Transformation of Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) and Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata) with a Synthetic Gene Encoding the Human Epidermal Growth Factor (hEGF)

Abstract

Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) and trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) were trans- formed with a chemically synthesized gene encoding the human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA gene promoter. The introduced gene (s) were expressed in the young leaves of the regenerated plants. The highest hEGF peptide content so far detected, by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosor- bent assay for hEGF, was about 65 and 113 pg•mg^-1 soluble proteins in kiwifruit and trifoliate orange leaves, respectively.
This is the first demonstration of the production of human bioactive peptides, non- fused with other proteins, in fruit trees and is suggesting the possibility of producing some useful components in fruits by using transformation technique.