How does Agrobacterium tumefaciens work?
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil phytopathogen that naturally infects plant wound sites and causes crown gall disease via delivery of transferred (T)-DNA from bacterial cells into host plant cells through a bacterial type IV secretion system (T4SS).
Why is Agrobacterium important in biotechnology?
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is an important tool in plant biotechnology due to its natural ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants. Genetic manipulations of A. tumefaciens have yielded considerable advances in increasing transformational efficiency in a number of plant species and cultivars.
Where is Agrobacterium found?
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is found commonly on and around root surfaces – the region termed the rhizosphere – where it seems to survive by using nutrients that leak from the root tissues. But it infects only through wound sites, either naturally occurring or caused by transplanting of seedlings and nursery stock.
Why Agrobacterium tumefaciens bacteria is preferred as a vector for plant transformation?
tumefaciens into the plant genome. A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation has some advantages compared with direct gene transfer methods such as integration of low copy number of T-DNA into plant genome, stable gene expression, and transformation of large size DNA segments.
What is the main advantages of Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer?
The advantages of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation include the transfer of pieces of DNA with defined ends and minimal rearrangement, the transfer of relatively large segments of DNA, the integration of small numbers of copies of genes into plant chromosomes and the high quality and fertility of transgenic plants.
How Agrobacterium is used in gene transfer into plant?
The bacteria enters the plant through cuts or wounds present in its root or stem. The bacteria then inserts its DNA and stimulates the plant to grow swollen galls. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is capable of interkingdom DNA transfer, thus making it a potential vector in the production of transgenic plants.