Project Number: 6435-42000-019-11
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 16, 2006
End Date: Aug 15, 2011

Objective:
Produce multiple independent transgenic cell lines and plants of peanut by microprojectile bombardment of embryogenic tissues cultured in vitro. Test for tissue specific expression of genes driven by tissue specific gene promoters in transformed peanut. Test peanut tissues transformed with fungal resistance genes for resistance to Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus.

Approach:
Embryogenic plant cell lines will be bombarded with DNA (containing genes for kanamycin or hygromycin resistance as selective markers) and stably transformed peanut tissues selected for antibiotic resistance. The tissue/organ specific expression of a beta-glucuronidase reporter gene driven by a soybean vegetative storage protein gene promoter will be tested in transgenic Arachis hypogaea progeny of the T1 and T2 generations. Other promoter/reporter or promoter/antifungal gene combinations will be similarly tested. As fungal resistance genes become available from cooperators, these genes will be tested for their effectiveness in inhibiting growth of Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus in peanut tissues transformed with these genes.