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. 1998 Jun;149(2):633–639. doi: 10.1093/genetics/149.2.633

Activation of latent transgenes in Arabidopsis using a hybrid transcription factor.

D Guyer 1, A Tuttle 1, S Rouse 1, S Volrath 1, M Johnson 1, S Potter 1, J Görlach 1, S Goff 1, L Crossland 1, E Ward 1
PMCID: PMC1460168  PMID: 9611179

Abstract

A hybrid transcription factor comprising a fusion of the DNA-binding domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL4 and the transcription activation domain of maize C1 was expressed in stably transformed Arabidopsis. Additional transgenic lines were created containing test genes controlled by a synthetic promoter consisting of concatemeric copies of the cis-acting site recognized by GAL4 (UASG) fused to a minimal promoter. The GAL4/C1 effector line was crossed to two lines containing a synthetic promoter/GUS fusion. Both histochemical staining and GUS activity assays indicate strong activation of GUS expression was achieved only after crossing. The GAL4/C1 effector line was also crossed to 15 lines containing a synthetic promoter/antisense adenylosuccinate synthetase gene. Severely retarded growth, and in some cases lethality, was observed in 40% of the F1 lines. This system of activation by crossing is generally useful for activating expression of test transgenes.

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Selected References

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