Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation techniques in several plants

Abstract

Genetic transformation is a process to introduce foreign gene from one organism to other organisms. This process is a site directed mutagenesis that can improve a good character without changing the existing characters. The use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a vector in genetic transformation has several advantages compared to other transformation techniques. It is a simple method, does not need special equipment, and produces high transformation efficiency in transfering a single copy of insert gene. This research is a comparative genetic transformation among several plants that have different characters. They are mangosteen as an apomixis plant, tobacco as a model plant, orchid as a monocotyledon plant, and coffee as a dicotyledon plant. The transformation were conducted in a same method and continued with regeneration step in antibiotic selectable medium. Gene insert confirmation using Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique showed that only tobacco the expected gene insert. The result suggested that the plant ability to grow in selective medium was not guaranteed as a transgenic plant before being confirmed using molecular assay approach. Some optimation in explants sterilization, infection techniques, number of transformed explants and tested transformed samples are required to be increases to achieve high transformation efficiency. Keyword : Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, transgenic plant.