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Identification of the signal molecules produced by wounded plant cells that activate T-DNA transfer in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

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Abstract

We show here that Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence (Vir) gene expression is activated specifically by the plant molecules acetosyringone (AS) and α-hydroxyacetosyringone (OH-AS). These molecules induce the entire vir regulon in Agrobacterium as well as the formation of T-DNA intermediate molecules. AS and OH-AS occur specifically in exudates of wounded and metabolically active plant cells and probably allow Agrobacterium to recognize susceptible cells in nature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium voor Genetica, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, B-9000, Gent, Belgium

    Scott E. Stachel, Marc Van Montagu & Patricia Zambryski

  2. Histologisch Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, B-9000, Gent, Belgium

    Eric Messens

Authors
  1. Scott E. Stachel
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  2. Eric Messens
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  3. Marc Van Montagu
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  4. Patricia Zambryski
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Stachel, S., Messens, E., Van Montagu, M. et al. Identification of the signal molecules produced by wounded plant cells that activate T-DNA transfer in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Nature 318, 624–629 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/318624a0

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