Conservation of an Agrobacterium cT-DNA insert in Camellia section Thea reveals the ancient origin of tea plants from a genetically modified ancestor.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Many higher plants contain cellular T-DNA (cT-DNA) sequences from Agrobacterium and have been called "natural genetically modified organisms" (nGMOs). Among these natural transformants, the tea plant Camellia sinensis var. sinensis cv. Shuchazao contains a single 5.5 kb T-DNA fragment (CaTA) with three inactive T-DNA genes, with a 1 kb inverted repeat at the ends. Camellia plants are allogamous, so that each individual may contain two different CaTA alleles.

Methods

142 Camellia accessions, belonging to 10 of 11 species of the section Thea, were investigated for the presence of CaTA alleles.

Results discussion

All accessions were found to contain the CaTA insert, showing that section Thea derives from a sin

SUBMITTER: Chen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9763466 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature