Non-oncogenic T-region mutants of Agrobacterium tumefaciens do transfer T-DNA into plant cells

A new procedure for site-directed mutagenesis has been applied to the shooting and rooting loci of T-DNA of an octopine Ti-plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Mutants have been obtained which induced tumours that either developed shoots or produced more roots than normally observed. Double mutations, in which both types of T-DNA loci were affected, resulted in non-oncogenic strains. Indications have been obtained, showing that T-DNA coded oncogenic functions can be eliminated without affecting T-DNA transfer into plant cells.