TRANSFORMATION AND EXPRESSION OF A STILBENE SYNTHASE GENE OF VITIS-VINIFERA L. IN BARLEY AND WHEAT FOR INCREASED FUNGAL RESISTANCE

Transformation of barley and wheat via particle bombardment with a gen e derived from Vitis vinifera L. (Vst1 gene) resulted in the expressio n of the foreign phytoalexin, resveratrol, in the transformed plants. Transgenic barley plants were regenerated from microspores and transge nic wheat plants from immature embryos were both selected on Basta. St able integration of the gene in the genomes of transgenic barley and w heat plants, as well as their progeny, was analysed by Southern-blot a nalysis. The induction of the stilbene synthase promoter and the trans ient expression of stilbene synthase-specific mRNA after induction by wounding and infection were proofed in T-1 and T-2 progeny plants. An enhanced expression of the Vst1 gene under control of the stilbene syn thase promoter was observed with enhancer sequences from the cauliflow er mosaic virus 35s (CaMV 35s) promoter. The enzyme activity of the st ilbene synthase was analysed in T1 progeny plants. The first pathologi cal results indicated an increased resistance of transgenic barley pla nts to Botrytis cinerea used as a model experimental system.