Dr. Anna C. Smigocki
Phone: (301)-504-5848 E-mail: smigocka@ba.ars.usda.gov
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Understanding how plants regulate their growth and
development will help scientists develop new approaches to
improve product quality and yields. Cytokinins comprise a
major group of plant hormones whose role in shoot initiation
and development is well established. Less clearly
understood is their role in sugar storage and disease and
insect resistance. Using biotechnological approaches to
gain knowledge of how cytokinins participate in these
processes, transgenic plants have been regenerated that
carry a bacterial cytokinin biosynthesis gene that was
reconstructed for expression in sugar accumulating organs
(sugarbeet) and tissues attacked by insects (sugarbeet,
alfalfa, tomato, tobacco). Currently, these plants are in
the process of analyses. A cytokinin-induced insecticidal
activity has been partially purified from transgenic
Nicotiana plants that are more resistant to a number of
insects. Regulation of the production or secrection of
these insecticidal compounds by cytokinins is under
investigation. Other approaches for insect control that are
currently being evaluated include l) increased production of
insecticidal secondary metabolites with genes coding for
cytochrome P450 enzymes and 2) inhibition of the insects’
digestive proteases with genes for specific proteinase
inhibitors.
Selected Publications, GenBank Accessions and Patents |
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