Plant Genetic Engineering

Question 1

What are three common methods of transformation?

Answer 1

• Microinjection, electroporation, Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Question 2

What are the 5 steps in plant genetic engineering?

Answer 2

• DNA extraction
• Gene cloning
• Gene design
• Transformation
• Backcross Breeding

Question 3

What are the advantages and disadvantages of transformation by electroporation?

Answer 3

Advantages: Versatile, efficient, small scale
Disadvantages: Cell damage, nonspecific transport.

Question 4

How does Agrobacterium tumefacien cause cancerous growth in plants?

Answer 4

Agrobacterium tumefacien release the controls on cell division as the segment of Ti plasmid contains tDNA, which consist of oncogene that codes for auxin and cytokinin production, the two hormones that controls the growth of apical meristems.

Question 5

What are the two methods of introducing Agrobacterium to plants?

Answer 5

• Floral dipping: dipping the flowering head of plants into a suspension of agrobacteria.
• Agroinfiltration: Forcing agrobacterium with transgenes into leaves.

Question 5

What is the difference between stable transformation and transient transformation?

Answer 5

Stable Transformation: The gene is fully integrated into host genome
Transient Transformation: Gene is not fully integrated but transformed cell still express the foreign gene.

Question 6

What is the purpose of backcross breeding?

Answer 6

To introduce a specific trait from an unimproved line that contains a gene of interest to an elite line by crossing the donor parent to the recurrent parent.