Expression of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Spike Gene in Transgenic Carrot Plants

This study was carried out to obtain basic information for possibility of oral vaccine in carrot using Agrobacteruim -mediated transformation system. The epitope region of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) spike gene which is classified as a member of the Coronaviridae and causes an acute enteritis in pigs was successfully expressed in carrot (Daucus carota) using the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. Hypocotyl segments of in vitro germinated plantlets were infected with Agrobacteriun tumefaciens LBA 4404 harboring PEDV spike gene. Embryogenic callus (EC) was induced on MS selection medium with 1 mg/L 2,4-D, 50 mg/L kanamycin and 300 mg/L cefotaxime after 45 days of culture. Subcultured ECs on MS selection medium without 2,4-D were converted to somatic embryos (SE) of various stage; globular, heart and torpedo stage. Putative transgenic embryos were selected on MS medium with 50 mg/L kanamycin and 300 mg/L cefotaxime. Regenerated plantlets from transformed SE were induced on MS medium containing 50 mg/L kanamycin after 30 days of culture. Genomic PCR confirmed the integration of PEDV spike gene into nuclear genome of carrot and northern blot analysis demonstrated the expression of PEDV spike gene in transgenic carrot.