Introducing dna into plant cells

Abstract

The present invention provides means and methods for simple and efficient introduction of foreign genetic material into the plant cell. Particularly, the present invention combines seed priming and virus-based DNA constructs for efficient introduction of heterologous DNA into plants.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A primed seed which transiently expresses a heterologous DNA, wherein said heterologous DNA was introduced into the seed by a method comprising priming a plant seed with a medium for said priming, wherein said medium contains the heterologous DNA inserted into a DNA expression construct, wherein said priming initiates seed germination but does not allow radicle emergence. 
     
     
         2 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , being dried. 
     
     
         3 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , wherein said medium has a water potential enabling seed imbibition but not radicle emergence. 
     
     
         4 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , wherein said DNA expression construct is a viral DNA expression construct. 
     
     
         5 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , wherein said viral DNA expression construct is a Geminiviral DNA construct. 
     
     
         6 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , wherein said Geminiviral DNA expression construct is a Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) DNA construct. 
     
     
         7 . The primed seed of  claim 1 , wherein said heterologous DNA was not introduced into the seed by microinjecting or particle bombardment.