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Octopine and nopaline strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens differ in virulence; molecular characterization of the virF locus

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Abstract

Octopine and nopaline strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were found to differ in virulence on Nicotiana glauca. This difference is due to the absence of a functional virF locus, which is necessary for efficient tumorigenesis on N. glauca, from the nopaline Ti plasmids. Genetic studies and DNA sequence analysis of the virF locus revealed that virF embraces one open reading frame coding for a hydrophilic protein with a molecular mass of 22437 Da. Transcription of virF is directed from left to right, towards the T region, and is strongly induced by the phenolic compound acetosyringone. We established that virA and virG, two genes known to be essential for induction of the vir regulon, are necessary for acetosyringoneinduced virF expression, implying that virF is a member of this vir regulon. Agrobacterium virF mutants can be complemented for tumor induction by co-infection with avirulent Agrobacterium ‘helper’ strains. We found that such ‘helper’ strains must express not only the virF gene but also the vir operons virA, virB, virD and virG.

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Author notes

  1. Leo S. Melchers

    Present address: MOGEN International nv, Einsteinweg 97, 2333 CB, Leiden, Netherlands

  2. David V. Thompson

    Present address: Promega, 2800 S. Fish Hatchery Road, 53711, Madison, WI, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL, Leiden, Netherlands

    Leo S. Melchers, Amke den Dulk-Ras, Hanneke A. J. van Vuuren, Rob A. Schilperoort & Paul J. J. Hooykaas

  2. Advanced Research Division, Agrigenetics Corporation, 5649 East Buckeye Road, 53716, Madison, WI, USA

    Michael J Maroney & David V. Thompson

Authors
  1. Leo S. Melchers
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  3. Amke den Dulk-Ras
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  4. David V. Thompson
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  6. Rob A. Schilperoort
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  7. Paul J. J. Hooykaas
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Melchers, L.S., Maroney, M.J., den Dulk-Ras, A. et al. Octopine and nopaline strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens differ in virulence; molecular characterization of the virF locus. Plant Mol Biol 14, 249–259 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018565

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018565

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