GUSTAVSEN, KATIE A.* AND JOHN L. GALLAGHER. 1. Department of Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, 2. Department of Marine Biology and Biochemistry, College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE 19958. - Genetic transformation of Atriplex triangularis (Seaside Greens) using Agrobacterium tumefaciens and the p35 GUSint Ti plasmid.
Atriplex triangularis is a halophytic relative of spinach which
is under investigation by this laboratory for use as a commercial food
crop. Halophytic crop plants allow agriculture in salt-contaminated
soil or when only saline irrigation water is available. Genetic
transformation quickly introduces characteristics into a crop which
cannot be obtained by traditional selective-breeding methods. A
protocol has been developed for Agrobacterium
tumefaciens-mediated transformation and subsequent tissue culture
of A. triangularis, adapted from techniqes developed by this
laboratory for use with the potential halophytic crop plant
Kosteletzkya virginica (Seashore Mallow). This new protocol
involves incubating seedling node explants with two-day cultures of
A. tumefaciens and using the transformed nodes for
micropropagation cultures on agar-based nutrient medium.
Histochemical and antibiotic-resistance studies were performed on
explants transformed with the p35 GUSint Ti plasmid containing the
beta-glucouronidase (GUS) and neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II)
genes. Preliminary results indicate successful transformation of node
meristematic tissue leading to the presence and expression of the
foreign genes in new shoots. Further tests may more conclusively
confirm the presence and expression of these genes.
Key words: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Atriplex triangularis, genetic transformation, halophyte, micropropagation