INCREASING HOST PLANT SUSCEPTIBILITY TO AGROBACTERIUM INFECTION BY OVEREXPRESSION OF THE ARABIDOPSIS VIP1 GENE

摘要

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions which employ an Arabidopsis VIP1 gene or VIP1-like gene from another plant species for purposes of increasing host plant susceptibility to Agrobacterium infection. Methods for increasing susceptibility of a host to Agrobacterium infection and methods for improving Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided. Also provided are chimeric genes and expression vectors that, upon introduction into a plant cell, enable the plant cell to become more susceptible to Agrobacterium infection and thus better transformed via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. Transgenic plant cells and plants regenerated therefrom which overexpress a VIP1 or VIP1 -like gene are also provided.