Proteins encoded by Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid DNA (T-DNA) in crown gall tumors.

In order to detect proteins that may be produced in crown gall tumors as a result of expression of incorporated Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid DNA (T-DNA), we have isolated mRNA complementary to T-DNA and translated this in a protein-synthesizing system derived from wheat germ. mRNA prepared from cultured E1 tumor from Nicotiana tabacum hybridized with HindIII fragment 1 sequences of T-DNA immobilized on cellulose nitrate filters. Two proteins of 30,000 and 16,500 M(r) were produced when this selected RNA was released and translated. Other tumor lines from N. tabacum were investigated, and a protein of slightly less than 30,000 M(r) was encoded by HindIII fragment 1 sequences of 15955/01 tumor. No products were observed for 15955/1 tumor line, which differs from E1/B6-806 and 15955/01 in that it does not produce octopine. mRNA species of each of the tumor lines hybridized to Bst I fragment 8 sequences of T-DNA and produced a common protein of 15,000 M(r). Because this protein is derived from the region of the T-DNA that is conserved in octopine- and nopaline-type crown gall tumors, it may play a role in oncogenicity.