Photo by V. Miller
Feb. 9, 2005
Cold Tolerance
Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Citrus and Tomato for Enhancing Cold Tolerance
Sravya Ramadugu Keremane, 14, Gainesville, Fla.
Wings Channel "EAA Aviation Camp" Award, Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, 2004
Project background: After her family's orange tree died during a freeze, Sravya wondered if plants could be made resistant to cold. Her father, a plant virologist, and another scientist encouraged her to explore use of a gene that slows cell death in plants.
Tactics and results: During the first 2 years of the project, Sravya learned how to insert the gene Bcl-xl into a bacterium that infects plants (see http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040324/ScienceFairZone.asp ). This year, she treated citrus stems and tomato seedlings with the bacterium, hoping the plants would take up the gene.
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| Photo by V. Miller |
Sravya then tested plant tissue samples via DNA amplification and found that they were indeed transgenic—they had incorporated the new gene. These plants are now bearing fruit, and Sravya plans to test them for cold tolerance this winter. "It is a learning process that never ends," she says.
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