Units of genetic expression in the virulence region of a plant tumor-inducing plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The effect of a large number of Tn3 insertions in the vir region of the Ti plasmid pTiA6NC on the virulence of Agrobacterium was determined. The Vir- insertions were mapped in three of the five loci that have been defined previously. Merodiploid Rec- strains carrying one insertion mutation on the Ti plasmid and another insertion mutation (or the homologous wild-type region) on a compatible plasmid were constructed and used in complementation tests for virulence in test plants. This analysis has revealed that there are ten units of gene expression, presumably transcription units in the vir region. Mutation in one of these units is confirmed to be dominant while those in all others are recessive. Co-infection of test plants with pairs of insertion mutants did not restore virulence.