Commercial scale genetic transformation of mature seed embryo explants in maize.

A novel, efficient maize genetic transformation system was developed using -mediated transformation of embryo explants from mature seeds. Seeds from field grown plants were sterilized and crushed to isolate embryo explants consisting of the coleoptile, leaf primordia, and shoot apical meristem which were then purified from the ground seed bulk preparation. The infection of relevant tissues of seed embryo explants (SEEs) by was improved by the centrifugation of the explants.

Direct Germline Transformation of Cotton Meristem Explants With No Selection.

Regeneration of transgenic plants without selectable markers can facilitate the development and commercialization of trait stacking products. A wide range of strategies have been developed to eliminate selectable markers to produce marker-free transgenic plants. The most widely used marker free approach is probably the -based 2 T-DNA strategy where the gene-of-interest (GOI) and selectable marker gene are delivered from independent T-DNAs (Darbani et al.

"Cell grafting": a new approach for transferring cytoplasmic or nuclear genome between plants.

A new method based on mixing and wounding of callus tissue was used to transfer plastid or nuclear DNA between cells. Methods alternative to sexual hybridization can be powerful tools for crop improvement. We have developed a new hybridization technology based on wounding a mixed population of cells of two parents growing in vitro as callus ("cell grafting"), and have demonstrated the utility of this system for plastid or nuclear genome transfer.