Transformation of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.)

Abstract

Transgenic grapevines were regenerated from somatic embryos produced from immature zygotic embryos of two seedless grape selections and from leaves of in vitro-grown plants of `Thompson Seedless'. Somatic embryos were bombarded with gold microparticles using the Biolistic PDS-1000/He device (Bio-Rad Labs) and then exposed to engineered A. tumefaciens EHA101 (E. Hood, WSU). Alternately, somatic embryos were exposed to A. tumefaciens without bombardment. Following cocultivation, secondary embryos multiplied on Emershad and Ramming proliferation medium under kan selection. Transgenic embryos were identified after 3 to 5 months and developed into rooted plants on woody plant medium with 1 mM N6-benzyladenine, 1.5% sucrose, and 0.3% activated charcoal. Seedless selections were transformed with plasmids pGA482GG (J. Slightom, Upjohn) and pCGN7314 (Calgene), which carry GUS and NPTII genes. `Thompson Seedless' was transformed with pGA482GG and pGA482GG/TomRSVcp-15 (D. Gonsalves, Cornell Univ.) containing the tomato ringspot virus coat protein gene. Integration of foreign genes into grapevines was verified by growth on kan, GUS, and PCR assays, and Southern analyses.