Molybdenum-Cofactor Gene Transfer into Nitrate Reductase Deficient Plant Cells through Intergeneric Protoplast Fusion

Abstract

Although plant protoplasts have been used for several years to combine the genetic informations of two distinct plants, the success is confined mainly to closely related species¹. As a result of the restrictions caused by various somatic incompatibility responses^2–3, attention has focused on the transfer of limited genes from the gene pool of somatic cells. In the present communication, we report intergeneric gene transfer resulting in a stable correction of the molybdenum cofactor deficiency of nitrate auxotrophic plant cells. The transfer was accomplished via the fusion of mutant and highly irradiated donor plant protoplasts.