Select the correct statements with respect to Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
(A) It is a pathogen of many monocot plants.
(B) It can deliver T-DNA and transform normal plant cells into tumor
(C) Tumor inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is modified into a pathogenic cloning vector.
(D) Tumor inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used to deliver genes of interest into plants.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (B) and (D) Only
(A) It is a pathogen of many monocot plants. — False. It is a pathogen of several dicot plants.
(B) It can deliver T-DNA and transform normal plant cells into tumor — True.
(C) Tumor inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is modified into a pathogenic cloning vector. — False. The Ti plasmid is modified into a vector that is no more pathogenic.
(D) Tumor inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used to deliver genes of interest into plants. — True.
NCERT Extract:
Cloning Vectors – “… (iv) Vectors for cloning genes in plants and animals : You may be surprised to know that we have learnt the lesson of transferring genes into plants and animals from bacteria and viruses which have known this for ages – how to deliver genes to transform eukaryotic cells and force them to do what the bacteria or viruses want. For example, Agrobacterium tumifaciens, a pathogen of several dicot plants is able to deliver a piece of DNA known as ‘ T-DNA’ to transform normal plant cells into a tumor and direct these tumor cells to produce the chemicals required by the pathogen. Similarly, retroviruses in animals have the ability to transform normal cells into cancerous cells. A better understanding of the art of delivering genes by pathogens in their eukaryotic hosts has generated knowledge to transform these tools of pathogens into useful vectors for delivering genes of interest to humans. The tumor inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumifaciens has now been modified into a cloning vector which is no more pathogenic to the plants but is still able to use the mechanisms to deliver genes of our interest into a variety of plants.”