Question

Name a ‘natural genetic engineer’ of plants.

Answer 1

Genetic engineering is a technique where the manipulation, modification, and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules takes place artificially to modify an organism. When the process is performed by natural elements then it will be called a natural genetic engineer.

Complete answer:
Genetic engineering is the direct method of manipulation and recombination of an organism's genes in the field of biotechnology. This is also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation. This technology is used to change the genetic figuration of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce new organisms. Through two types, new DNA can be obtained. First is isolating and copying the genetic material of recombinant DNA methods and another method is synthesizing the DNA artificially. A construct is usually created and used to insert this DNA into the host organism.
The genetic engineering works are mainly executed by the transfer of genes, i. e. transfer of DNA from one organism to the other. The desired DNA is planted into a vector and is transferred into the grown-up cell. This process is known as transformation. All these techniques are executed in biochemical laboratories to invent the desired organism genetically. The entire process of transformation is performed by scientists, known as genetic engineers.
When this transformation takes place by the natural molecule then the molecule will be called a natural genetic engineer. The bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens gram-negative soil bacteria. These bacteria contain a plasmid inside its cell which is an extrachromosomal self-replicating small DNA. This plasmid is known as Ti plasmid or tumour-inducing plasmid. This plasmid is responsible for the overproduction of growth factors in the host cells, which finally causes the proliferation of cells & tumour formation.
This bacterium gets attached to the suitable root cells of plants in which DNA can be transferred. After that, the bacterium prepares its plasmid ready and delivered through t-pilus which is developed by the type IV secretion system. Then it moves the DNA which is also known as t-DNA into the plant host cell. Several viral proteins are required to assist this transfer of DNA. The t-DNA is transferred and mobilized into the host chromosome which finally occurs tumour development in the host.
This whole process of transferring DNA and mobilizing in the host chromosome is performed & monitored by the bacteria itself. That is why Agrobacterium tumefaciens are called the natural genetic engineers of plants. They are utilised as vectors for plant genetic engineering.

Note: Genetic engineering is the process of transferring DNA from organisms to others to produce the desired DNA. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is gram-negative soil bacteria that has the ability to transfer its DNA into the host cell of plants and mobilize the DNA into the host. The whole process of transformation and integration is performed and regulated by this bacterium naturally. For that reason, the Agrobacterium tumefaciens is called natural genetic engineers of plants.