A SIMPLE METHOD FOR ISOLATION, LIQUID CULTURE, TRANSFORMATION AND REGENERATION OF ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA PROTOPLASTS

An efficient technique was developed for the isolation, culture, trans formation and regeneration of protoplasts derived from auxin condition ed Arabidopsis root cultures. On an average 30% of root protoplasts un derwent cell division in liquid culture and formed somatic embryolike structures which regenerated to plants without embedding in Ca2+-algin ate. The protoplast protocol was applicable to different landraces of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., such as RLD, Columbia or C24. PEG-me diated DNA uptake into protoplasts using different uidA reporter gene constructs yielded transient gene expression in over 25% of treated ce lls indicating that root-derived protoplasts are suitable recipients f or transformation.