Bean yellow mosaic virus coat protein and GUSA gene expression in transgenic Gladiolus plants

Transgenic plants of Gladiolus were created following particle gun bombardment with either the bean yellow mosaic virus coat protein or gusA gene each under control of the CaMV 35S promoter. Monoclonal antibodies were used in ELISA assays to detect expression of the bean yellow mosaic virus coat protein in leaves of the transgenic plants. The bean yellow mosaic virus coat protein was expressed in 42% of the transgenic plants grown in vitro for 1 1/2 years, and levels of coat protein expression remained similar for each transformed plant. Coat protein was expressed in planes grown in the greenhouse after two seasons of dormancy, and expression levels exceeded that of plants grown in vitro. Plants expressing gusA were developed to determine levels of reporter gene expression in various plant tissues and in independent transformants as controlled by the CaMV 35S promoter. The strongest GUS expression generally occurred in root meristems as determined by histochemical staining. GUS expression was variable between leaves of a plant. Leaves of plants developed by particle gun bombardment of suspension cells showed a more uniform distribution of GUS expression throughout the length of the leaf compared to plants resulting from transformation of cormel slices that typically exhibited a distinct striped pattern of GUS expression.