Trans-kingdom T-DNA transfer from Agrobacterium tumefaciens to Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers part of its tumour-inducing (Ti) plasmid, the transferred or T-DNA, to plants during tumourigenesis. This represents the only example of naturally occurring trans-kingdom transfer of genetic material. Here we report that A.tumefaciens can transfer its T-DNA not only to plant cells, but also to another eukaryote, namely the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Ti plasmid virulence (vir) genes that mediate T-DNA transfer to plants were found to be essential for transfer to yeast as well. Transgenic S.cerevisiae strains were analysed for their T-DNA content. Results showed that T-DNA circles were formed in yeast with precise fusions between the left and right borders. Such T-DNA circles were stably maintained by the yeast if the replicator from the yeast 2 mu plasmid was present in the T-DNA. Integration of T-DNA in the S.cerevisiae genome was found to occur via homologous recombination. This contrasts with integration in the plant genome, where T-DNA integrates preferentially via illegitimate recombination. Our results thus suggest that the process of T-DNA integration is predominantly determined by host factors.
Bundock
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Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Clusius Laboratory, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
den Dulk-Ras
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Beijersbergen
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Hooykaas
P J
PJ
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C036483:T-DNA; D014157:Transcription Factors; D037521:Virulence Factors; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases