Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 2012, 48(1):1-9 | DOI: 10.17221/34/2011-CJGPB

Endeavours of RuBisCO small subunit promoter as a tool of green tissue specific expressionReview

Allah Bakhsh^{1, 2}, Tayyab Husnain²

¹ Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

² National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Transcriptomics has the potential to rapidly increase our knowledge of spatial and temporal gene expression and contributes to the characterization of new promoters for research and development. The successful application of transgenic technology has been further strengthened by the availability of a broad spectrum of promoters having the ability to regulate the temporal and spatial expression patterns of the transgene. A variety of promoters is necessary at all levels of genetic engineering in plants, from basic research discoveries, to development of economically viable crops and plant commodities, to addressing legitimate concerns raised about the safety and containment of transgenic plants in the environment. Compared with the temporal- or spatial-specific expression of the toxin, constitutive expression of foreign proteins in transgenic plants may cause adverse effects. Constitutive overexpression of transgenes that interfere with normal processes in a plant underscores the need for refinement of transgene expression. The development of tissue-specific promoters to drive transgene expression has helped us to fulfil that need. Therefore, in certain circumstances, it is desirable to use expression-specific promoters which express only the foreign gene in specific plant tissues or organs. This review highlights the uses and benefits reaped by researchers by using a green tissue specific promoter, RuBisCO small subunit promoter, in different crops and systems and thus establishing a broad range of tissue specific promoters. Such plant promoters that are activated precisely when and where they are needed would be ideal for genetic engineering strategies.

Keywords: constitutive expression; rbcS promoter; spatio-temporal expression

Published: March 31, 2012  Show citation