MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF THE GENOME OF TRANSGENIC RICE (ORYZA-SATIVA L.)PLANTS PRODUCED VIA PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT OR INTACT CELL ELECTROPORATION

In the present work we utilised some of the most discriminative molecu lar tools, such as RAPD, AFLP, AFRP and RAMP, to analyse the genome of independently derived transgenic plants from three elite Italian cult ivars (cv. Lido, Carnaroli and Thaibonnet) and found that two methods for direct gene transfer, namely particle bombardment and intact cell electroporation (the latter being a procedure set up in this work), re sult in transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants that exhibit negligib le genomic changes. This is in contrast with recently published result s showing relevant changes in the DNA of transgenic rice plants genera ted through protoplasts electroporation and of transgenic poplar plant s engineered through Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of selecting appropria te gene transfer methodologies to produce transgenic plants expressing genes of interest while retaining their genomic integrity and, thus, their superior agronomic and/or industrial traits.