Table 1 Improved agricultural traits in transgenic bananas (Musa spp.)
From: Recent advances and future directions in banana molecular biology and breeding
Trait | Banana genotype | Transformation method | Promoter | Transformed gene | Potential molecular mechanism | Efficiency | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foc TR4 resistance | Cavendish cv. Grand Nain (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pNos, pZmUbi | RGA2 from a Foc TR4-resistant wild banana, Ced-9 from nematode | Increasing resistance to Foc TR4 possibly through an R-gene-like cascade pathway (RGA2 lines), and by preventing fungus-induced cell death and maintaining organelle homeostasis (Ced9 lines) | Two transgenic lines (RGA2-3 and Ced9-21) appeared to be immune to Foc TR4 in an infected field trial over a 3-year period | (Dale, et al. 2017) |
Foc TR4 resistance | Cavendish cv. Grand Nain (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | MpbHLH from cold-tolerant Dajiao banana | Strengthen banana cell wall and/or scavenge ROS | Disease index of 2 transgenic plants was significantly lower than control after 2-week inoculation in pots under normal management | |
Foc TR4 resistance | Cavendish cv. Grand Nain (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | Foc TR4 ERG6 double strand RNAs, Foc TR4 ERG11 double strand RNAs | Induced Foc ERG6 and Foc ERG11 genes silencing in banana, inhibited fungal ergosterol synthesis and conidial germination | Only 30% of ERG6-RNAi or 15% of ERG11-RNAi plants were sensitive to Foc TR4, but more than 85% of WT showed apparent Fusarium wilt symptoms in a heavily infected field after 2 years | (Dou, et al. 2020) |
Foc TR4 resistance | Furenzhi (AAcv) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | ThChit42 from Trichoderma harzianum | Antifungal activities by cleaving chitin in the fungal cell wall | A transgenic line T3 showed no disease symptoms and remained healthy after 2 months inoculation in pots | (Hu, et al. 2013) |
Foc TR4 resistance | Taijiao (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Particle bombardment + Banana Apical meristem | pCaMV35S | Human lysozyme | Antifungal activity by cleaving chitin in the fungal cell wall | Two transgenic lines H-67 and H-144 remained healthy and were able to fruit in the field | (Pei, et al. 2005) |
Foc TR4 resistance | Pisang Nangka (AAB) | Particle bombardment + Banana Single cauliflower-like bodies | pCaMV35S | OsTLP from rice | Antifungal activities by alternating fungus cell membrane integrity leading to inhibition of fungal growth, spore lysis, reduction in spore number, or reduced viability of germinated spores | The average percentage of disease incidence in transgenic plants was 29.4% compared to the control at 89.1% after 4 weeks inoculation in pots | (Mahdavi, et al. 2012) |
Foc TR4 resistance | Cavendish cv. Williams (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | MaLYK1 from Williams banana | Resistance against Foc TR4 by mediating MAMP-induced ROS generation and defense gene activation | No obvious lesions observed in inoculated MaLYK1-OE lines compared with WT and MaLYK1-RNAi lines in pots | (Zhang, et al. 2019) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Lady Finger (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | Bcl-xL, Ced-9, Bcl-2 3’ UTR | Bcl-xL and ⁄or Ced-9 may prevent cell death and enhance plant resistance characteristics by contributing to the maintenance of organelle homeostasis; Bcl-2 3’ UTR confers resistance to plant cells is unknown | The transgenic line Bcl-2 3’ UTR-6 showed a level of Foc Race1 resistance similar to resistant wild-type ‘Grand Naine’ at least 3 months after inoculation in small-plant bioassays | (Paul, et al. 2011) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | MusaDAD1, MusaBAG1 and MusaBI1 from Rasthali banana | MusaBAG1 gene plays a far greater role in the control of PCD in banana plants compared to the other two genes studied | MusaBAG1 overexpressing plants demonstrated the best resistance towards Foc Race1 infection in the three groups of transgenic plants derived from the three gene constructs after 6 weeks in greenhouse bioassays | (Ghag, et al. 2014a) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | PhDef1 and PhDef2 from Petunia | Interact with specific lipids on the fungal membrane and subsequently permeabilize them to inhibit fungus growth | Four transgenic plants displayed a high degree of resistance to Foc Race1 challenge after 3 months inoculation in pots | (Ghag, et al. 2012) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | Ace-AMP1 