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Topic 2.5 Transformation by Agrobacterium
Transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens requires multiple, sequential interactions between plant and bacterium. The transformation process is started when the bacterium senses a wounded plant that exudes the chemical acetosyringone. Normally this chemical acts as an antimicrobial agent, but Agrobacterium has evolved to use it as a signal to detect a wounded plant that can be infected. After activation of its T-DNA, Agrobacterium usurps a plant signal transduction pathway to eventually gain access to the plant’s nucleus and insert the T-DNA in the plant's genome. Details about this process are given in the boxes in Web Figure 2.5.A.
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Web Figure 2.5.A Detailed signal transduction pathway during the infection of plant cells with Agrobacterium.