Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

The plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens has developed a unique mechanism to transport proteins and DNA (T-DNA) into the plant host cell. The T-DNA is then integrated into the genome of the host cell with the help of the proteins transported and by utilising the plant's own systems. The expression of the transferring genes causes excessive cell division. The plant cells proliferate into so-called crown galls and produce metabolites that only the agrobacteria can metabolise. The agrobacteria have thus created their own ecological niche. Modern plant biotechnology utilises this mechanism of naturally occurring gene transfer for the targeted transfer of agronomically interesting properties into cultivated plants. Even though one important application, the cultivation of transgenic crops, is not authorised in Germany, this technology is still important in research, e.g. for functional gene analysis.

We are interested in establishing the methodology of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in recalcitrant plants. We use oilseed rape as an easy-to-transform model plant to analyse integration patterns and integration sites of T-DNA.