Leaf Disk Transformation of Lactuca sativa Using Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Abstract

Reliable methods of transferring cloned genes into plants are essential for engineering crops with desired traits. In order to induce sap-sucking insect resistance Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA 4404 (1065) strain containing the binary vector pMOG 23 and hypervirulent pTOK 47 plasmid was used. pta (Pinellia ternata agglutinin), salmon ct (calcitonin) and cgrp (calcitonin gene related protein) genes were successfully integrated into Lactuca sativa plants. This genetic modification conferred lettuce resistance to orthopteran and homopteran insects like Nilaparvata lugens Stl or Myzus persicae Sulzer. Lactuca sativa could be routinely transformed using Ti plasmids of A. tumefaciens containing a chimeric kanamycin resistance gene (nos nptII. nos).