Tomato is one of the model species used for crop transformation. The first transgenic tomato variety, known as Flavr Savr?, was approved for sale in the USA in 1994. The introduced trait of this cultivar is delayed ripening. In 1996, its acreage was reported to be 10,000 acres. Another variety characterised by delayed ripening is Endless Summer?, approved in 1995. There are some other cultivars with new traits, such as thicker skin, altered pectin or resistance to viruses (TSWV, ToMV) either approved or pending approval. In addition, a wide range of basic research on tomato transformation has been carried out, including studies on resistance to herbicides, viruses, fungi, bacteria, insects as well as on altered transcription regulation, ripening, carotenoid synthesis, level of auxines and cytokinines, carbohydrates, proteins and specific vaccines. Further improvement of tomato varieties is expected with the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Tomato belongs to important crops widely cultivated all over the world. It is also one of the five most popular vegetables grown in Poland. At the same time, tomato is known to be a model species in modern biology and biotechnology. Since 1985 a lot of reports on tomato transformation with the use of Agrobacterium have been published. Recently, first transgenic varieties of this species have also been developed. Flavr Savr? obtained by Calgene, USA was the first cultivar obtained as a result of genetic engineering, officially registered in the United States. In our Department the methods of tomato transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens have been adapted and optimised. Numerous transgenic plants have been obtained, such as commercial varieties (Beta, Potentat), inbred lines as well as tomato mutants (non-ripening, lateral suppressor). The following genes were introduced to the above forms: beta-glucuronidase reporter gene (gusA), thaumatin gene (sweet protein), isopentenyl transferase gene (ipt, coding the key enzyme in cytokinin metabolic pathway) and thus homozygous lines were developed (T2 generation). Most recently, attempts have been made to incorporate mgfp5-ER gene coding green fluorescence protein, nucleoprotein (N) gene from tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and cDNA of putative P450 cytochrome (CYP72) in order to test gene expression and interaction.
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