Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to develop efficient transformation protocol for cucumber cv. Poinsett 76 using Agrobacterium strain EHA 105. Five-day-old mature cotyledon explants was used for transformation study. The infected explants were co-cultivated for 2 days in MS medium containing BA (1.0 mg L-1). The selection of transformed shoots was carried out in MS medium fortified with BA (1.0 mg L-1), Cefotaxime (300 mg L -1) and PPT (2.0 mg L-1). The transformed shoots were elongated in MS medium containing BA (1.0 mg L-1), Cefotaxime (300 mg L-1), PPT (2.0 mg L-1) along with GA3 (0.5 mg L-1). The rooting of elongated shoots was achieved in MS medium with BA (1.0 mg L-1), Cefotaxime (300 mg L-1), PPT (2.0 mg L-1) and IBA (0.6mg L-1). The transient GUS expression assay and leaf disc assay were carried out in order to find transformed shoots. The molecular confirmation of transformed shoots revealed the foreign gene integration into cucumber genome. © 2007 Science Publications.