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PMID: 24277199 Published · ppublish English Journal Article

Molecular characterization of the virulence gene virA of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens octopine Ti plasmid.

Plant molecular biology ·Vol. 9 ·No. 6 ·1987-11-00 ·Pages 635-45

Melchers LS, Thompson DV, Idler KB, Neuteboom ST, de Maagd RA, Schilperoort RA, Hooykaas PJ

Abstract

The virulence loci play an essential role in tumor formation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Induction of vir gene expression by plant signal molecules is solely dependent on the virulence loci virA and virG. This study focused on the virA locus of the octopine type Ti plasmid pTi15955. The nucleic acid sequence of a 5.7-kilobase fragment encompassing virA was determined. Genetic analysis of this region revealed that virA contains one open reading frame coding for a protein of 91 639 daltons. Immunodetection with antibodies raised against a 35-kDa VirA fusion protein produced in E. coli identified by the VirA product in wild-type Agrobacterium cells. Moreover, it is shown that the VirA protein is located in the cytoplasmic membrane fraction of Agrobacterium. These data confirm the proposed regulatory function of VirA whereby VirA acts as a membrane sensor protein to identify plant signal molecules in the environment. The proposed sensory function of VirA strikingly resembles the function of the chemotaxis receptor proteins of E. coli.

Authors & Affiliations
7 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Melchers L S
Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL, Leiden, Netherlands.
Thompson D V
Idler K B
Neuteboom S T
de Maagd R A
Schilperoort R A
Hooykaas P J
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Article Info
Journal
Plant molecular biology
Abbr.
Plant Mol Biol
ISSN
0167-4412
DOI
10.1007/BF00020539
Published
1987-11-00
Pages
635-45
Language
English
Region
Netherlands
NLM ID
9106343
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF00020539 View journal details
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