Creation of transgenic sugar beet lines expressing insect pest resistance genes cry1C and cry2A

The impact of insect pests significantly limits sugar beet crop yields. The integration of cry-genes of Bacillus thuringiensis into the plant genome is a promising strategy to ensure plant resistance. The aim of this work was to obtain sugar beet lines (based on the MM1/2 line) transformed with cry2A and cry1C genes. We have optimized the transformation protocol and direct plantlet regeneration protocol from leaf explants using 1 mg/L benzylaminopurine as well as 0.25 mg/L benzylaminopurine and 0.1 mg/L indole-butyric acid. Consequently, transgenic sugar beet lines transformed with vector constructs pRD400-cry1C and pRD400-cry2A have been obtained. PCR analysis revealed integration of cry2A and cry1C into the genome of transgenic lines and expression of these genes in leaf tissues was shown by reverse transcription PCR.