Search for: All records

Abstract Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation (AMT) is the basis of modern-day plant biotechnology. One major drawback of this technology is the recalcitrance of many plant species/varieties toAgrobacteriuminfection, most likely caused by elicitation of plant defense responses. Here, we develop a strategy to increase AMT by engineeringAgrobacterium tumefaciensto express a type III secretion system (T3SS) fromPseudomonas syringaeand individually deliver theP. syringaeeffectors AvrPto, AvrPtoB, or HopAO1 to suppress host defense responses. Using the engineeredAgrobacterium, we demonstrate increase in AMT of wheat, alfalfa and switchgrass by ~250%–400%. We also show that engineeredA. tumefaciensexpressing a T3SS can deliver a plant protein, histone H2A-1, to enhance AMT. This strategy is of great significance to both basic research and agricultural biotechnology for transient and stable transformation of recalcitrant plant species/varieties and to deliver proteins into plant cells in a non-transgenic manner.