ABSTRACT
Transformation of three potato cultivars (Desiree, Isola and Anaç) was achieved using tuber discs and callus tissue derived from cultured stems via co-cultivation with Agrobacterium tumafaciens Ti plasmid based vectors. Neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) marker and β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter genes were used in transfer-optimization studies. First selection of transgenics was done on selective Murashige and Skoog (MS) media containing 100 mg/l kanamycin and 500 mg/l cefotaxime. Histochemical assays were done for GUS activity using X-Gluc substrat. In addition polymerase chain reaction based Southern blot analyses revealed the existence of the transferred genes. The highest transformation frequency (10%) was obtained with cultivar Desiree in MS media supplied with 5 mg/l zeatin riboside and 1.5 mg/l indolacetic acid. However, Anaç gave the lowest frequency using tuber discs (3%) and stem explants (2%). This protocol could be useful for the improvement of potato through gene manipulation.