Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Rhizobium radiobactor)is capable of T-DNA transfer to plant cells. The T-DNA (transfer DNA) islocated in theTi plasmid andis capable of integration into thehost plant chromosomal DNA. Integrated genesderived fromT-DNA are expressed andthe transformed plant cellstypically develop crown gall tumor cells.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Rhizobium radiobactor)is capable of T-DNA transfer to plant cells. The T-DNA (transfer DNA) islocated in theTi plasmid andis capable of integration into thehost plant chromosomal DNA. Integrated genesderived fromT-DNA are expressed andthe transformed plant cellstypically develop crown gall tumor cells.
The binary vector method for plant transformation (Hoekema et al. 1983) takes advantage ofAgrobacterium tumefaciensand its ability totransfer T-DNA to plant cells. Using this method, the pathogenic genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-DNA in the Ti plasmid are replaced with selective marker genesas well astheexogenous target gene. This results instable integration of the exogenous target gene into plant chromosomal DNA by means of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 and the binary vector method were invented by Dr. P.J. Hooykaas at Leiden University in the Netherlands. The LBA4044 strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens contains the pAL4404 plasmid, which includes onlythe T-DNA vir region and enables onlyvir gene induction and T-DNA transfer. Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4044 electrocompetent cells are a widely used bacterial strain for T-DNA transfer to plant cells.
