title: Maize (Zea mays) genetic transformation by co-cultivating germinating seeds with Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
abstract: A novel plant genetic transformation method for maize (Zea mays) is reported. Using a scalpel, germinating seeds were wounded in the meristem and co-cultivated with an Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain harbouring a Ti plasmid. Seedlings produced from the treatment were screened by hygromycin selection. Fertile transgenic T(0) and T(1) plants were obtained. PCR amplification, PCR-Southern and Southern-blot analysis showed that the foreign gene had been introduced into the inbreds of maize. About 29% of T(0) seedlings examined were found to be transgenic, although the overall transformation was only 0.6% when total treated seeds were taken into account. The method circumvented tedious and prolonged tissue-culture steps, is simple and can be readily integrated into conventional plant breeding programs.
authors.affiliation: The Agri-Biotechnology Research Centre of Shanxi Province, 030031 Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingxue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D006921:Hygromycin B / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002934:Cinnamates; D006921:Hygromycin B; C026273:hygromycin A