from onion | The activity of this AMP is mainly on the structural components of the cell wall attacking multiple targets | Six transgenic plants root challenged with Foc Race1 showed VDIs (vascular disease index) ranging from 38 to 48% compared to the control at 100%, after 6 months inoculation in pots | (Mohandas, et al. 2013) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S, pZmUbi | Ace-AMP1 from onion and PFLP from sweet pepper | Higher tolerance to oxidative stress caused by Foc Race1 infection | Two transgenic plants root challenged with Foc Race1 showed VDIs ranging from 10 to 20% compared to the control at 96%, after 6 months inoculation in pots | (Sunisha, et al. 2020a) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | Sm-AMP-D1 from Stellaria media | Antifungal activity by destabilizing the microbial membranes | Two transgenic lines, Sm-D1 and Sm-D2, were without external wilt symptoms after 6 months inoculation in pots | (Ghag, et al. 2014c) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | Foc Race1 VEL intron hairpin RNAs, Foc Race1 FTF1 intron hairpin RNAs | Induced Foc VEL and Foc FTF1 genes silencing in banana, inhibited fungal growth, development and pathogenesis | Disease severity scale of 7 ihpRNA-VEL and 5 ihpRNA-VEL transgenic plants was less than 1 (1 = no symptoms) in a 6-week-long bioassay in pots | (Ghag, et al. 2014b) |
Foc Race1 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana Single buds | pCaMV35S | GmEg from soybean | Antifungal activity by cleaving β-glucan, a component of mycelial cell walls | Performance of the two transgenic lines was better than the control after 4 weeks inoculation in pots | (Maziah, et al. 2007) |
Foc Race2 resistance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pAtUbq3 | MSI99 (a magainin analogue gene) | Interacted with the microbial membrane, resulting in loss of essential metabolites and membrane depolarization and uncoupling of respiration in bacteria | Five plants expressing the peptide in the cytoplasm and 11 transgenic plants expressing the peptide in the intercellular spaces were resistant to Foc Race2 in pots | (Chakrabarti, et al. 2003) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Sukali Ndiizi and Nakinyika bananas | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | Plant ferredoxin-like protein (Pflp) from sweet pepper | Disease resistance through formation of hypersensitivity response-like necrosis | All the transgenic lines except one showed absolute resistance to BXW after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Namukwaya, et al. 2012) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Sukali Ndiizi and Mpologoma bananas | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | Hypersensitivity response-assisting protein (Hrap) gene from sweet pepper | Disease resistance resulting from enhanced hypersensitive cell death | Six transgenic lines showed absolute resistance to BXW after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Tripathi, et al. 2010) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Gonja manjaya banana | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | Pflp and Hrap from sweet pepper | Stacking might provide of durable resistance to BXW | Seven transgenic lines with stacked genes showed complete resistance to BXW after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Muwonge, et al. 2016) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Dwarf Cavendish (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pCaMV35S | ELONGATION FACTOR-TU RECEPTOR (AtEFR) gene from Arabidopsis | Enhanced resistance through activation of early immune outputs (e.g., ROS, defense gene expression) mediated by recognition of Xcm EF-Tu by EFR | Eighteen transgenic lines exhibited partial resistance (50–75%) compared to control after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Adero, et al. 2023a) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Sukali Ndiizi banana | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing | Downy mildew resistance 6 (DMR6) gene from banana | Enhanced resistance through knockout of a susceptibility gene during pathogen infection | One inoculated plant of D15 was without BXW symptoms after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Tripathi, et al. 2021) |
Banana Xanthomonas wilt | Gonja manjaya banana | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | Xa21 pattern-recognition receptor from wild rice | Xa21 receptor may recognize a microbial determinant that is conserved in Xcm | Twelve inoculated plants were without BXW symptoms after 60 days inoculation in pots | (Tripathi, et al. 2017) |
