Purpose

The research represents the collaborative work of Drs. Henry Nguyen (Missouri) and Hans Bohnert (Illinois). It focuses on soybean transformation with gene constructs that are intended to increase tolerance of the plants to oxidative stresses, drought and low temperature.

Objectives

The initial part of the project, for which gene constructs exist, will express genes for the synthesis of ectoine in soybeans. The strategy is based on protection that has been documented by moderate accumulation of ectoine in bacteria, fungi and plants.

The second strategy involves the expression of a transcription factor in constitutive and stress-inducible fashion. This regulatory factor, CBF1 (its soybean homologue, respectively) will be expressed under the control of different promoters.

Process

Plants will be transformed, regenerated, analyzed and grown in the greenhouse and growth chambers. In years two and three, researchers will also conduct field experiments in Missouri and in Illinois where plants may be grown as part of the SoyFACE experiments at elevated CO2 and ozone levels.

Impact

Materials will be made available for breeding purposes. It is expected that the experimental arrangements will provide information about real life, field performance of transgenes that have in the past been tested under controlled conditions. Under these conditions, small increases in tolerance have been shown as statistically significant. Yet field experiments have not been performed or have not been conclusive.

Researchers previous work has provided information about genes whose protein products act protectively. Based on improved technologies, better control regions (promoters), better genes and better ideas about the basis of stress sensitivity and tolerance (largely a matter of oxidative stress tolerance), Bohnert and Nguyen are optimistic that protection can now be engineered into soybeans.