Natural plant genetic engineer Agrobacterium rhizogenes: role of T-DNA in plant secondary metabolism

Biotechnol Lett. 2012 Mar;34(3):407-15. doi: 10.1007/s10529-011-0785-3. Epub 2011 Nov 3.

Abstract

Agrobacterium rhizogenes is a natural plant genetic engineer. It is a gram-negative soil bacterium that induces hairy root formation. Success has been obtained in exploring the molecular mechanisms of transferred DNA (T-DNA) transfer, interaction with host plant proteins, plant defense signaling and integration to plant genome for successful plant genetic transformation. T-DNA and corresponding expression of rol genes alter morphology and plant host secondary metabolism. During transformation, there is a differential loss of a few T-DNA genes. Loss of a few ORFs drastically affect the growth and morphological patterns of hairy roots, expression pattern of biosynthetic pathway genes and accumulation of specific secondary metabolites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Agrobacterium / genetics*
  • DNA, Bacterial*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Metabolic Engineering
  • Plants / metabolism*
  • Plants / microbiology*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Transformation, Genetic

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • T-DNA