The sulphur-rich Brazil nut 2S albumin is specifically formed in transgenic seeds of the grain legume Vicia narbonensis

Summary Epicotyl explants were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA101 to transfer a chimeric 2S albumin gene construct carried in the binary Ti plasmid vectors pGSGLUC1 or pGA472 into the grain legume Vicia narbonensis. This gene encoding the sulphur-rich Brazil nut albumin was under the control of either the CaMV 35S promoter which permits gene expression in all organs, or the Vicia faba legumin B4 promoter which elicits seed-specific gene expression. After callus formation and selection for kanamycin resistance, somatic embryos were induced which, in the case of transformation with the vector pGSGLUC1, were screened for GUS activity. Embryos that produced GUS were in addition analysed for 2S albumin formation. Selected transgenic embryos were cloned by multiple shoot regeneration. Rooted and fertile plants were obtained by grafting transgenic shoots on the appropriate seedlings. R₁ and R₂ generations were raised and analysed for GUS as well as 2S albumin gene expression.Expression of the 35S promoter/2S albumin gene fusion took place in all organs of the transgenic plants including the cotyledons of seeds, whereas seed-specific gene expression was found in transformants with the legumin promoter/2S albumin gene fusion. The 2S albumin accumulated in the 2S protein fraction of transgenic seeds and its primary translation product was processed into the 9 and 3 kDa polypeptide chains. The foreign protein was localised in the protein bodies of the grain legume. Analysis of the R₂ plants indicated Mendelian inheritance of the 2S albumin gene. In homozygous V. narbonensis plants the amounts of 2S albumin were twice that present in the corresponding heterozygous plants. Whereas only low level formation of the foreign protein was achieved if the gene was under the control of the 35S promoter, approximately 3.0% of the soluble seed protein was 2S albumin if seed-specific gene expression was directed by the legumin B4 promoter. Some of these transformants exhibited a three-fold increase in the methionine content of the salt-soluble protein fraction extracted from seeds.Abbreviations 35S cauliflower mosaic virus 35S protein gene - GUS -glucuronidase - NPTII neomycin phosphotransferase II - LeB4 Vicia faba legumin B4 gene - 2S albumin Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) 2S albumin - ER endoplasmic reticulum - rER rough endoplasmic reticulum - HPLC high pressure liquid chromatography