A new technique for genetic engineering of Agrobacterium Ti plasmid.

A new technique is described that allows easy introduction of foreign genetic elements into specific regions of Agrobacterium tumefaciens DNA. It uses plasmids that (1) can be introduced, but not maintained in A. tumefaciens, (2) have a region homologous to the genome of the recipient, and (3) have an appropriate marker. Selection for the marker will yield transconjugants in which the introduced plasmid has recombined with the host genome. Applications of the technique are described.