APPLICABILITY OF REPORTER GENES TO CARNATION TRANSFORMATION

The applicability of beta-glucuronidase and chloramphenicol acetyltran sferase reporter genes to a carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) trans formation procedure was analyzed. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacu m L.) plants expressing the respective reporter genes were prepared an d used as the enzyme source. Carnation leaf extract strongly inhibited enzymatic activity of beta-glucuronidase, but not that of chloramphen icol acetyltransferase. One or more carnation phenolic compounds, acti ng in a noncompetitive manner, is suggested as the cause of the observ ed inhibition of fluorometrically assayed beta-glucuronidase activity. This inhibition was eliminated by treating the carnation leaf extract with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone.