Transgenic potato plants expressing soybean beta-1,3-endoglucanase gene exhibit an increased resistance to Phytophthora infestans

Soybean beta-1,3-endoglucanase represents a model system for studies on ear ly plant responses to infection by fungal pathogens, and it has been implic ated in the release of elicitors from fungal cell walls. In the present stu dy, potato plants were transformed with the soybean beta-1.3-endoglucanase cDNA via Agrobacterium delivery system. The transfer of the gene into potat o genome was confirmed by (ii PCR amplification, (ii) Northern blot analyse s, and (iii) an increase in the activity of beta-1.3-endoglucanase in trans genic plants. The transformation resulted in an increased resistance of sel ected transgenic plants to infection by Phytophthora infestans, an importan t pathogen.