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Biomedical subjects

M D Chilton

Publications and source records attributed to M D Chilton.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Structure and characterization of the crown gall opines heliopine, vitopine and ridéopine.

The crown gall opines heliopine from tumors induced by octopine type Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains A6, A136(pTiB6-806), E9, A652 and 1590-1 and vitopine from tumor induced by grapevine strains S4 and T2 are identical to synthetic N2-(1'R-carboxyethyl)-L-glutamine. Tumors produced by strains S4 and T2 do not contain octopine or lysopine, but they do contain heliopine and the new opine ridéopine identified as N-(4'-aminobutyl)-D-glutamic acid. Grapevine strains S4 and T2 grow normally on tumor heliopine or synthetic heliopine and on tumor and synthetic ridéopine as well as on ridéopine lactam as sole carbon source. While octopine strains A6 and A136(pTiB6-806) do not grow on heliopine, mutant colonies do appear after a few weeks. Heliopine catabolism by octopine strains is not induced by octopine.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens↗
PubMed1997

A deletion in an indole synthase gene is responsible for the DIMBOA-deficient phenotype of bxbx maize.

The biosynthesis of DIMBOA, a pesticidal secondary metabolite of maize, branches off the tryptophan pathway. We have previously demonstrated that indole is the last intermediate common to both the tryptophan and hydroxamic acid pathways. The earliest discovered mutant in the DIMBOA pathway, bxbx (benzoxazineless), is deficient in the production of DIMBOA and related compounds. This paper presents evidence that a gene identified by Kramer and Koziel [Kramer, V. C. & Koziel, M. G. (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 27, 1183-1188] as maize tryptophan synthase alpha (TSA) is the site of the genetic lesion in the DIMBOA-deficient mutant maize line bxbx. We demonstrate that the TSA gene has sustained a 924-bp deletion in bxbx compared with its counterpart in wild-type maize. We report that the TSA gene maps to the same location as the bxbx mutation, on the short arm of chromosome 4. We present evidence that the very early and very high level of expression of TSA corresponds to the timing and level of DIMBOA biosynthesis but is strikingly different from the expression of the maize tryptophan synthase beta (TSB) genes. We show that feeding indole to bxbx seedlings restores their ability to synthesize DIMBOA. We conclude that the maize enzyme initially named tryptophan synthase alpha in fact is a DIMBOA biosynthetic enzyme, and we propose that it be renamed indole synthase. This work confirms and enlarges upon the findings of Frey et al. [Frey, M., Chomet, P., Glawischniq, E., Stettner, C., Grün, S., Winklmair, A., Eisenreich, W., Bacher, A., Meeley, R. B., Briggs, S. P., Simcox, K. & Gierl, A. (1997) Science 277, 696-699], which appeared while the present paper was in review.

Benzoxazines↗
PubMed1997

T-strand integration in maize protoplasts after codelivery of a T-DNA substrate and virulence genes.

We describe a plant protoplast transformation method that provides transformants with a simple pattern of integration of a foreign gene. The approach is to deliver into plant protoplasts by direct gene transfer the Agrobacterium virulence genes virD1 and virD2 with or without virE2, together with a target plasmid containing a gene of interest flanked by Agrobacterium T-DNA border repeat sequences of 25 bp. We present evidence of T-DNA formation in maize protoplasts and its integration into the maize genome. The frequency of VirD1-VirD2-mediated integration events was about 20-35% of the total number of transformants. The addition of virE2 doubled the transformation efficiency. The method described here is of sufficient efficiency and simplicity to be useful for the production of transgenic plants with single-copy well-defined transgenic inserts.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1996

"Agrolistic" transformation of plant cells: integration of T-strands generated in planta.

We describe a novel plant transformation technique, termed "agrolistic," that combines the advantages of the Agrobacterium transformation system with the high efficiency of biolistic DNA delivery. Agrolistic transformation allows integration of the gene of interest without undesired vector sequence. The virulence genes virD1 and virD2 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens that are required in bacteria for excision of T-strands from the tumor-inducing plasmid were placed under the control of the CaMV35S promoter and codelivered with a target plasmid containing border sequences flanking the gene of interest. Transient expression assays in tobacco and in maize cells indicated that vir gene products caused strand-specific nicking in planta at the right border sequence, similar to VirD1/VirD2-catalyzed T-strand excision observed in Agrobacterium. Agrolistically transformed tobacco calli were obtained after codelivery of virD1 and virD2 genes together with a selectable marker flanked by border sequences. Some inserts exhibited right junctions with plant DNA that corresponded precisely to the sequence expected for T-DNA (portion of the tumor-inducing plasmid that is transferred to plant cells) insertion events. We designate these as "agrolistic" inserts, as distinguished from "biolistic" inserts. Both types of inserts were found in some transformed lines. The frequency of agrolistic inserts was 20% that of biolistic inserts.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens↗
PubMed1994

Constitutive expression of the virulence genes improves the efficiency of plant transformation by Agrobacterium.

