSciences. Institute for Wine Biotechnology
Team members
Becker, J v W
De Ascensao, A
Joubert, D A
Project description
The aim of this project is to clone and characterise the gene encoding the PGIP protein from grapevine as a possible approach to control grey mould of grapevine caused by Botrytis cinerea. The next step would be to transform an existing grapevine cultivar with the grape PGIP gene expressed under a constitutive promoter. Additionally, we aim to transform grapevine with the bean PGIP that has already shown resistance to Botrytis and in this way avoid problems with homology-dependent gene silencing in transgenic plants. It is hoped that those transformants with strong PGIP expression will possess enhanced grey mould resistance to Botrytis.
Botrytis cinerea, the causal organism of post-harvest grey mould of many crops, poses a serious threat in all the world’s vineyards when the weather conditions favour disease development. Disease control is expensive and complex since the pathogen can attack crops at any stage of growth and can infect all plant parts. In grapevine there is no true resistance in the Vitis vinifera genome and the disease greatly reduces both yield and quality of the harvest. Many fungal pathogens, including Botrytis, secrete endopolygalacturonases (PGs) as one of the initial events in plant infection and invasion. Some plants, on the other hand, contain proteins in their cell walls that specifically and effectively inhibit fungal PGs. These proteins are called polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) and are part of the defense mechanism of plants. PGIPs have been isolated from a number of dicotyledonous as well as monocotyledonous plants and have been shown to specifically inhibit fungal infections when overexpressed in susceptible plants.
The aim of this study was the isolation and characterisation of a PGIP-encoding gene and protein from Vitis vinifera. Previous reports (in 1999 and 2000) discussed the isolation and characterisation of a PGIP-encoding gene and putative promoter from Vitis vinifera cv. Pinotage.
Presentation(s)
Vivier, M A, De Ascensao, A R and Pretorius, I S. 1999. The cloning and characterisation of the gene encoding the polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) from Vitis vinifera. 23rd National Congress of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture, November, Somerset West, South Africa.
Vivier, M A, Becker, J v W, Carstens, M, De Ascensao, A R , De Beer, A, Marais, E and Pretorius, I S. 2000. Engineering fungal resistance in grapevine (Vitis Vinifera.) 6th International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology and Biotechnology. Heraklion, Greece.
Vivier, M A, De Ascensao, A R and Pretorius, I S. 2000. Manipulation of fungal defence in grapevine: the use of polygalacturonase inhibiting proteins (PGIPs). 2nd International Congress of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture, November, Somerset West, South Africa.
Vivier, M A, Becker, J v W, Carstens, M, De Ascensao, A R, De Beer, A, Marais, E and Pretorius, I S. 2000. Engineering fungal resistance in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) BioY2K Combined Millennium Meeting, Grahamstown.
De Ascensao, A R, Vivier, M A, Bellstedt, D U, Burger, J T and Pretorius, I S. 2000. The isolation of a gene encoding the polygalacturonase inhibiting proteins (PGIPs). BioY2K Combined Millennium Meeting, Grahamstown.
Vivier M A, De Ascensao, A R and Pretorius I S. 2000. Manipulation of fungal defence in grapevine. The use of polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) from Vitis vinifera. 24th National Congress of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture, Cape Town.
Vivier, M A, Becker, J v W, Carstens, M, De Ascensao, A R, De Beer, A, Marais, E and Pretorius, I S. 2001. Up-regulation of the grapevine’s natural resistance mechanisms against fungal pathogens. 26th World Congress and 81st General Assembly of the International Office of Vine and Wine, Australia.
Vivier, M A. 2001. Genetic improvement strategies of grapevine cultivars regarding disease resistance. Grüne Genentik, Neustedt an de Weinstrasse, Germany.
Vivier, M A. 2001. Progress made with grapevine biotechnology at the Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Stellenbosch, CSIRO, Adelaide, Australia.
Vivier, M A and Pretorius, I S. 2001. Genetic improvements of grapevine: tailoring grape varieties for the third millennium. Short Course, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain.
Vivier, M A. 2001. Progress made with grapevine biotechnology with regard to disease resistance. Winetech Information Day, Upington.
Vivier, M A. 2001. Manipulating grapevine through biotechnology. MONDI Forests Ltd.
Vivier, M A. 2001. Progress made with manipulated disease resistance in grapevine cultivars. Short Course South African Society for Enology and Viticulture.
Final report
http://www.sawislibrary.co.za/dbtextimages/finalreport57.pdf
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