Using Proline Synthetase and BT gene to improve soybean (Glycine max) drought and insect resistance

In agricultural production, developing a high yield with good quality and a stable yield are significant goals. To meet the aim of agriculture and produce high-yielding, drought-resistant and insect-resistant varieties are preferred in the breeding of soybean. The pCAMBIA3301 plasmid was used as the base vector, and an overexpression vector containing the proline synthase gene Fu-1 was recombined. The Fu-1 gene was genetically transformed into the high-generation (T-7 generation) containing CryAb13-1 transgene via the pollen tube channel method. Soybean was used to create a novel material that is insect resistant as well as drought-resistant. Traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identification was used to identify the transformed T-2 generation plants, and Southern blot hybridization (SBH) and fluorescence quantitative PCR were used for detection. The test results showed that there were 10 positive plants in the T-2 generation plants that were detected by common PCR. SBH results showed that Fu-1 and CryAb13-1 genes were integrated into soybean in the type of a single copy. The expression levels of Fu-1 and CryAb13-1 genes were variable in different tissues, according to the results of fluorescence quantitative PCR. In soybean roots, stems and leaves, the average expression levels of the Fu-1 gene were 4.43, 1.86 and 2.51, respectively. CryAb13-1 gene was expressed in roots. The average expression levels in roots, stem and leaf were 1.80, 1.38 and 5.28, respectively. The highest expression level was found in leaves in different soybean tissues. The indoor drought resistance identification showed that the water content, relative conductivity, POD activity, SOD activity, MDA and Pro content of the transformed plants after seven days of stress were significantly changed, and the drought resistance ability was significantly improved. Hence, we obtained a new soybean that can resist both drought and insect.