Use of the Cre-loxP recombination system as an estimate for Agrobacterium-mediated co-transformation of tobacco leaves

Biotechnol Lett. 2012 Apr;34(4):747-54. doi: 10.1007/s10529-011-0810-6. Epub 2011 Dec 1.

Abstract

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum) is used to study gene expression in a heterologous genetic background. Here, the Cre-loxP recombination system was used to detect T-DNA transfer by two A. tumefaciens cells harboring different binary vectors. Cre, under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter, was cloned into one vector, and a loxP cassette into another vector. A mixture of A. tumefaciens, in which each cell contained either a Cre- or loxP-vector, was co-infiltrated into tobacco leaves. After two days, excision of loxP-flanked DNA was detected by PCR and used as an estimate for co-transformation events. Strongest excision (> 50%) was observed when the loxP cassette was cloned into vector pPZP112 and Cre into pISV2678. This fast and easy technique can be used to assess the co-transformation efficiency of tobacco cells in future studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / genetics*
  • Caulimovirus
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genetic Engineering / methods
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Molecular Biology / methods
  • Nicotiana / genetics*
  • Nicotiana / microbiology*
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / microbiology
  • Plasmids
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Recombination, Genetic*
  • Transformation, Genetic*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • T-DNA