Biotechnology- Principles and Processes Question 38

38. Which one of the following is commonly used in transfer of foreign DNA into crop plants?

(a) Meloidogyne incognita

(b) Agrobacterium tumefaciens

(c) Penicillium expansum

(d) Trichoderma harzianum

Show Answer

Answer : b

Hints & Solutions

(b) Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the causal agent of crown gall disease (the formation of tumours) in over 140 species of dicot. This disease caused by a DNA plasmid (Ti plasmid) carried by bacterium and transferred to the plant cells. Ti plasmid has widely used in plant engineering as a vector in order to inject gene in host plant to form transgenic plant. Crown gall infection is spread by movement of infested soil, by infected plant material, and via budding and grafting tools.