Shelf life | Cavendish cv. Brazilian (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing | MaACO1 from banana | Promotes the shelf life of banana fruit by inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis | MaACO1-disrupted fruit remained yellow or green 60 days postinoculation vs. WT fruit with brown spots at day 21 | (Hu, et al. 2021) |
Cold tolerance | Dajiao banana (ABB) and Cavendish cv. Grand Nain (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | MAPK3 (same as MAPK5 in this review) and ICE1 from cold-tolerant Dajiao banana | MaMAPK5-MaICE1-MaPOD P7 pathway, a positive regulator of cold tolerance in banana | Cold tolerance of MAPK3-RNAi plants decreased at 10 ℃ for 7 days in pots in an ambient environment. Cold tolerance of MaICE1-overexpressing plants increased at 10 ℃ for 2 days followed by recovery for 3 days | (Gao, et al. 2021) |
Cold tolerance | Cavendish cv. Brazilian (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | MYBS3 from cold-tolerant Dajiao banana | MpMYBS3-overexpressing lines had a higher proline content, accumulated less malondialdehyde and displayed lower levels of electrolyte leakage | Cold tolerance of MpMYBS-overexpressing plants increased at 10 °C for 2 days followed by recovery for 3 days | (Dou, et al. 2016) |
Drought and salinity tolerance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | DHN-1 from banana | Increased the protective antioxidative capacity under drought- and salt-stress conditions, reducing free radical-induced damage to the cellular membranes of transgenic plants | Transgenic lines responded significantly better after the initiation of drought or salt stress | (Shekhawat, et al. 2011) |
Drought and salinity tolerance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | SAP1 from banana | Improves capacity to scavenge free radicals under drought/salt stress conditions, reducing free radical-induced damage to the cellular membranes of transgenic plants | Small, uniform, in vitro transgenic shoots overexpressing MusaSAP1 tolerated simulated drought and salt stress (after 10 days in rooting medium supplemented with 100 mM mannitol or 100 mM NaCl) better than the controls | (Sreedharan, et al. 2012) |
Drought and salinity tolerance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) and Cavendish cv. Grand Nain (AAA) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi | NAC29-like from banana | Increases JA and SA content, further elevating the antioxidant capacity of transgenic plants | Transgenic cv. Rasthali and cv. Grand Naine overexpressing MusaNAC29-like had superior tolerance of drought and salinity stress, but overexpression retarded growth and yield of the transgenic banana fruits | (Negi, et al. 2023) |
Cold, drought and salinity tolerance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi, pMusaDHN-1 | PIP1;2 from banana | Lower malondialdehyde levels, elevated proline and relative water content, and higher photosynthetic efficiency in transgenic lines under different abiotic stress conditions | Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MusaPIP1;2 had better abiotic stress survival characteristics | (Sreedharan, et al. 2013) |
Salinity tolerance | Silk cv. Rasthali (AAB) | Agrobacterium + Banana ECS | pZmUbi, pMusaDHN-1 | PIP2;6 from banana | Better photosynthetic efficiency and less membrane damage in transgenic lines under salt stress conditions | Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MusaPIP2;6 used constitutive or inducible promoter led to higher salt tolerance | (Sreedharan, et al. 2015) |
Drought, cold and salinity tolerance | Mas cv. Gongjiao (AA) | Particle bombardment + Agrobacterium + buds of immature banana male flower | pCaMV35S | PIP2;7 from banana | Conferred tolerance by maintaining an osmotic balance, reducing membrane injury, and improving ABA levels | Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MusaPIP2;7 improved tolerance to multiple stresse, including drought, cold, and salt | (Xu, et al. 2020) |
Cold and drought tolerance | Mas cv. Gongjiao (AA) | Particle bombardment + Agrobacterium + buds of immature banana male flower | pCaMV35S | DREB1F from banana | Conferred tolerance by common modulation of the protectant metabolite levels of soluble sugar and proline, activating the antioxidant system, and promoting jasmonate and ethylene syntheses | Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MaDREB1F increased banana resistance to cold and drought stress | (Xu, et al. 2023) |