Expression of human protoporphyrinogen oxidase in transgenic rice induces both a photodynamic response and oxyfluorfen resistance

A human protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox) coding sequence under the control of a ubiquitin promoter was introduced into rice to determine whether transgenic rice overexpressing the human Protox gene exhibits resistance against a peroxidizing herbicide. The transgenic rice lines (H3, H4, H5, H6, H9, and H10) transcribed the human Protox mRNA, whereas hybridizing RNA band was not detected in wild-type rice, indicating that the human Protox gene had been successfully transmitted into transgenic rice plants. The transgenic lines H9 and H10 showed growth retardation and light-dependent formation of necrotic lesions. Compared with wild-type rice plants, rice with a human Protox gene had increased Protox activity and content of the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX, and reduced chlorophyll. The photosynthetic efficiency in lines H9 and H10, as indicated by F_v/F_m, was not different from that of wild type. The two transgenic lines had decreased levels of antheraxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene and similar levels of neoxanthin and violaxanthin as compared with wild-type plants. The staining activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase were higher in transgenic lines than in wild type. Line H9 germinated in the presence of 20 μM oxyfluorfen, whereas 2 μM oxyfluorfen inhibited the germination of wild-type seeds. Thus, the transgenic rice plants exhibited enhanced resistance to oxyfluorfen.