Genetic transformation of Tectona grandis aiming incresed productivity

• Grant number: 15/50634-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Helaine Carrer
• Grantee: Helaine Carrer
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Company: Proteca Biotecnologia Florestal Ltda
• City: Piracicaba
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/06406-5 - Genetic Transformation of Tectona grandis to improve productivity, BP.TT; 19/05375-9 - Genetic Transformation of Tectona grandis for increase of productivity, BP.TT; 18/02998-2 - Establishment of a methodology protocol for organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis using clonal teak material, BP.TT

Abstract

Teak is an essential tree for the Brazilian economy in the wood market, being marketed nationally and internationally. PROTECA is one of the leading and innovative companies in this sector with the marketing of in vitro elite clones. Genetic transformation seems an important alternative to bring substantial gains over time. This technology could position PROTECA competitively, innovating technologically the market and developing state-of-the-art knowledge in the academic community. For transgenic plants, it has been reported between 15-30% increases in productivity in agricultural and forestry species. Micropropagation and organogenesis protocols are available and serve as a reference for establishing efficient protocols for somatic embryogenesis aiming transformation. Moreover, hormone genes, and transcription factors have been described as a good alternative to be used to transform commercial plants aiming bioenergy, biomass increase and better productivity. To achieve the goal of obtaining transgenic teak with more biomass and growth: (1) organogenesis protocol and rooting will be optimized, and somatic embryogenesis protocol will be established using nodes and the meristems from clones. Different hormones concentrations in pre-treatment and embryo induction will be used. (2) A genetic transformation protocol will be established using different explants, different Agrobacterium strains, concentrations and times. (3) Teak clones will be transformed with PdGA200x1 gene from Pinus densiflora and AtMYB46 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic plants will then be selected and analyzed at physiological and gene expression level. It is expected to establish and make available teak tissue culture protocols to achieve an efficient genetic transformation, contributing to the training of human resources in forest biotechnology area, publishing the results in high impact journals and to finally patent the genetic findings. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE OLIVEIRA, PERLA NOVAIS; MATIAS, FERNANDO; MARTINEZ-ANDUJAR, CRISTINA; MARTINEZ-MELGAREJO, PURIFICACION ANDREA; PRUDENCIO, ANGELA SANCHEZ; GALEANO, ESTEBAN; PEREZ-ALFOCEA, FRANCISCO; CARRER, HELAINE. Overexpression of TgERF1, a Transcription Factor from Tectona grandis, Increases Tolerance to Drought and Salt Stress in Tobacco. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 24, n. 4, p. 26-pg., 2023-02-01. (15/50634-1)

MATIAS HURTADO, FERNANDO MANUEL; PINTO, MAISA DE SIQUEIRA; OLIVEIRA, PERLA NOVAIS DE; RIANO-PACHON, DIEGO MAURICIO; INOCENTE, LAURA BEATRIZ; CARRER, HELAINE. Analysis of NAC Domain Transcription Factor Genes of Tectona grandis L.f. Involved in Secondary Cell Wall Deposition. GENES, v. 11, n. 1, JAN 2020. (15/50634-1)

PINTO, MAISA DE SIQUEIRA; INOCENTE, LAURA BEATRIZ; DE OLIVEIRA, PERLA NOVAIS; PEREIRA SILVA, KATCHEN JULLIANY; CARRER, HELAINE. Plant Growth-Promoting (PGP) Traits of Endophytic Bacteria from In Vitro Cultivated Tectona grandis L.f. FORESTS, v. 13, n. 10, p. 14-pg., 2022-10-01. (15/50634-1)

MATIAS, FERNANDO; DE OLIVEIRA, PERLA NOVAIS; GOMEZ-ESPINOZA, OLMAN; GALEANO, ESTEBAN; CARRER, HELAINE. Overexpression of the Tectona grandis TgNAC01 regulates growth, leaf senescence and confer salt stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco plants. PeerJ, v. 10, p. 27-pg., 2022-03-03. (15/50634-1)