Method of introducing a plurality of genes into plants
View Patent ↗A method of concurrently introducing multiple genes to plants and trees is provided. The method includes an Agrobacterium -mediated gene delivery system by which multiple genes together with a single selectable marker gene are simultaneously transferred and inserted into the genome of plants, including trees.
1. A method of preparing plant cells having a plurality of DNA segments, comprising:
a) simultaneously contacting plant leaf tissue comprising plant cells with three or four isolated strains of Agrobacterium sufficient to yield transformed plant cells, each isolated strain of Agrobacterium comprising a different binary vector, each binary vector comprising at least one DNA segment that is not present on the other binary vectors and which DNA segment does not encode a marker, wherein each binary vector encodes the same single selectable marker and wherein the plant cells are selected from the group consisting of Populus cells and tobacco cells; and
b) identifying the transformed plant cells, the genome of which is augmented with DNA the three or four different binary vectors.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein each binary vector comprises a promoter operably linked to the DNA segment.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein each DNA segment encodes a protein.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the expression of the protein is associated with an agronomic trait.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the trait is lignin biosynthesis, cellulose biosynthesis, wood quality, stress resistance or sterility.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plant cells are regenerable.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the DNA encoding the marker is operably linked to a promoter.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single selectable marker is NPTII.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each binary vector encodes NPTII.