Assessment of Different Promoters (CaMV35s, E8, 2A11) in Transient Expression of Hepaptitis B Surface Antigene (HBsAg) in Tomato Plant

Transient gene expression experiments are especially useful to confirm the efficiency of promoters used for expression of foreign molecule in plants. In this study, the expression of the hepatitis B surface antigene (HBsAg) under the control of the CaMV35S and fruit tissue-specific (E8 and 2A11) promoters were studied in the leaf tissues of tobacco and tomato plants and tomato fruits using agroinfilteration technique. The results showed that fruit-specific promoters as the constutative CaMv35S promoter cause over-expression of the antigen in tomato plant fruits. However, HBsAg antigen was expressed in the leaf tissues, but its rate was lower than the fruits. Ethylene produced by the wounded leaf parts may induce fruit-specific promoter, which in turn is related antigen expression. The results show that the tomato fruit specific promoters (E8 and 2A11) can be used as for efficient expression of HBsAg antigen in transgenic tomato plants.