Obtaining transgenic Anthurium through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of etiolated internodes

Several procedures were tested in development of a gene transfer protocol for anthurium. Etiolated internode segments of anthurium cultivars 'Rudolph' and 'UH1060' were co-cultured with Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 carrying the chimeric genes neo, for antibiotic resistance, and att encoding antibacterial attacin. Assays of genomic DNA and RNA from kanamycin-resistant 'Rudolph' and DNA from 'UH1060' plantlets, recovered as soon as 1 year after culture on selection media, indicated the presence of introduced genes, including neo and att, and transcription of aft. Western analysis confirmed the expression of attacin protein in calli induced from laminae of regenerated kanamycin-resistant 'Rudolph' plantlets. Use of tobacco nurse cells during co-cultivation of internodes with Agrobacterium did not increase recovery of shoots under the regeneration conditions used. Improvements in culture and antibiotic selection conditions during plant development are suggested.