GUS history? Why GUS and not lacZ? Mary Elizabeth Davis davisme
at mail.med.upenn.edu Sat Feb 26 15:01:14 EST 2000 I am long
time Drosophila molecular geneticist without a strong grounding
in plant molecular biology. I have a question about the
development of the transgenic reporter genes in plants. As I was
preparing for Monday's seminar in plant genomics I got to
wondering why the GUS gene was developed for use as a plant
reporter gene. My recollection of this during the 80's is that
the lacZ vectors were available and in use prior to the
development of the transgenic technologies in plants; thus I do
not know why another marker gene needed to be developed. Is
there a significant level of endogenous beta-galactosidase
activity in plants, thereby requiring another gene? Is the E
coli protein less stable in plants? I have checked in my
genetics texts and on the Web, but have not found an answer. I
will check out a plant genetics text when I am back at work, but
if someone has an answer in the meantime, I woul