Publications by authors named "Thomas M Charles"

Transcription factors regulating the stress-responsive gene expression play an important role in plant stress adaptation. In this study, we examined the salt stress tolerance of transgenic Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) overexpressing a Capsicum annuum ERF/AP2-type transcription factor (CaPF1), which may enhance the ability of transgenic plants to tolerate various kinds of stresses during vegetative growth.

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A plant regeneration system through multiple adventitious shoot differentiation from callus cultures has been established in slash pine (Pinus elliottii). Influences of seven different basal media on callus induction, adventitious shoot formation, and rooting were investigated. Among the different basal media, B5, SH, and TE proved to be suitable for callus induction and plantlet regeneration.

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Transcription factors play an important role in regulating gene expression in response to stress and pathogen tolerance. We describe here that overexpression of an ERF/AP2 pepper transcription factor (CaPF1) in transgenic Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) confers tolerance to heavy metals Cadmium, Copper, and Zinc, to heat, and to pathogens Bacillus thuringiensis and Staphylococcus epidermidis, as by the survival rate of transgenic plants and the number of decreasing pathogen cells in transgenic tissues.

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Inducible gene expression systems are needed in functional genomics of tree species. A glucocorticoid-inducible gene expression system was established in a gymnosperm species Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation.

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