Evidence for a cellular gene with potential oncogenic activity in plants
Abstract:
During tumor inception in crown gall disease, a portion of the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid, the transferred DNA (T-DNA), is integrated into the genome of the plant cell. Autonomous growth of the transformants requires expression of genes in the tmr and tms regions of the T-DNA, which code for enzymes concerned with biosynthesis of the plant growth hormones cytokinin and auxin, respectively. We show that a mutation of the Habituated leaf gene, Hl, of tobacco can compensate for a defective tmr locus in expression of the tumor phenotype. This provides evidence that a specific host-cell gene has an oncogenic function similar to tmr in the T-DNA.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Transgenic Plants
The first-ever transgenic plant was a tobacco plant developed in 1983 that showed resistance against the tobacco mosaic virus. Since then, many transgenic plants have been developed and commercialized for improving the agricultural, ornamental, and horticultural value of a crop plant. Transgenic...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cell Signaling in Plants
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity


