065 Genetic Stability of Potato Leafroll Virus Coat Protein Gene in Transgenic Potatoes
Three potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars `Superior', `Irish Cobbler', and `Jopung' were transformed by co-cultivation with tuber discs and disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 carrying modified vector pBI121, that contained PLRV coat protein (CP) gene and controlled by CaMV35S promoter. Putative transformants were selected and their genomic DNA and RNA transcripts were analyzed for the confirmation of genetic stability by RT-PCR, PCR, southern, and northern blot. The growth characteristics and viral resistance of progenies of transgenic potato plants were investigated. Twelve lines among the different seven-times manipulated transgenic lines were grown in greenhouse and isolates trial field. PLRV coat protein gene was stably inherited in `Superior', but not in `Jopung'. `Jopung' was less stable than `Irish Cobbler' and `Superior' at genetic stability of PLRV CP gene. And some of these transgenic lines were highly resisted in PLRV multiplication. The yield of transformants was reduced in `Irish Cobbler' but not in `Superior'. Possible explanations for these types of resistance are gene silencing and positional effects of transformed PLRV CP genes and that had cultivar specificity. We consider the appearance of escaped transformants in `Jopung' for emergence of chimeric explants from early selection stage.