Plant Pathogen: Agrobacterium Is Well Known For Its Ability To Transfer

Agrobacterium is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that uses horizontal gene transfer to cause
tumors in plants. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the most commonly studied species in this genus.
Agrobacterium is well known for its ability to transfer DNA between itself and plants, and for
this reason it has become an important tool for plant improvement by genetic engineering.
The Agrobacterium genus is quite heterogeneous. Recent taxonomic studies have reclassified all
of the Agrobacterium species into new genera, such as Ruegeria, Pseudorhodobacter and
Stappia, but most species have been reclassified as Rhizobium species.
Plant pathogen
The large growths on these roots are galls induced by Agrobacterium sp.
A. tumefaciens causes crown-gall disease in plants. The disease is characterised by a tumour-like

growth or gall on the infected plant, often at the junction between the root and the shoot. Tumors
are incited by the conjugative transfer of a DNA segment (T-DNA) from the bacterial tumour-
inducing (Ti) plasmid. The closely related species, A. rhizogenes, induces root tumors, and
carries the distinct Ri (root-inducing) plasmid. Although the taxonomy of Agrobacterium is
currently under revision it can be generalised that 3 biovars exist within the genus, A.
tumefaciens or biovar 1, A. rhizogenes or biovar 2, and A. vitis or biovar 3. Strains within biovars
1 and 2 are known to be able to harbour either a Ti or Ri-plasmid, whilst strains of biovar 3,
generally restricted to grapevines, can harbour a Ti-plasmid. Non-Agrobacterium strains have
been isolated from environmental samples which harbour a Ri-plasmid whilst laboratory studies
have shown that non-Agrobacterium strains can also harbour a Ti-plasmid. Many environmental
strains of Agrobacterium do not possess either a Ti or Ri-plasmid. These strains are avirulent.
The plasmid T-DNA is integrated semi-randomly into the genome of the host cell (Francis and
Spiker, 2005. Plant Journal. 41(3): 464.), and the virulence (vir) genes on the T-DNA are
expressed, causing the formation of a gall. The T-DNA carries genes for the biosynthetic
enzymes for the production of unusual amino acids, typically octopine or nopaline. It also carries
genes for the biosynthesis of the plant hormones, auxin and cytokinins. By altering the hormone
balance in the plant cell, the division of those cells cannot be controlled by the plant, and tumors
form. The ratio of auxin to cytokinin produced by the tumor genes determines the morphology of
the tumor (root-like, disorganized or shoot-like).
Agrobacterium in humans
Although generally seen as an infection in plants, Agrobacterium can be responsible for
opportunistic infections in humans with weakened immune systems,[1][2] but has not been shown
to be a primary pathogen in otherwise healthy individuals. One of the earliest associations of
human disease caused by Agrobacterium radiobacter was reported by Dr. J. R. Cain in Scotland
(1988).[3] A later study suggested that Agrobacterium attaches to and genetically transforms
several types of human cells by integrating its T-DNA into the human cell genome. The study
was conducted using cultured human tissue and did not draw any conclusions regarding related
biological activity in nature.[4]
There is a conjectured connection with Morgellons syndrome. Dr. Stricker, along with Dr.
Citovsky, MRF board member from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an
expert on plant pathogens, reported in January, 2007, that Morgellons skin fibers appear to
contain cellulose. Five skin samples of Morgellons patients contained evidence of DNA from
Agrobacterium.[5
Uses in biotechnology
See also: horizontal gene transfer
The ability of Agrobacterium to transfer genes to plants and fungi is used in biotechnology, in
particular, genetic engineering for plant improvement. A modified Ti or Ri plasmid can be used.
The plasmid is 'disarmed' by deletion of the tumor inducing genes; the only essential parts of the
T-DNA are its two small (25 base pair) border repeats, at least one of which is needed for plant
transformation. Marc Van Montagu and Jozef Schell at the University of Ghent (Belgium)
discovered the gene transfer mechanism between Agrobacterium and plants, which resulted in
the development of methods to alter Agrobacterium into an efficient delivery system for gene
engineering in plants[6][7]. A team of researchers led by Dr Mary-Dell Chilton were the first to
demonstrate that the virulence genes could be removed without adversely affecting the ability of
Agrobacterium to insert its own DNA into the plant genome (1983).
The genes to be introduced into the plant are cloned into a plant transformation vector that
contains the T-DNA region of the disarmed plasmid, together with a selectable marker (such as
antibiotic resistance) to enable selection for plants that have been successfully transformed.
Plants are grown on media containing antibiotic following transformation, and those that do not
have the T-DNA integrated into their genome will die. An alternative method is agroinfiltration.
Plant (S. chacoense) transformed using Agrobacterium. Transformed cells start forming calluses
on the side of the leaf pieces
Transformation with Agrobacterium can be achieved in two ways. Protoplasts, or leaf-discs can
be incubated with the Agrobacterium and whole plants regenerated using plant tissue culture. A
common transformation protocol for Arabidopsis is the floral-dip method: the flowers are dipped
in an Agrobacterium culture, and the bacterium transforms the germline cells that make the
female gametes. The seeds can then be screened for antibiotic resistance (or another marker of
interest), and plants that have not integrated the plasmid DNA will die.
Agrobacterium does not infect all plant species, but there are several other effective techniques
for plant transformation including the gene gun.
Agrobacterium is listed as being the original source of genetic material that was transferred to
these USA GMO foods [8]:
 Soybean
 Cotton
 Corn
 Sugar Beet
 Alfalfa
 Wheat
 Rapeseed Oil (Canola)
 Creeping bentgrass (for animal feed)
 Rice (Golden Rice)

The sequencing of the genomes of several species of Agrobacterium has permitted the study of the
evolutionary history of these organisms and has provided information on the genes and systems
involved in pathogenesis, biological control and symbiosis. One important finding is the possibility that
chromosomes are evolving from plasmids in many of these bacteria. Another discovery is that the
diverse chromosomal structures in this group appear to be capable of supporting both symbiotic and
pathogenic lifestyles. The availability of the genome sequences of Agrobacterium species will continue
to increase, resulting in substantial insights into the function and evolutionary history of this group of
plant-associated microbes.[9]

Plant Pathogen: Agrobacterium Is Well Known For Its Ability To Transfer

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Plant Pathogen: Agrobacterium Is Well Known For Its Ability To Transfer

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Plant Pathogen: Agrobacterium Is Well Known For Its Ability To Transfer

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Agrobacterium is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that uses horizontal gene transfer to cause

A. tumefaciens causes crown-gall disease in plants. The disease is characterised by a tumour-like

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.