In the field of plant transgenics, the use of the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens has proven useful because the bacterium:
A) is not attacked by plant immune systems
B) has been genetically engineered to penetrate the plant cell wall
C) can directly modify the plant genome
D) is found naturally in almost all species of plants
E) is able to transfer a plasmid into host plant cells

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a bacterium that naturally infects plants and transfers a piece of its own DNA into the plant genome. This transferred DNA can cause the plant to develop tumors. However, scientists have harnessed this ability of Agrobacterium to transfer DNA into plants to create transgenic plants. In transgenic plants, the transferred DNA contains genes that give the plant new or enhanced traits, such as resistance to pests or herbicides.

In the Field of Plant Transgenics, the Use of the Bacterium