To improve the iron content of red pepper, we have transferred the entire coding sequence of the ferritin gene(Fpl) into Capsicum annuum (L. cv. Chungyang and Bukang) by Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Transformants were found to contain the Fp1 gene at up to three loci, increased distinct iron content changes. In transgenic plants, iron content was as much as 7-fold to 8-folds greater than that of their untransformed counterparts. Furthermore, the Rl progenies from transformant(A7, A8) co-segregated into a 15:1 ratio for both Kanamycin resistance and genotype of high iron.

A cDNA Fragment encoding iron storage protrin generated by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using highly conserved regions of ferritin related genes were used to sereen a red pepper cDNA library. cDNA clone was designated as Fp1. Fp1 clone contatines a 5' nontranslated region of 51dp containing stop conds. Down stream from 5' UTP. an open reading frame of 750bp was observed. followed by a 3' UTR of 272bp. The deduces amino acid sequence of red pepper protein(Fp1) showed 84%, 48% and 36% identity with soybean(SolC). human(HuL H) and horse spleen(HoS-L) ferritin mRNA accumulation in response to iron. Ferritin mRNA accumulation was transient and particularly abundant in leaves. reaching a maxmum at 12h. The level of ferritin mRNA in roots was affected to a lesser extent than in leaves.

Total iron content and ferritin distribution have been determined in red pepper(Capsicum annuum L.) during development stage under conditions of iron nutritional status from hydroponic culture. Color of the leaves become chlorotic on iron deficient and high concentration. The plant height on each iron concentration had retarding effect at concentration lower than 25μM and greater than 12525μM. In normal green leaves. Total iron content was almost constant with a mean value of 2.5μmole of iron/mg of dry matter, except at 63day, for which it increases slightly to 4μmole. Howere, iron content of chlorotic plants grew on iron free medium was not almost detectable. Also in post chlorotic leaves(++Fe), iron content was evidently increase unitl 7days after transfer on liquid medium, but decreased from after 14days. Also, ferritin protein analysed total protein extracts prepared from leaves of different ages using antibodies raised against ferritin protein. Ferritin protein deereased progressively during the first week of germination and was not detectable in vegetative tissues. Ferritin protein in post chlorotic leaves wasevidently strongly cnhanced until 11days after transfer on liquid medium but decreased until the leves became chlorotic.