Metabolic Engineering of Plant-derived (E)-β-farnesene Synthase Genes for a Novel Type of Aphid-resistant Genetically Modified Crop Plants

Aphids are major agricultural pests that cause significant yield losses of crop plants each year. Excessive dependence on insec- ticides for long-term aphid control is undesirable because of the development of insecticide resistance, the potential negative effects on non-target organisms and environmental pollution. Transgenic crops engineered for resistance to aphids via a non-toxic mode of action could be an efficient alternative strategy. （E）-β-Farnesene （EβF） synthases catalyze the formation of EβF, which for many pest aphids is the main component of the alarm pheromone involved in the chemical communication within these species. EβF can also be synthesized by certain plants but is then normally contaminated with inhibitory compounds. Engineering of crop plants capable ofsynthesizing and emitting EβF could cause repulsion of aphids and also the attraction of natural enemies that use EβF as a foraging cue, thus minimizing aphid infestation. In this review, the effects of aphids on host plants, plants＇ defenses against aphid herbivory and the recruitment of natural enemies for aphid control in an agricultural setting are briefly introduced. Furthermore, the plant-derived EβF synthase genes cloned to date along with their potential roles in generating novel aphid resistance via genetically modified approaches are discussed.

Expressing an (E)-β-farnesene synthase in the chloroplast of tobacco affects the preference of green peach aphid and its parasitoid

(E)-b-Farnesene (EbF) synthase catalyses the production of EbF, which for many aphids is the main or only component of the alarm pheromone causing the repellence of aphids and also functions as a kairomone for aphids’ natural enemies. Many plants possess EbF synthase genes and can release EbF to repel aphids. In order to effectively recruit the plant-derived EbF synthase genes for aphid control, by using chloroplast transit peptide (CTP) of the small subunit of Rubisco (rbcS) from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), we targeted AabFS1, an EbF synthase gene from sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua L.), to the chloroplast of tobacco to generate CTP t AabFS1 transgenic lines. The CTP t AabFS1 transgenic tobacco plants could emit EbF at a level up to 19.25 ng/day per g fresh tissues, 4–12 fold higher than the AabFS1 transgenic lines without chloroplast targeting. Furthermore, aphid/parasitoid behavioral bio-assays demonstrated that the CTP t AabFS1 transgenic tobacco showed enhanced repellence to green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) and attracted response of its parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae, thus affecting aphid infestation at two trophic levels. These data suggest that the chloroplast is an ideal subcellular compartment for metabolic engineering of plant-derived EbF synthase genes to generate a novel type of transgenic plant emitting an alarm pheromone for aphid control.

Functional analyses of an E3 ligase gene AIP2 from wheat in Arabidopsis revealed its roles in seed germination and pre‐harvest sprouting

Pre‐harvest sprouting（PHS） seriously affects wheat yield and quality of the grain. ABI3 is a key factor in the activation of seed development and repression of germination in Arabidopsis. An ABI3‐interacting protein（AIP2） could polyubiquitinate ABI3, impair seed dormancy and promote seed germination in Arabidopsis. In this study,two wheat AIP2 genes, TaAIP2A and TaAIP2B, were isolated.Subcellular localization assay and yeast two‐hybrid analysis revealed that TaAIP2A and TaAIP2B may function through interaction with wheat Viviporous‐1（TaVp1）. The transcripts TaAIP2A and TaAIP2B were more abundant in wheat PHS susceptible cultivars than that of resistant ones, and decreased gradually following seed development. Expression of TaAIP2A and TaAIP2B in Arabidopsis aip2‐1 mutant lines resulted in earlier flowering, promotion of seed germination,and reduced ABA sensitivity, respectively, somehow mimicking the phenotype of the wild type, with TaAIP2B having a stronger role in these aspects. Furthermore, the expression ofupstream genes ABI1 and ABI2 were upregulated, whereas that of downstream genes ABI3 and ABI5 were downregulated in both TaAIP2A and TaAIP2B complemented lines upon ABA treatment. These results suggested that wheat AIP2s could negatively regulate the ABA signaling pathway and play important roles in seed germination, and thus wheat PHS resistance finally.