Background Genetic transformation is a valuable tool and an important procedure in plant functional genomics contributing to gene discovery, allowing powerful insights into gene function and genetically controlled characteristics. Primulaceae species provide one of the best-known examples of heteromorphic flower development, a breeding system which has attracted considerable attention, including that of Charles Darwin. Molecular approaches, including plant transformation give the best opportunity to define and understand the role of genes involved in floral heteromorphy in the common primrose, Primula vulgaris, along with other Primula species. Results Two transformation systems have been developed in P. vulgaris. The first system, Agrobacterium-mediated vacuum infiltration of seedlings, enables the rapid testing of transgenes, transiently in planta. GUS expression was observed in the cotyledons, true leaves, and roots of Primula seedlings. The second system is based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection of pedicel explants with an average transformation efficiency of 4.6%. This transformation system, based on regeneration and selection of transformants within in vitro culture, demonstrates stable transgene integration and transmission to the next generation. Conclusion The two transformation systems reported here will aid fundamental research into important traits in Primula. Although, stable integration of transgenes is the ultimate goal for such analyses, transient gene expression via Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer, offers a simple and fast method to analyse transgene functions. The second system describes, for the first time, stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Primula vulgaris, which will be key to characterising the genes responsible for the control of floral heteromorphy.

中文翻译：

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农杆菌介导的报春花转化系统。

背景 遗传转化是植物功能基因组学中的一种有价值的工具和重要程序，有助于基因发现，可以深入了解基因功能和遗传控制的特征。报春花科物种提供了异形花发育的最著名例子之一，这是一种引起相当大关注的育种系统，包括查尔斯·达尔文的育种系统。包括植物转化在内的分子方法为定义和了解参与普通报春花、Primula vulgaris 以及其他报春花物种的花异型性的基因的作用提供了最佳机会。结果 已经在 P. vulgaris 中开发了两种转化系统。第一个系统，农杆菌介导的幼苗真空渗透，能够快速检测转基因，暂时在足底。在报春花幼苗的子叶、真叶和根中观察到GUS表达。第二个系统基于根癌农杆菌感染花梗外植体，平均转化效率为 4.6%。该转化系统基于体外培养中转化体的再生和选择，展示了稳定的转基因整合和传递给下一代。结论 这里报道的两种转化系统将有助于对报春花重要性状的基础研究。尽管转基因的稳定整合是此类分析的最终目标，但通过农杆菌介导的 DNA 转移的瞬时基因表达提供了一种简单快速的分析转基因功能的方法。第二个系统首次描述了，