Inducible virulence (vir) genes of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid are under control of a two-component regulatory system. In response to environmental factors (phenolic compounds, sugars, pH) VirA protein phosphorylates VirG, which in turn interacts with the promoters of other vir genes, causing induction. A mutation of virG, virGN54D (which codes for a Asn-54-->Asp amino acid change in the product), causes constitutive expression of other vir genes independent of virA. We have investigated whether providing Agrobacterium with a plasmid containing virGN54D augments the efficiency of transfer of the T-DNA (transferred DNA). For both tobacco and cotton, we observed an enhancement of transformation efficiency when the inciting Agrobacterium strain carries the virGN54D mutation. We also tested whether supplying Agrobacterium with a similar plasmid containing wild-type virG affects the efficiency of T-DNA transfer. An intermediate efficiency was observed when this plasmid was employed. Using a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene to assess transient expression of T-DNA after transfer to tobacco and maize tissues, we observed a higher frequency of GUS-expressing foci after inoculation with Agrobacterium strains carrying virGN54D than with Agrobacterium carrying the wild-type virG. Gene-transfer efficiency to maize by an octopine strain was greatly improved upon introduction of virGN54D. Multiple copies of wild-type virG were equally effective in promoting transient expression efficiency in tobacco but were virtually ineffective in maize. We propose the use of virGN54D to improve the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, especially for recalcitrant plant species.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens↗
PubMed1991

Agrobacterium rhizogenes pRi8196 T-DNA: mapping and DNA sequence of functions involved in mannopine synthesis and hairy root differentiation.

This paper presents the map and DNA sequence analysis of pRi8196 transferred DNA (T-DNA) genes encoding root-inducing and mannopine synthesis functions. A canonical 24-base-pair border repeat as well as two "pseudoborders" are present at the functional right T-DNA border. To the left of this border are homologs of the mas1' and mas2' genes of TR pRiA4. Next to these are five open reading frames (ORFs) homologous to ORFs 10-14 of TL of pRiA4. ORFs 10-12 (rolA, rolB, and rolC) are less related to their pRiA4 homologs than are the other large ORFs analyzed here. In contrast to T-DNA genes of pRiA4, pRi8196 T-DNA ORFs 11 and 12 (rolB and rolC) are sufficient to induce hairy roots on carrot disks.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Corn metabolites affect growth and virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Homogenates of corn seedlings inhibit both growth of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and induction of its Ti plasmid virulence (vir) genes by acetosyringone (AS). The heat-labile inhibitor has been identified as 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), present in 2-week-old seedlings (B73) at a concentration of 1.5 mM or greater. A concentration of 0.3 mM DIMBOA is sufficient to block growth of A. tumefaciens completely for 220 hr. DIMBOA at 0.1 mM concentration completely inhibited vir gene induction by 100 microM AS and reduced growth rate by 50%. Thus, DIMBOA can be expected to have a significant effect on attempts to transform corn by using A. tumefaciens as a vector.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1987

Virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Strain A281 on Legumes.

This study addresses the basis of host range on legumes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain A281, an l,l-succinamopine strain. We tested virulence of T-DNA and vir region constructs from this tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid with complementary Ti plasmid regions from heterologous nopaline and octopine strains.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1986

Nucleotide sequence of an insertion sequence (IS) element identified in the T-DNA region of a spontaneous variant of the Ti-plasmid pTiT37.

We have identified and determined the nucleotide sequence of an IS element (IS136) of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This is the first IS element isolated and sequenced from a nopaline type Ti-plasmid. Our IS element has 32/30 bp inverted repeats with 6 mismatches, is 1,313 bp long and generates 9 bp direct repeats upon integration. IS136 has 3 main open reading frames (ORF's). Only ORF1 (159 codons) is preceded by sequences that are proposed to serve functional roles in transcriptional and translational initiation. No DNA sequence homology was found between IS136 and IS66, an IS element isolated from an octopine type Ti-plasmid.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

The right border region of pTiT37 T-DNA is intrinsically more active than the left border region in promoting T-DNA transformation.

Deletions of border regions of T-DNA on Agrobacterium Ti plasmid or mini-T plasmid have shown the right border region of pTiT37 T-DNA to be more active than the left border region in promoting T-DNA transformation. In this study we examine the possibility that the apparent difference in activity of left and right border regions may be due to position or orientation differences between the left and right borders with respect to the transferred onc genes. We have constructed eight similar single-border mini-T plasmids that contain a left border segment or a right border segment of pTiT37 T-DNA at various positions with either orientation with respect to the onc genes. We assayed the plant tumor-inducing activity of these mini-T plasmids in Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 containing the virulence helper plasmid pAL4404. Regardless of the position and orientation of the border-containing segment in the mini-T plasmid, mini-T plasmids with the right border segment were highly virulent, whereas those with the left border segment were only weakly so. These results indicate that the difference in transformational activity between the left and right border regions is intrinsic and not an effect of position or orientation with respect to the onc genes. The pattern of the mini-T plasmid sequences integrated into the plant genome suggests that T-DNA transformation involves the directional transfer of a linear intermediate bounded by the border repeats.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Activity of T-DNA borders in plant cell transformation by mini-T plasmids.

By using a binary vector system, we examined the requirements for border sequences in T-DNA transformation of plant genomes. Mini-T plasmids consisting of small replicons with different extents of pTiT37 T-DNA were tested for plant tumor-inducing ability in Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 containing helper plasmid pAL4404 (which encodes virulence genes needed for T-DNA transfer). Assays of these bacteria on carrot disks, Kalanchoë leaves, and SR1 Nicotiana tabacum plantlets showed that mini-T plasmid containing full length T-DNA including left and right borders was highly virulent, as were mini-T plasmids containing all onc (oncogenicity) genes and only the right border. In contrast, mini-T plasmids containing all onc genes and only the left border induced tumors only rarely, and a mini-T plasmid containing all onc genes but no T-DNA borders was completely avirulent. Southern hybridization analyses of tumor DNA showed that T-DNA border sequences delimited the extent of the two-border mini-T plasmid transferred and integrated into the plant genome. When only one T-DNA border was present, it formed one end of the transferred DNA, and the other end mapped in the vector sequences. The implications of these results for the mechanism of T-DNA transfer and integration are discussed.

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic↗