Functional expression of the cotton gibberellic acid oxidase homologous gene GhGA20ox1 in tobacco.

To determine the physiological function of GhGA20ox1, a homologous gene of GA 20-oxidase from elongating cotton fibers, we expressed this gene ectopically in Nicotiana benthamiana. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that the GhGA20ox1 gene was expressed in the transgenic plants at various levels. It was demonstrated that overexpression of GhGA20ox1 enhanced preferentially the GA(4+7) biosynthesis in N. benthamiana and conferred GA-overproduction characters to transformants. The extent of phenotypic alteration in the transgenic plants was found to correlate with the transcriptional levels of GhGA20ox1 and GA contents. Results indicated that the GhGA20ox1 gene promoted the biosynthesis of the active GAs (GA(4+7)) in transgenic tobacco plants therefore represents a useful gene for manipulating GA levels.