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. 1984 Aug;81(16):5071–5075. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.16.5071

Crown gall oncogenesis: evidence that a T-DNA gene from the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid pTiA6 encodes an enzyme that catalyzes synthesis of indoleacetic acid.

L S Thomashow, S Reeves, M F Thomashow
PMCID: PMC391639  PMID: 6089175

Abstract

Stable incorporation of tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid sequences, the T-DNA, into the genomes of dicotyledonous plants results in the formation of crown gall tumors. Previous genetic studies have suggested that the products of the genes encoding transcripts 1 and 2, which are encoded by the TL-DNA region of pTiA6, are responsible for inducing the auxin-independent phenotype of crown gall tissues. Here we report the construction of a plasmid, pMTlacT2, which directs the synthesis of the Mr 49,800 polypeptide encoded by the transcript 2 gene. Cell-free extracts prepared from Escherichia coli harboring this plasmid converted indoleacetamide to indoleacetic acid, the natural auxin of plants; extracts prepared from plasmidless strains of E. coli or strains harboring the cloning vehicle pBR322 did not carry out this reaction. We conclude that the transcript 2 gene of pTiA6 codes for an enzyme that participates in auxin biosynthesis, probably an indoleacetamide hydrolase.

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Selected References

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