Studies on the introduction and mobility of the maize Activator element in Arabidopsis thaliana and Daucus carota.

We have co-transformed carrot (Daucus carota) and Arabidopsis thaliana with an Agrobacterium tumefaciens non-tumorigenic T-DNA carrying the maize transposable element Activator (Ac) and an Agrobacterium rhizogenes Ri T-DNA. We present evidence that the Ac element transposes in transformed root or root-derived callus cultures of both species. We show that fertile plants can be regenerated from transformed, root-derived callus cultures of Arabidopsis, demonstrating the utility of the Ri plasmid for introducing the maize Ac element into plants. We also present evidence that Ac elements that excise from the transforming T-DNA early after transformation continue to be mobile in carrot root cultures.