Work

Enhancing Agrobacterium-Mediated Hairy-Root Transformation Efficiency in Peanut Through the Application of GRF, GIF and WOX Genes

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major oil and economic crop, yet genetic transformation remains inefficient and time-consuming, hindering functional genomics and molecular breeding. Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation provides a fast, stable, and low-cost platform for rapid testing of expression vectors, promoters, and CRISPR constructs, but its performance in peanut is often limited by low induction efficiency, small root biomass, and high variability among explants. Here, we identified multiple peanut Growth-Regulating Factor (GRF) genes, GRF-Interacting Factor (GRF-GIF) fusion genes and WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) genes, constructed high-expression vectors, and delivered them into A. rhizogenes to infect peanut stem segments. Relative to the empty-vector control, expression of these developmental regulators markedly enhanced hairy-root induction and growth: the number of roots per explant increased by 1.3–2.4-fold, and the resulting roots were thicker and more highly branched. GUS staining confirmed stable transgene expression in induced roots. Collectively, these results improve the efficiency of peanut hairy-root systems and provide a practical toolset for rapid functional validation, promoter evaluation, CRISPR activity testing, and metabolic engineering.

Source: Plants

DOI: 10.3390/plants15121889

Authors: Qianqian Zhang, Yuanyuan Cui, Fangjun Chen, Xiaoqin Liu

Institution: Peking University

Language: English

Topic: Plant tissue culture and regeneration

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258