
Scientists Develop New Approach to Genetic Modification of Maize and Other Grains
September 14, 2016Despite years of research efforts, it has been remarkably difficult to develop efficient methods for transformation (i.e., genetic modification) of grain crops. The most preferred method generally involves Agrobacterium tumefaciens, however, the bacterium infects only a narrow range of grain cultivars, and many cultivars are recalcitrant to regeneration.
A new research, conducted by Dupont and published in The Plant Cell, reports a breakthrough in transformation technology that greatly expands the range of cultivars and species that can be transformed. The DuPont team added so-called morphogenic genes, known to promote embryonic tissue production, to the other genes being transformed (in this case to express green fluorescent protein as a marker of transformation). The team observed that when they did this, transformation rates increased for a large number of maize cultivars. The new technique also worked in sorghum, rice, and sugarcane.
For more details, read the article at ASPB Plant Science Today.
The Crop Biotech Update is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. The CBU is distributed for free to over 23,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in agricultural biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- FAO Projects Increase in Maize, Wheat, and Rice Grain Output
- Kanayo Nwanze Receives Inaugural Africa Food Prize
- Uganda's Minister of S&T Lauds Researchers on Biotech Innovations
- Kenya's National Biosafety Authority Gives GM Cotton Partial Nod
- Scientists Develop New Approach to Genetic Modification of Maize and Other Grains
- US EPA Approves New Agrisure® Trait Stack from Syngenta
- New Wheat Varieties with Dwarf Genes Show Promise
- South Asia Biotechnology Centre Invites Public Comments to Support GE Mustard
- Study Highlights Impact of Plant Breeding in the EU
-
Research Highlights
- Fern Protein Expression in Cotton Prevents Whitefly Attack
- Researchers Search for Drought-Related Transcription Factors in Common Bean
-
Plant Breeding Innovations
- Geminivirus-Mediated Genome Editing in Potato Using Sequence-Specific Nucleases
- Researchers Engineer Potyvirus Resistance in Arabidopsis Using CRISPR/Cas9
-
Beyond Crop Biotech
- Trehalase Genes Regulate Expression of the Chitin Synthesis in Red Flour Beetle
-
Resources
- Biotech Crop Annual Updates and Biotech Trait Annual Updates
-
Read the latest: - Crop Biotech Update (August 10, 2022)
- Genome Editing Supplement (August 10, 2022)
- Gene Drive Supplement (July 27, 2022)
-
Subscribe to CBU: - Share
- Tweet