How Agrobacterium tumefaciens is responsible for crown gall disease?

Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease on a wide range of host species by transferring and integrating a part of its own DNA, the T-DNA, into the plant genome (Chilton et al., 1977). This unique mode of action has also made the bacterium an important tool in plant breeding.

What causes crown gall disease?

Crown gall is caused by the bacterial plant pathogen, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Crown gall bacteria enter plant roots through wounds. Wounds may have been created by planting, grafting, soil insect feeding, root damage from excavation or other forms of physical damage.

What is crown gall disease?

Crown gall is a plant disease caused by the soil-inhabiting bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The bacterium causes abnormal growths or galls on roots, twigs, and branches of euonymus and other shrubs primarily in the rose family. The bacterium stimulates the rapid growth of plant cells that results in the galls.

How does Agrobacterium tumefaciens cause crown gall disease?

Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease on various plant species by introducing its T-DNA into the genome. Therefore, Agrobacterium has been extensively studied both as a pathogen and an important biotechnological tool. The infection process involves the transfer of T-DNA and virulence proteins into the plant cell.

What kind of plants are affected by crown gall disease?

The disease mostly affects dicotyledon species such as woody & herbaceous plants. Can be identified by the appearance of tumors of various size & shape at lower stem & main roots of the plant. Tumor cells use plant metabolites to form nutrients for bacterial growth. Crown gall disease affects many commercially important crops such as: Vines.

What causes the growth of crown gall tumors?

The ability to cause disease is that tumor tissue growth depends on the ability of Agrobacterium species to transfer the bacterial genes into the plant genome. Agrobacterium tumefaciens naturally affect the wound site in the dicotyledonous plant causing the formation of crown gall tumors.

What happens to a tree with crown gall?

The leaves of plants with a heavy crown gall infection are yellowed and smaller than those of healthy plants. Plant death from crown gall only occurs when young plants are covered in galls, or a gall is fully girdling the trunk or stem. Mature trees can survive even a large amount of galls, but they are more susceptible to heat, drought,