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An Agrobacterium transformation in the evolution of the genus Nicotiana

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Abstract

Agrobacterium rhizogenes provokes neoplastic outgrowths on higher plants by transferring two small regions from the root-inducing (Ri) plasmid to the host genome1–3. Homology with the left transferred DNA (TL DNA) was detected in uninfected Nicotiana glauca1 and a molecular clone (λNg31) of this region was obtained from N. glauca4. We report here that the genome of N. glauca contains a large inverted repeat which is homologous with the single copy TL DNA of A. rhizogenes. Related sequences are present in several Nicotiana species, but are absent in others. The DNA sequence of the centre of the inverted repeat has been compared with the corresponding region from the bacterium. Both contain open reading frames which could potentially produce similar polypeptides. The data strongly suggest that an Agrobacterium infection resulted in genetic transformation early in the evolution of the genus Nicotiana.

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Author notes

  1. Ian J. Furner

    Present address: Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK

  2. Gary A. Huffman

    Present address: Pioneer Hi-Bred, Johnston, Indiana, 50131, USA

  3. Richard M. Amasino

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA

  4. David J. Garfinkel

    Present address: Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 56-344, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA

    Ian J. Furner, Gary A. Huffman, Richard M. Amasino, David J. Garfinkel, Milton P. Gordon & Eugene W. Nester

  2. Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK

    Gary A. Huffman, Richard M. Amasino & David J. Garfinkel

Authors
  1. Ian J. Furner
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  2. Gary A. Huffman
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  4. David J. Garfinkel
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  5. Milton P. Gordon
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  6. Eugene W. Nester
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Furner, I., Huffman, G., Amasino, R. et al. An Agrobacterium transformation in the evolution of the genus Nicotiana. Nature 319, 422–427 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/319422a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/319422a0

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