The roles of bacterial and host plant factors in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation

• Autores: Benoît Lacroix, Vitaly Citovsky
• Localización: International journal of developmental biology, ISSN 0214-6282, Vol. 57, Nº. 6-8, 2013, págs. 467-481
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The genetic transformation of plants mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens represents an essential tool for both fundamental and applied research in plant biology. For a successful infection, culminating in the integration of its transferred DNA (T-DNA) into the host genome, Agrobacterium relies on multiple interactions with host-plant factors. Extensive studies have unraveled many of such interactions at all major steps of the infection process: activation of the bacterial virulence genes, cell-cell contact and macromolecular translocation from Agrobacterium to host cell cytoplasm, intracellular transit of T-DNA and associated proteins (T-complex) to the host cell nucleus, disassembly of the T-complex, T-DNA integration, and expression of the transferred genes. During all these processes, Agrobacterium has evolved to control and even utilize several pathways of host-plant defense response. Studies of these Agrobacterium-host interactions substantially enhance our understanding of many fundamental cellular biological processes and allow improvements in the use of Agrobacterium as a gene transfer tool for biotechnology.