Cork Oak Trees (Quercus suber L.)

A transformation system for selected mature Quercus suber L. trees using Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been established. Embryos obtained from recurrent proliferating embryogenic masses are inoculated with AGL1 strain harbouring the plasmid pBINUbiGUSint, which carries the npt II and uidA genes. Evidence of stable transgene integration is obtained by polymerase chain reaction for npt II and uidA genes, Southern blotting and expression of the uidA gene. The transgenic embryos are germinated and successfully transferred to soil.