The Technology:
Researchers at the University of Tennessee have discovered a method to induce strong expression of any gene conferring resistance to pathogens, herbicides, salt, cold, drought, or insects by using two newly identified and recently characterized switchgrass promoters. These promoters stimulate constitutive expression with 2x and 4x greater activity than maize ubiquitin 1 (ZmUbi1) and CaMV 35S, respectively, driving gene expression in all tissues and organs of switchgrass. These novel components have the potential to be integrated into all monocot transformation systems, especially where multiple gene activation is needed. Interestingly, these promoters have a broad spectrum of taxonomic activity with additional expression capabilities in other monocots, dicots and ferns.
The Benefits:
• Plant genetic engineering tools with broad taxonomic bioactivity.
• Can be integrated into a variety of tissue culture transformation systems.
The Inventors:
Dr. Neal Stewart is the director of the Tennessee Plant Research Center at the University of Tennessee. He is a professor of plant sciences and holds the Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence in plant molecular genetics. The Stewart Lab’s research spans plant biotechnology, genomics, and ecology. He has been performing agricultural biotechnology and biotechnology risk assessment research since 1994.
Dr. David Mann is a post-doctoral research associate in the Plant Sciences Department, working under the direction of Dr. Neal Stewart, at the University of Tennessee. He received his Ph. D. in Microbiology at the University of Tennessee. His current research interests include developing biotechnological tools for genetically improving switchgrass as a bioenergy crop.