Biotechnology and Its Applications

Question

Which one of the following bacteria has found extensive use in genetic engineering work in plants?

  • Bacillus coagulens

  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens

  • Bacillus subtilis

  • E. coli

Answer

B.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that causes a disease of plants called crown gall disease. The tumour like gall grows when A. tumefaciens inserts a plasmid (Ti plasmid), containing bacterial genetic information into the plant's chromosomal DNA. Therefore, this bacteria has been extensively used as a vector for gene transfer to plant cells.

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