Broad-Host-Range Agrocin of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Eighteen strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens isolated from crown galls were tested for agrocin production. Of six agrocin-producing strains, one (D286) produced a broad-host-range agrocin active against strains carrying nopaline, octopine, and agropine type Ti plasmids. Sensitivity to agrocin D286 was found to map in the 11- to 18-megadalton region of the nopaline Ti plasmid pTiC58. The agrocin was partially purified, and its physical characteristics were consistent with its being a nucleotide, as is agrocin 84. Agrocin D286 was shown to inhibit DNA, RNA, and protein syntheses. Strain D286 spontaneously lost its pathogenicity, and its potential for use in the biological control of crown gall is discussed.
Hendson
M
M
Department of Genetics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa, and Laboratoria voor Genetika en voor Histologie, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
Askjaer
L
L
Thomson
J A
JA
van Montagu
M
M