Genetic Engineering of Saccharum
Over the last two decades, substantial progress has been made in the genetic engineering of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) through improvements in tissue culture procedures, allowing a higher efficiency of generating transgenic plants using Agrobacterium-medi
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Genetic Engineering of Saccharum Getu Beyene, Ian S. Curtis, Mona B. Damaj, Marco T. Buenrostro-Nava, and T. Erik Mirkov
Abstract Over the last two decades, substantial progress has been made in the genetic engineering of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) through improvements in tissue culture procedures, allowing a higher efficiency of generating transgenic plants using Agrobacterium-mediated and biolistic gene transfers. Elucidation of gene function and development of varieties with improved yield, sugar level, fiber content, and other desirable traits and products for superior performance have been possible through transgenic technologies. Researchers are now focusing on optimizing existing methodologies and developing new technologies for the production of elite varieties, enhancement of transgene expression, and manipulation of metabolic pathways for improved molecular breeding and commercial exploitation. At present, no transgenic sugarcane has been released to the commercial market, but with the aid of large investments from the private sector, the commercialization of this major sugar- and biomass-producing crop should be accelerated. Keywords Saccharum spp. • Biotechnology • Transformation • Improved agronomic traits • Metabolic engineering • Biofactory • Transgene silencing
G. Beyene (*) Texas AgriLife Research, Texas A&M System, College Station, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB), Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA e-mail: [email protected] I.S. Curtis • M.B. Damaj • M.T. Buenrostro-Nava • T.E. Mirkov Texas AgriLife Research, Texas A&M System, 2415 E. Hwy 83, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA A.H. Paterson (ed.), Genomics of the Saccharinae, Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models 11, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-5947-8_11, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
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Historical Perspective
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) has a complex aneuploid genome with a large and variable number of chromosomes per cell (D’Hont et al. 1998). Such a complex genome results in the introgression and selection of desirable traits into elite clones through conventional breeding to be a long-term undertaking (10–15 years). Genetic engineering offers the potential of introducing traits into sugarcane in a timely manner. The early establishment of a reproducible in vitro cell and tissue culture system for sugarcane has facilitated the development of efficient methods for its genetic transformation. Tissue culture has emerged as a valuable tool since the first report on plant regeneration from induced callus (Barba and Nickell 1969; Heinz and Mee 1969). Tissue culture protocols were later refined and incorporated into different programs aiming at cell improvement through mutation (Patade and Suprasana 2008; Patade et al. 2008), micropropagation (Behera and Sahoo 2009; Khan et al. 2008; Lee 1987; Roy and Kabir 2007), production of disease-free plants (Fitch et al. 2001; Irvine and Benda 1985)
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