Question

Which statement is false about Agrobacterium tumefaciens?

a) The vir region of the ti plasmid integrates into the plant genome.
b) It naturally carries a tumour-inducing ti plasmid.
c) It causes crown gall disease in plants.
d) The T-DNA segment of the ti plasmid encodes for proteins that get expressed in the plant.
e) It is a bacterium often used to make transgenic plants.

Answer 1

The false statement about Agrobacterium tumefaciens is that the vir region of the ti plasmid integrates into the plant genome. In fact, it is the T-DNA segment of the Ti plasmid that integrates, not the vir region. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used to create transgenic plants by transferring modified DNA into plant genomes. Option a is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement about Agrobacterium tumefaciens is: a) The vir region of the ti plasmid integrates into the plant genome. While it is true that Agrobacterium tumefaciens carries tumor-inducing plasmids (Ti plasmids), it is not the vir (virulence) region but the T-DNA segment of the plasmid that integrates into the plant genome.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a bacterium that causes crown gall disease in plants by transferring a portion of its DNA—the T-DNA—into the plant cells. This bacterium is also utilized as a tool for creating transgenic plants, leveraging its ability to transfer genes into plant genomes.

Scientists modify the Ti plasmid by removing tumor-causing genes and inserting the desired DNA fragments which can include antibiotic resistance genes for selection purposes and to ensure successful propagation in both E. coli and plants.