GENETIC-TRANSFORMATION OF PEACH TISSUES BY PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT

Physical and biological parameters affecting the efficiency of biolistic transformation of peach were optimized using beta-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene, such that efficiency of transient GUS expression in peach embryo-derived callus was increased markedly. Transient expression was also obtained in embryonic axes, immature embryos, cotyledons, shoot tips, and leaves of peach. Stable expression of a fusion gene combining neomycin phosphotransferase (NPTII) and beta-glucuronidase activities has been achieved in peach embryo calli. Sixty-five kanamycin-resistant callus lines were obtained from 114 pieces of bombarded calli after 4 months of selection. Nineteen of the 65 putative transformant lines produced shoot-like structures. Seven lines were examined to confirm stable transformation using the colorinetric GUS assay and PCR analysis. All seven lines showed GUS activity. PCR analysis confirmed that, in most of the putative transformants, the chimeric GUS/NPTII gene had been incorporated into the peach genome. The transgenic callus lines were very weakly morphogenic, presumably because the callus was 5 years old and no transgenic shoots developed from this callus. Results of this research demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining stable transgenic peach tissue by biolistic transformation.