Achievement

Chris Simmons has developed a protocol for rapid in situ imaging of Agrobacterium tumefaciens during infection of leaf tissue. This protocol allows for mapping of bacterial adsorption to different tissues within leaves, which can be used to tailor agroinfiltration conditions to maximize contact between the bacteria and leaf cells and, consequently, promote high-level transient expression of recombinant proteins in agroinfiltrated transgenes. This work was made possible through collaboration with a faculty member in food science and technology who specializes in imaging.