Un método de transformación genética de maíz para conferirle resistencia ulterior a enfermedades virales / A method for genetic transformation of maize for resistance to viral diseases

A system for the genetic transformation of maize was developed for two Costa Rican varieties: CR-7 and Diamantes 8843, that can allow the subsequent transfer of viral-derived genes in order to confer resistance to the disease caused by maize rayado fino virus (MRFV). The method is based on particle bombardment of organogenic calli derived from shoot tips. On the other hand, the molecular construction pRFcp-bar, containing the coat protein gene of MRFV and the marker gene bar, was elaborated. For the visual selection of the transformed material was used also the plasmid pDM803 that contains the reporter gene uidA (GUS). The results indicate that devices evaluated: the PIG ("Particle Inflow Gun") and the Bio-Rad are both enough efficient to transfer foreign genes to the genome of the maize.

Stimulation of jasmonic acid production in Zea mays L. infected by the maize rough dwarf virus-Río Cuarto: reversion of symptoms by salicylic acid

In the present paper we study the possible biological relevance of endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and exogenous salicylic acid (SA) in a plant-microbial system maize-virus. The virus disease "Mal de Río Cuarto" is caused by the maize rough dwarf virus-Río Cuarto. The characteristic symptoms are the appearance of galls or enations in leaves, shortening of the stem internodes, poor radical system and general stunting. Changes in JA and protein pattern in maize control and infected plants of a virus-tolerant cultivar were investigated. Healthy and infected-leaf discs were collected for JA measurement at different post-infection times (20, 40, 60 and 68 days). JA was also measured in roots on day 60 after infection. For SDS-PAGE protein analysis, leaf discs were also harvested on day 60 after infection. Infected leaves showed higher levels of JA than healthy leaves, and the rise in endogenous JA coincided with the enation formation. The soluble protein amount did not show differences between infected and healthy leaves; moreover, no difference in the expression of soluble protein was revealed by SDS-PAGE. Our results show that the octadecanoid pathway was stimulated in leaves and roots of the tolerant maize cultivar when infected by this virus. This finding, together with fewer plants with the disease symptoms, suggest that higher foliar and roots JA content may be related to disease tolerance. SA exogenous treatment caused the reversion of the dwarfism symptom.

Identificación del virus del mosaico del maíz, un rhabdovirus, en Costa Rica / Identification of the corn mosaic virus, a rhabdovirus, in Costa Rica

Maize mosaic virus (MMV), a rhabdovirus, was identified associated to maize field plants, showing stunting and continuous chlorotic stripes uniformly distributed over the leaf blade. The virus was detected in field samples by agar-gel immunodifussion. Enveloped, bacilliform virus particles were observed by electron microscopy in thin sections of naturally infected leaf tissue