Gateway™ vectors for functional studies in plant cells

The Gateway™ (Invitrogen) technology provides a rapid method for cloning a DNA fragment into multiple expression vectors regardless of its sequence. Using the Gateway format, we have constructed a set of versatile vectors for plant gene analysis. Where relevant, the Gateway vectors conform with the rfA conversion rules.

Most of the binary constructs we built for Agrobacterium-based plant transformation use pPZP200 as backbone. These constructs carry one of the three most frequently used plant marker genes, selectable with kanamycin, hygromycin or bar. All selectable markers are in a cassette containing the nos (nopaline synthase) promoter and the nos terminator. These genes were cloned toward the left border of the T-DNA.

Our constructs include E. coli high copy number plasmids, useful for transient gene expression in plant cells.

Finally, we also distribute Gateway plasmid accessions built by other groups and used in projects in which we are involved.

This distribution of Gateway vectors is supported by the Functional Genomics unit of the Department of of Plant Systems Biology (VIB-Ghent University).