Bialaphos resistance in plants is conferred by:
Bialaphos tripeptide herbicide consists of phosphinothricin plus two alanine residues. In plant tissue peptidases release active phosphinothricin, structural analog of glutamate that inhibits glutamine synthetase essential for assimilation of ammonia into glutamine. Inhibition causes ammonia accumulation, photosynthesis disruption, and rapid cell death. Bacterium Streptomyces hygroscopicus produces bialaphos and protects itself via bar gene encoding phosphinothricin acetyltransferase. Enzyme transfers acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to free amino group of phosphinothricin, producing N-acetyl phos
Ref: Murakami Mol Gen Genet 1986 bar Streptomyces; De Block EMBO J 1987 Basta resistance; NCBI NBK131103 bar function; PubMed 2884102.
