Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase: Identification of New Sites of Promoter Activity in Transgenic Poplar

Stem sections from poplar that were stably transformed with a eucalypt cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase promoter-β-glucuronidase construct were prepared by using either a technique routinely used in herbaceous species or a technique designed to take into account the particular anatomy of woody plants. Although both preparation techniques confirmed the pattern of expression previously observed (C. Feuillet, V. Lauvergeat, C. Deswarte, G. Pilate, A. Boudet and J. Grima-Pettenati [1995] Plant Mol Biol 27: 651-657), the latter technique also allowed the detection of other sites of promoter activity not revealed by the first technique. In situ hybridization confirmed the expression pattern obtained with the second sample preparation technique.