Nicotiana tabacum Transformation

Nicotiana tabacum, also known as cultivated tobacco, is an annually-grown herbaceous plant that belongs to the Solanaceae family. Originated from the tropical and subtropical Americas,  Tobacco is a rich source of the alkaloid nicotine and has a long history of use as a herbal medicine and social stimulant. So far, tobacco has been cultivated worldwide, not only as a primary cash crop, but also as an ideal model for the study of plant genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology.

Currently, there are multiple ways for the generation of transgenic tobacco plants. The most widely used method is the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with leaf disks, which can be induced to produce embryogenic callus and regenerated into whole plants. This method provides genetically stable plants with high transformation efficiency and relatively short turnaround time. On the other side, transient transformation of tobacco can be realized by injecting engineered Agrobacterium into the abaxial surface of the leaf (Figure 1). This method allows temporal modulation of gene expression. Aside from Agrobacterium induction, transformation of tobacco can be performed via other approaches, such as microparticle bombardment and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation of protoplasts.

Lifeasible has developed a highly efficient and feasible platform that covers services for all tobacco transformation methods mentioned above. With superior expertise and years of experience in plant research, we are devoted to offering worldwide customers with customized protocols that are amenable to a number of selection agents including but not limited to kanamycin, hygromycin, glufosinate, and mannose. Moreover, multiple high-class tobacco varieties (Xanthi, NB, K326, yun87, CB-1, SR1, W38, G28, and AK16) and Agrobacterium strains(GV3101, AGL-1, EHA101, EHA105, LBA4404, and C58C1) are also available in our service catalog. We strive to give our customers the highest quality services to acclimate their diverse requirements.

Figure 1. Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation of tobacco by leaf microinjection (Smith, 2012).