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Our Goals

To provide and empower a wide spectrum of users with the biotechnological tools and freedom to operate.

To develop novel and improved tools, including transformation methods and screenable and selectable marker genes for plant transformation, and novel chemical substrates for in vivo detection and for the supply of growth factors to transformed tissues.

To develop integrated crop management tools, embodied in tissue-specific transgene-activated pro-compounds of agronomic relevance, having in mind ecologically compatible approaches and elimination of toxicity to the farmer and to beneficial organisms.

New Transformation Method

TransBacter™ is a new method for transferring genes to plants, which focuses on the use of non-pathogenic bacteria outside the genus Agrobacterium for gene transfer to plants. The complexity of the patent landscape surrounding Agrobacterium has created both real and perceived obstacles to the effective use of this technology for agricultural improvements by many public and private organizations worldwide.

To address this restrictive environment, bacteria outside the Agrobacterium genus have successfully been modified to mediate gene transfer to a number of diverse plants. See Nature paper and detailed information about the technology and licensing in the Transbacter project link at www.BioForge.org.

In addition to affording a versatile ‘open source’ platform for plant biotechnology, the TransBacter alternative to Agrobacterium-mediated technology for crop improvement may lead to new uses of natural bacteria–plant interactions to achieve plant transformation.

New Genes of Interest

Historically CAMBIA is strongly associated with the ß-glucuronidase gene (gusA) from E.coli. There are thousands of publications documenting its extensive use and versatility as a marker gene for plant genetic transformation and molecular physiology studies.

More recently the hydrolytic capabilities of the gusA gene have been exploited to release aglycones from glucuronides. This principle can be exploited widely either to increase phloem transportability of hydrophobic substances and/or to reactivate inert, biochemical activity compounds to development of novel, second-generation hydrolytic enzymes with improved characteristics (e.g. secretability into the apoplast of plant tissues, improved higher thermal and chemical stability to expand on existing histochemical assay conditions, variants in substrate specificity and processability).

A different approach consists in the development of transport mechanisms based on substrate-specific permeases, to trap the substrates in the cell. Phloem-translocatable, bioactive pro-compounds are being developed as target substrates for the activating enzymes.

These enzymes may also find broad industrial and medical uses, so they are being placed into BioForge projects.

Gene Switches

An essential element toward the goal of ecologically sound, sustainable agricultural practices is the use of tissue-specific, controllable gene switches. The fusion of activating genes (whose products activate pro-compounds) to tissue-specificity conferring promoters is straightforward, although the search can be labor-intensive and intellectual property issues must also be analysed.

Our aim in control of gene expression is the activation by the application of cheap, easily available substances to crops, thereby allowing the farmer to actively participate in the management of transgene use; or the sensing of environmental conditions that the farmer needs to empower crop management decisions.

Tissue-specific promoters, many of which have been isolated and their intellectual property status cleared, complement the chemical switches.

pCAMBIA vectors

CAMBIA has constructed a suite of modular DNA vectors for plant tranformation research. It is often possible for scientists to use one of these vectors "off the shelf" rather than constructing a specific vector for an experiment.

CAMBIA does not warrant freedom to operate using these vectors. The promoters, selectable markers and other components may be subject to valid patent claims of third parties in some jurisdictions.

Not every vector is suitable for every project. For example, if the aim of your research is a promoter study, you may want to choose or modify a pCAMBIA plasmid such that the presence of enhancers does not distort results.

CAMBIA welcomes comments and improvements from the pCAMBIA user community.

For more information (including order form), see the pCAMBIA vectors page.