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Fungal Zoospore-Mediated Delivery of a Foreign Gene to Wheat Roots. Lingyu Zhang, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Amitava Mitra(2), Roy C. French(3), and Willem G. Langenberg(4). (2)Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; (3)(4)Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Lincoln, NE 68583. Phytopathology 84:684-687. Accepted for publication 15 April 1994. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1994. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-84-684.

The primitive fungus Olpidium brassicae is an obligate plant parasite that acts as a natural virus vector transmitting tobacco necrosis virus and certain other viruses to roots of many monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Plasmid pAM981, carrying the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, was packaged by dissociated capsid protein of tobacco necrosis virus. The resulting nucleoprotein complexes were acquired by O. brassicae zoospores and transmitted to wheat roots. Transient expression of CAT in wheat roots was detected, indicating that transformation can be achieved if plants can be regenerated from root tissue.

Additional keywords: genetic engineering, plant transformation, vector.