Isolation & Characterization
of Chitinase Gene as a Plant Defense Gene
against Fungal Infection

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is the primary legume crop in Egypt for human consumption. Several diseases cause serious damage to its yield and quality. The disease of concern here is the chocolate spot disease caused by Botrytis fabae, as it is one of the most destructive diseases in the region of the Nile Delta.

OBJECTIVES

•  Isolation and cloning of full length chitinase gene from Egyptian bacterial strain Serratica marcescens.

•  Expression of chitinase gene into E. coli.

•  Cloning of chitinase gene into eukaryotic expression vector for plant transformation.

•  Biological control of chitinase gene against Rhizoctonia solani under greenhouse conditions.

ACHIEVEMENTS

•  A full length chitinase gene was cloned and isolated from local isolate Serratica marcescens.

•  Structural analysis of chitinase gene was carried out using DNA sequencing.

•  In vitro expression of chitinase gene was performed in E. coli.

•  Biological control of chitinase gene against Rhizoctonia solani was studied.