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Elevated Levels of Superoxide Dismutase Protect Transgenic Plants Against Ozone Damage

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Abstract

To evaluate the feasibility of using engineered antioxidant enzymes as an approach to improve the tolerance of plants to ambient stress, we have constructed transgenlc tobacco plants that overproduce superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme which converts superoxide radicals into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen, and is believed to play a crucial role in antioxidant defense. We have targeted the MnSOD from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia either to the chloroplasts or to the mitochondria, and evaluated the ozone tolerance of transgenic and control plants. Enhanced SOD activity in the mitochondria had only a minor effect on ozone tolerance. However, overproduction of SOD in the chloroplasts resulted in a 3–4 fold reduction of visible ozone injury.

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Author notes

  1. C. Bowler

    Present address: Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10021-6399

  2. M. Van Montagu: Corresponding author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium voor Genetica, Universiteit Gent, Gent, B-9000, Belgium

    W. Van Camp, H. Willekens & M. Van Montagu

  2. Laboratoire Associé de l'Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (France), Universiteit Gent, Gent, B-9000, Belgium

    D. Inzé

  3. Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit (GSF), Institut für Biochemische Pflanzenpathologie, D-85764, Oberschleiβheim, FRG

    P. Reupold-Popp, H. Sandermann Jr & C. Langebartels

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Camp, W., Willekens, H., Bowler, C. et al. Elevated Levels of Superoxide Dismutase Protect Transgenic Plants Against Ozone Damage. Nat Biotechnol 12, 165–168 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0294-165

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