More Questions from Gene Transfer in Plants

Opines in crown gall tumors Which opine classes can be present in plant crown gall tissues induced by Agrobacterium?

Biotechnology Gene Transfer in Plants Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
  • A
    Octopine
  • B
    Nopaline
  • C
    Agropine
  • D
    All of these
  • E
    Only amino acids produced by normal plant metabolism

Answer

Correct Answer: All of these

Explanation

Introduction / Context:Opines are unusual amino acid–derived compounds synthesized by T-DNA-transformed plant cells. Their profiles (octopine, nopaline, agropine, and related types) help classify Ti plasmids and confirm successful Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Recognizing opine diversity is important for diagnostics and historical understanding of Ti plasmid biology.

Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Crown gall tissues carry integrated T-DNA expressing opine synthase genes.
  • Different Ti plasmid types encode different opine synthases.
  • Question asks which opines can be present overall, not in a single tumor simultaneously.

Concept / Approach:Octopine-type Ti plasmids drive octopine synthesis; nopaline-type produce nopaline; agropine-type produce agropine and sometimes related opines. Hence, across crown gall cases, all these opines are encountered. Each opine type reflects the plasmid carried by the infecting Agrobacterium strain.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Identify opine classes: octopine, nopaline, agropine.Recall linkage: opine type ↔ Ti plasmid genotype.Note that the question asks inclusively about crown gall tissues in general.Select “All of these.”

Verification / Alternative check:Paper chromatography and later HPLC analyses of tumor extracts historically distinguished octopine vs nopaline tumors, establishing the correlation between opine profile and Ti plasmid type.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Single opine choices ignore diversity across strains.
  • Normal plant amino acids: opines are novel conjugates not made by untransformed tissues.

Common Pitfalls:Assuming a single tumor makes multiple unrelated opines; typically, the opine profile reflects the infecting plasmid type, not a mixture from all classes.

Final Answer:All of these

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