Expression of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin b subunit (LTB) in carrot (Daucus carota L.)

We expressed the B subunit of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LTB) encoded by a synthetic codon-optimized gene in carrot. An Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was used. Thirty independent transgenic lines were regenerated via somatic embryogenesis after 6 months in culture and were transferred to a greenhouse. GM1-ELISA assay was used to assess LTB protein content in mature taproots. Some transgenic lines expressed LTB up to 0.3%25 of the total soluble protein, which is tenfold higher than the expression levels reported earlier using the native bacterial gene in plants. Immunological assay confirmed proper assembly of the pentameric complex and in vitro activity of the recombinant LTB protein, suggesting that it can be functional in prevention of diarrhea. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.

Diarrhea prevention; Expression levels; Plant based-vaccine; Somatic embryogenesis; Synthetic gene Bacteria; Escherichia coli; Gene encoding; Gene expression; Greenhouses; Proteins; Vaccines; Bacterial gene; Somatic embryogenesis; Synthetic gene; Total soluble proteins; Plants (botany); Agrobacterium; Bacteria (microorganisms); Daucus carota; Escherichia coli; Rhizobium; bacterial toxin; enterotoxin; enterotoxin LT; Escherichia coli protein; unclassified drug; article; carrot; Escherichia coli; gene expression regulation; genetics; growth, development and aging; metabolism; physiology; transgenic plant; Bacterial Toxins; Daucus carota; Enterotoxins; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plants, Genetically Modified

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