Efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Lilium Oriental ‘Sorbonne’ with genes encoding anthocyanin regulators

Plant anthocyanin biosynthesis is regulated by a combination of transcription factors. Here, exogenous anthocyanin regulator genes Delila/Rosea1 (Del/Ros1) or Bperu/Colored aleurone1 (B1/C1) were introduced to Lilium ‘Sorbonne’ using an efficient and optimized Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation system. During the B1/C1 transformation, eight types of modified MS medium for bacterial inoculation and co-cultivation were evaluated. Significant enhancement in putative transformation efficiency was observed upon the removal of KH2PO4, NH4NO3 and KNO3, or with the removal of all the macro elements. Using the optimal medium, 20 s sonication positively affected the transformation, while no significant improvement was observed following heat shock treatments. Replacing sucrose in co-cultivation medium with high concentrations of maltose or glucose also promoted the transformation. Higher transformation efficiencies were observed when using this optimized protocol for the Del/Ros1 transformation. The ...