Increase of Expression Levels of Reporter Gene in Transgenic Tobaccos by Matrix Attachment Regions

The matrix attachment region (MAR) located downstream of Plastocyanin gene was isolated from the genome of pea. To study the effect of MARs on foreign gene expression in transgenic plants, T-DNA vector was constructed in which MARs flanked bothβ-glucuronidase(GUS) gene and selectable marker neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT-II) gene. The plant expression vectors were transferred into leaf discs via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure. The result of GUS measurement showed that pea MAR could increase transgene expression level. The mean expression levels of GUS gene expression in population containing MARs could be increased twofold when compared with that of population without MARs.