In a screen for leaf developmental mutants we have isolated an activator T-DNA-tagged mutant that produces leaves without a petiole. In addition to that leafy petiole phenotype this lettuce (let) ...mutant shows aberrant inflorescence branching and silique shape. The LEAFY PETIOLE (LEP) gene is located close to the right border of the T-DNA insert linked with these dominant phenotypes and encodes a protein with a domain with similarity to the DNA binding domain of members of the AP2/EREBP family of transcription factors. Introduction of the activation-tagged LEP gene in wild-type plants conferred all the phenotypic aberrations mentioned above. The leafy petiole phenotype consists of a conversion of the proximal part of the leaf from petiole into leaf blade, which means that leaf development in let is disturbed along the proximodistal axis. Therefore, LEP is involved in either cell division activity in the marginal meristem or patterning along the proximodistal axis.
Conjugative transfer by the virulence system of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Beijersbergen, A. (Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands); Dulk-Ras, A. den; Schilperoort, R.A ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
05/1992, Letnik:
256, Številka:
5061
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers part of its Ti plasmid, the transferred DNA (T-DNA), to plant cells during tumor induction. Expression of this T-DNA in plant cells results in their transformation ...into tumor cells. There are similarities between the process of T-DNA transfer to plants and the process of bacterial conjugation. Here, the T-DNA transfer machinery mediated conjugation between bacteria. Thus, products of the Vir region of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, normally involved in transfer of DNA from bacteria to plants, can direct the conjugative transfer of an IncQ plasmid between agrobacteria
Pathogenic Brucella species replicate within mammalian cells, and their type IV secretion system is essential for intracellular survival and replication. The options for biochemical studies on the ...Brucella secretion system are limited due to the rigidity of the cells and biosafety concerns, which preclude large-scale cell culture and fractionation. To overcome these problems, we heterologously expressed the Brucella suis virB operon in the closely related alpha₂-proteobacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens and showed that the VirB proteins assembled into a complex. Eight of the twelve VirB proteins were detected in the membranes of the heterologous host with specific antisera. Cross-linking indicated protein-protein interactions similar to those in other type IV secretion systems, and the results of immunofluorescence analysis supported the formation of VirB protein complexes in the cell envelope. Production of a subset of the B. suis VirB proteins (VirB3-VirB12) in A. tumefaciens strongly increased its ability to receive IncQ plasmid pLS1 in conjugation experiments, and production of VirB1 further enhanced the conjugation efficiency. Plasmid recipient competence correlated with periplasmic leakage and the detergent sensitivity of A. tumefaciens, suggesting a weakening of the cell envelope. Heterologous expression thus permits biochemical characterization of B. suis type IV secretion system assembly.
Octopine and nopaline strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were found to differ in virulence on Nicotiana glauca. This difference is due to the absence of a functional virF locus, which is necessary ...for efficient tumorigenesis on N. glauca, from the nopaline Ti plasmids. Genetic studies and DNA sequence analysis of the virF locus revealed that virF embraces one open reading frame coding for a hydrophilic protein with a molecular mass of 22,437 Da. Transcription of virF is directed from left to right, towards the T region, and is strongly induced by the phenolic compound acetosyringone. We established that virA and virG, two genes known to be essential for induction of the vir regulon, are necessary for acetosyringone-induced virF expression, implying that virF is a member of this vir regulon. Agrobacterium virF mutants can be complemented for tumor induction by co-infection with avirulent Agrobacterium 'helper' strains. We found that such 'helper' strains must express not only the virF gene but also the vir operons virA, virB, virD and virG.
Octopine and nopaline strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were found to differ in virulence on Nicotiana glauca . This difference is due to the absence of a functional virF locus, which is necessary ...for efficient tumorigenesis on N. glauca , from the nopaline Ti plasmids. Genetic studies and DNA sequence analysis of the virF locus revealed that virF embraces one open reading frame coding for a hydrophilic protein with a molecular mass of 22,437 Da. Transcription of virF is directed from left to right, towards the T region, and is strongly induced by the phenolic compound acetosyringone.