Agrobacterium mediated transformed sorghum

Abstract

Methods and compositions for the efficient transformation of sorghum is provided. The method involves infection with Agrobacterium, particularly those comprising a super-binary vector. In this manner, any gene of interest can be introduced into the sorghum plant. The transformed gene will be flanked by at least one T-DNA border and present in the transformed sorghum in low copy number. Transformed sorghum, cells, tissues, plants, and seed are also provided. The invention encompasses regenerated, fertile sorghum plants, transgenic seeds produced therefrom, T1 and subsequent generations.

That which is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An Agrobacterium-transformed sorghum plant wherein said plant comprises fewer than 5 copies of a nucleic acid of interest flanked by at least one T-DNA border sequence incorporated in its genome.  
     
     
         2 . The sorghum plant of  claim 1 , wherein said plant comprises less than 3 copies of said nucleic acid sequence.  
     
     
         3 . The sorghum plant of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid further comprises at least one expression cassette comprising a gene which confers resistance to a selection agent.  
     
     
         4 . The sorghum plant of  claim 3 , wherein said gene is bar, pat, ALS, HPH, HYG, EPSP or Hm1.  
     
     
         5 . The sorghum plant of  claim 4 , wherein said gene which confers resistance to a selection agent is bar.  
     
     
         6 . The sorghum plant of  claim 3 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises a second expression cassette comprising at least one gene of interest.  
     
     
         7 . A transformed seed of the plant of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         8 . A transformed plant from the seed of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         9 . A transformed cell of the plant of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         10 . A transformed cell of the plant of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A transformed tissue of the plant of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A sorghum plant transformed by contacting an immature embryo from a sorghum plant with an Agrobacterium comprising a nucleic acid of interest; 
 co-cultivating said immature embryo with said Agrobacterium;    culturing said immature embryo in a medium comprising an antibiotic capable of inhibiting the growth of said Agrobacterium; and    regenerating a transformed sorghum plant, said plant comprising fewer than 5 copies of said nucleic acid flanked by at least one T-DNA border sequence incorporated in its genome.    
     
     
         13 . The sorghum plant of  claim 12 , wherein said plant comprises less than 3 copies of said nucleic acid sequence.  
     
     
         14 . The sorghum plant of  claim 12 , wherein said nucleic acid further comprises at least one expression cassette comprising a gene which confers resistance to a selection agent and wherein the culturing further comprises a selection agent.  
     
     
         15 . A transformed seed of the plant of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         16 . A transformed plant from the seed of  claim 15 .  
     
     
         17 . A transformed cell of the plant of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         18 . A transformed cell of the plant of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         19 . A sorghum plant transformed by contacting an immature embryo from a sorghum plant with an Agrobacterium comprising a vector which comprises; 
 a nucleic acid comprising at least one expression cassette comprising a gene of interest; and    a nucleic acid comprising at least one expression cassette comprising a gene which confers resistance to a selection agent;    co-cultivating said immature embryo with said Agrobacterium;    culturing said immature embryo in a medium comprising an antibiotic capable of inhibiting the growth of said Agrobacterium and a selection agent; and    regenerating a transformed sorghum plant, said plant comprising fewer than 5 copies of said vector flanked by at least one T-DNA border sequence incorporated in its genome.    
     
     
         20 . The sorghum plant of  claim 19  wherein the co-cultivating further comprises and antioxidant.  
     
     
         21 . A transformed seed of the plant of  claim 19 .  
     
     
         22 . A transformed plant from the seed of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         23 . A transformed cell of the plant of  claim 22 .  
     
     
         24 . A transformed cell of the plant of claim  19 .