Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 2012, 48(1):42-45 | DOI: 10.17221/147/2011-CJGPB

Transgene coding of a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway helps to decrease sugar content in potato tubersShort Communication

Oldřich NAVRÁTIL¹, Petr BUCHER², Josef VACEK²

¹ Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, Prague, Czech Republic

² Potato Research Institute Ltd., Havlíčkův Brod, Czech Republic

Cold-stored potato tubers gradually accumulate reducing sugars. A proposed reason is a cold-induced blocking of glycolysis. The introduction and expression of the bacterial gene Lbpfk coding for cold-tolerant phosphofructokinase might counteract this effect. We have recently introduced this gene into several Czech potato cultivars. The obtained transgenic lines were then tested for three years in field trials. In 17 transgenic lines derived from two of the cultivars we have investigated the accumulation of reducing sugars during two and four months of cold storage. Although in all transgenic lines the sugar content still increased between the 2^nd and the 4^th month of cold-storage, the level of reducing sugars was in all transgenic lines after both two and four months of cold storage considerably lower than in the original cultivars. The extent of sugar accumulation was also influenced by the parental genotype. No significant differences in sugar accumulation were observed between the transgenic lines from the same parent.

Keywords: Lactobacillus bulgaricus; low temperature sweetening; phosphofructokinase; transgenic potato

Published: March 31, 2012  Show citation