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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313495
Title: Plant transformation via pollen tube-mediated gene transfer

Author
item ASJAD, ALI - Dongguk University
item BANG, SUN - Dongguk University
item CHUNG, SANG-MIN - Dongguk University
item Staub, Jack

Submitted to: Plant Molecular Biology Reporter
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2014
Publication Date: 12/9/2014
Citation: Asjad, A., Bang, S.W., Chung, S., Staub, J.E. 2014. Plant transformation via pollen tube-mediated gene transfer. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 33:742-747.

Interpretive Summary: Traditional genetic improvement (plant breeding) in many crop species has resulted in increased yield and quality, as well as enhanced biotic (biological) and abiotic (environmental) stress (reduced plant function) tolerance. Nevertheless, modern plant engineering techniques have provided plant breeders with additional tools for increasing breeding efficiency. Genetic transformation (biotechnology that inserts DNA from one organism into another) allows for the introduction of foreign genes that can enhance plant performance (e.g., disease resistance and stress tolerance). Successful plant transformation has employed several biological techniques to achieve plant improvement (yield and/or quality). Each of these transformation techniques requires plant cell preparation and manipulation prior to facilitating genetic changes, followed by the successful regeneration (the development of a plant from a single cell of transformed plants. Transformation using these methodologies requires a high level of expertise and technical skill, and often involves expensive equipment. By contrast, the pollen-tube-mediated gene transfer (PTT) method is comparatively simple and avoids the traditional regeneration processes that are inherent in other transformation systems. This review summarizes the biotechnologies involved with PTT and reviews the history of its use in plant improvement.

Technical Abstract: Genetic transformation using foreign genes and the subsequent development of transgenic plants has been employed to develop enhanced elite germplasm. Although some skepticism exits regarding pollen tube-mediated gene transfer (PTT), reports demonstrating improved transformation efficiency with PTT systems are increasing and encouraging and the adoption of increasingly refined pollenmediated methodologies may lead to species-dependent improvements in breeding. Here, we highlight PTT technology as an alternative to genetic transformation.