REGENERATION OF TRANSGENIC PLANTS OF GRAPEVINE (VITIS-VINIFERA L) VIA AGROBACTERIUM-RHIZOGENES-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION OF EMBRYOGENIC CALLI

Genetically transformed roots and calli were induced from leaf segments of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Koshusanjaku) after co-cultivation with wild-type Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains, but plant regeneration from them was not achieved. On the other hand, transgenic grapevine plants were obtained via somatic embryogenesis after co-cultivation of embryogenic calli with an engineered A. rhizogenes strain including both the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II) and the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) genes, followed by selection of secondary embryos for kanamycin resistance. All these plants showed GUS gene expression revealed by histochemical assay. Southern blot analysis revealed the stable integration of the GUS cording region in their genome. Transformants containing Ri T-DNA exhibited various phenotypes: most of them showed a typical Ri-transformed phenotype such as wrinkled leaves, while the others looked normal.