Date of Award

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. Lrista Stenger

Abstract

The word "pathogen" ofen brings to mind morose images and other words such as "illness," "malaria," and "outbreak": words associated with animal pathogens, in particular, the ones that make us humans sick. However, some pathogens also affect another major kingdom, plants, and one of the more devastating pathogens to the plant kingdom is the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This organism has a Type IV Secretion System that allows it to transfer a piece of t-DNA into the host cell; this DNA integrates into the eukaryotic genome and establishes in ction by utilizing the host's transcription machinery. This unique and effective means of infection has been utilized industrially to generate numerous transgenic crops.

Included in

Biology Commons

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