Study On Endosperm-specific Expression Of Soybean Ferritin Gene In Maize

Iron is one of the indispensable essential elements in the process of physiological and metabolization. However, because of the low concentration levels of iron in the diet or low iron bioavailability, the iron deficiencies in human body, seriously affect the body’s physiological and psychological function. Maize(Zea mays L.) is one of the major grain crops and fodder crops in the world. The planting acreage of Maize is the largest in China. As major edible part, the weight of triploid endosperm accounted80%~85%of the total. This research adopts Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method to implant the recombinant vector pCUB-Zein::Ferritin into maize, with the expectation that driven by the promoter of differentially expressed genes15kDβ-Zein of maize endosperm, the soybean ferritin gene can differentially express in maize grain, to increase the iron content of grain, and to offer help for strengthening the nutritional quality of maize and resolving the shortage of iron for people who live on maize.Major results are as follows:1. Clone Zein::Ferritin gene, based on the vector pCUB to structure pCUB-Zein::Ferritin, and be verified by PCR test, restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing2. Apply freeze-thaw method to implant the recombinant vector pCUB-Zein::Ferritin into Agrobacterium LBA4404. The results of PCR test showed that pCUB-Zein::Ferritin has been inserted into the agrobacterium LBA4404.3. Transform pCUB-Zein::Ferritin into the shoot apical point by Agrobacterium-mediated,the receptor materials is maize inbred line Qi319and Zheng58. Extract the DNA of herbicide-resistant plants, and the result identified by PCR confirms that the conversion rates were3.6%and0. 4. Select the1000seeds from the20positive To lines of Qi319, only672seeds germination. PCR detection of T1plants were obtained12positive plants, and the conversion rate is1.19%.In this study, maize endosperm-specific expression of soybean Ferritin with biotechnological methods, and provide research foundation for the cultivation of iron-rich maize varieties to solve the problem of iron deficiency of human nutrition.