Design and construction of two-genes construct consists of 11 kDa delta zein and EPSPS genes in order to transform soybean to improve the methionine content and induce resistance to glyphosate herbicide

Soybean is considered as one of the best source of protein for the nutrition of humans and mammals, and also is cultivated as an economic source of both vegetable oil and protein. Soybean like other Leguminosae, contains low levels of S-amino acids (methionine and cysteine). Using an appropriate selectable marker can be effective in the regeneration of transgenic plants and increasing gene transfer rate. Glyphosate is a widely used non-selective herbicide with broad spectrum of weed control around the world. The aim of this study is constructing of two-genes construct consists of 11 kDa delta zein and EPSPS genes to improve the methionine content and induce resistance to glyphosate herbicide using Agrobacterium-mediated method in soybean. After experimental processes tissue culture, gene transformation and regeneration, plants produced by gene transformation showed glyphosate resistance at 3.5 mM concentration of glyphosate herbicide. Chlorophyll and shikimic acid content analysis also revealed that these two indexes in lines produce by gene transformation compared to wild type were significantly altered after glyphosate application. Complementary analyses are under progress.