Perakitan Melastoma malabathricum Transgenik

Abstract

Melastoma malabathricum is tolerant plant to acid and aluminum stresses, so this plant can be used as plant model for testing genes associated with tolerance to acid and Al. To test the role of genes, the method of genetic transformation of this plant has to be established. Therefore, this research had an objective to obtain the method of genetic transformation of M. malabathricum mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Genetic transformation of M. malabathricum had been done by using two strains of A. tumefaciens, i.e. C58C1 and EHA101, carrying a binary plasmid containing nptII (kanamycin resistance gene), as a selectable marker, and gusA (β-glucuronidase) as a reporter. The result of this research showed that C58C1 strain was more efficient than EHA101 for genetic transformation of M. malabathricum. Genetic transformation with C58C1 resulted three transgenic M. malabathricum plants tolerant to 100 mg/L kanamycine. The gus expression analysis showed that one transgenic plant expressed gus gene in the leave tissue. In addition, the node was better as plant material than leave disc for plant regeneration of genetic transformation proces.