NEETZoologyBiotechnology - Principles and Processes
What is the main benefit of using the tumor inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumifaciens as a cloning vector?
Options
- AIt is no longer pathogenic to plants
- BIt is able to deliver genes of interest into humans
- CIt is still able to use the mechanisms of pathogens to deliver genes
- DIt is able to transform normal cells into cancerous cells
Correct answer
C. It is still able to use the mechanisms of pathogens to deliver genes
Step-by-step solution
You may be surprised to know that we have learnt the lesson of transferring genes into plants and animals from bacteria and viruses which have known this for ages – how to deliver genes to transform eukaryotic cells and force them to do what the bacteria or viruses want. For example, Agrobacterium tumifaciens , a pathogen of several dicot plants is able to deliver a piece of DNA known as ‘T-DNA’ to transform normal plant cells into a tumor and direct these tumor cells to produce the chemicals required by the pathog