Transformation of a CAM plant, the facultative halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

This study is the first to demonstrate that a foreign DNA can be delivered into cells of facultative halophyte crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This plant can be induced to change from C3 to CAM by drought and various stresses, and is a good model to study the environment stress on metabolism not only at whole plant but also at cell level. The β-glucuronidase (GUS) and kanamycin (Km) resistance genes were introduced into this plant. The average successful rate of transformation was about 54.5% with root tissue or 53.0% with hypocotyl tissue. Based on the resistance to Km, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection and GUS expression, transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens was successful for introducing foreign genes into M. crystallinum.