Agrobacterium tumefaciens: Biology and application in genetic engineering
1 Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria.
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Agbani, Nigeria.
Review Article
GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 20(01), 389–398.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscarr.2024.20.1.0272
Publication history:
Received on 05 June 2024; revised on 22 July 2024; accepted on 25 July 2024
Abstract:
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rod-shaped soil bacterium renowned for its unique ability to transfer tumour-inducing plasmid (Ti plasmid) segments to plant cells. This mechanism has been extensively exploited in plant genetic engineering. This review delves into the intricate biological interactions between A. tumefaciens and plant cells, including the critical steps of bacterial attachment, activation of virulence (Vir) genes, generation and transport of the T-complex, and integration of T-DNA into the plant chromosome. Furthermore, the review examines the engineering of A. tumefaciens as a transformation tool, focusing on the modifications of Ti plasmids to create binary and co-integrative vector systems, which have significantly improved the efficiency and versatility of transformation protocols. The paper also highlights applications of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in the production of edible vaccines. By providing a detailed examination of the biological, technical, and practical aspects of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, this review aims to offer insights into optimizing this technique for various plant biotechnology applications. Ultimately, understanding and improving Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is crucial for advancing plant biotechnology.
Keywords:
Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Genetic engineering; plant transformation; Edible vaccine; Binary vectors
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Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0
