Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic plants transformed with CER2 and CER3 genes in sense and antisense orientations

A number of genes involved in the biosynthesis of the epicuticular wax (EW) of Arabidopsis thaliana have recently been isolated through genetic approaches. In view of the evidence in favor of the importance of EW compounds in the adaptation of higher plants to a number of physiological and ecological stresses, we have used clones of some of these genes to genetically engineer constructs with which to manipulate EW biosynthesis in transgenic A. thaliana plants. All our constructs were placed under the control of the near constitutive CaMV 35S promoter. We were able to complement mutant plants with the construction in the sense orientation as well as induce phenocopies of the eceriferum phenotype by transforming wild-type plants with both the sense and antisense constructs. We observed reduced fertility in the wild-type plants transformed with the 35SCER3sense or 35SCER3antisense constructs but not in those transformed with the 35SCER2sense or 35SCER2antisense constructs.