Final answer:
In Agrobacterium, sensory kinases and response regulators make up a two-component signaling system, facilitating interactions with the environment and gene regulation, crucial for genetic engineering in plants.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Agrobacterium, sensory kinases and response regulators comprise a two-component signaling system. This system plays a crucial role in how bacteria interact with their environment and regulate gene expression in response to external stimuli. The two-component system is essential for the process of horizontal gene transfer during which Agrobacterium introduces parts of its DNA into plant cells, notably through the use of its Ti plasmid. This unique ability of Agrobacterium is harnessed in genetic engineering for the creation of transgenic plants. Essentially, the sensory kinase detects environmental signals and phosphorylates the response regulator, which then activates or represses gene expression, coordinating the bacteria's actions with changes in its surroundings.