COMPARISON OF 3 SELECTABLE MARKER GENES FOR TRANSFORMATION OF WHEAT BY MICROPROJECTILE BOMBARDMENT

Three selectable marker genes were compared for their efficacy in the production of transgenic wheat plants following microprojectile bombar dment of cultured immature embryos, While transformed plants were reco vered using the bar (phosphinothricin acetyltransferase) gene in combi nation with bialaphos, and the aphA (neomycin phosphotransferase) gene in combination with geneticin or paromomycin, no transgenic material was obtained with the hpt (hygromycin phosphotransferase) gene and hyg romycin B. Southern analysis revealed single copy as well as multiple copy insertions of the bar and aphA transgenes. Inheritance of these s electable marker genes was demonstrated in the T-1 generation progenie s.