Question

The introduction of T-DNA into plants involves:

Answer 1

Ti plasmid (tumour inducing) from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens is effectively used as a vector for gene transfer to plant cells. The part of Ti plasmid transferred into plant cell DNA is called the T-DNA. This T-DNA with desired DNA spliced into it, is inserted into the genome of the host plant where it produces copies of itself. Such plant cells are then cultured, induced to multiply and differentiate to form plantlets. By transferring into soil, the plantlets grow into mature plants, carrying the foreign gene. For example, Agrobacterium vector has been successfully used to generate nematode-resistant tobacco plants (by employing the RNA interference principle).