Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation of Paulownia (Paulownia fortunei)

Abstract

Genetically transformed calli of paulownia (Paulownia fortunei) were generated at high frequency after co-cultivation of petiole segments with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 that harbored a binary vector (pBI121) which included genes for GUS and NPT II. The effects of acetosyringone, carbon sources and pH on the transformation of paulownia were examined. The presence of acetosyringone in the co-cultivation medium enhanced the induction efficiency of kanamycin-resistant calli. Sucrose was most suitable carbon source in the medium. The pH of the medium had no significant effect on the efficiency at pH 5 to 8. Successful transformation was confirmed by histochemical analysis of GUS activity in kanamycin-resistant calli, and by the detection of NPT II gene in the genome. Kanamycin-resistant calli induced from petiole segments had the ability of regeneration, however, the frequency of regeneration of shoot was very low.