TRANSGENIC PLANTS OF TURFGRASS (AGROSTIS-PALUSTRIS HUDS) FROM MICROPROJECTILE BOMBARDMENT OF EMBRYOGENIC CALLUS

Transgenic creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds., cv. Pencross; Poaceae) plants have been obtained by microprojectile bombardment of and regeneration from embryogenic calli with a vector designed to deli ver the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene under the control of rice actin 1 5' regulatory sequences. Southern analysis of polymerase chain react ion (PCR)-amplified and restriction-digested genomic DNA of four trans genic plants regenerated from these cultures showed the unscrambled in tegration of the gus fragment. Northern blot analysis confirmed the ex pression of gus mRNA in one of the transgenic plants. Western blot ana lysis revealed a high level of accumulation of gus protein. Histochemi cal assays showed enzymatic activity of beta-glucuronidase in all part s of the transgenic turfgrass plant. The order of gus expression level in different tissues of the transgenic plant is as follows: stem node > first young leaf > root tip > second / third / fourth young leaf > stem internode > root hair-zone.