ABSTRACT
The process of introducing a DNA molecule into a host cell is called transformation; when the introduced DNA is a type of viral or bacteriophage DNA, the process is often referred to as transfection. Transient expression assays measure the function of the introduced DNA in the short period of time after the DNA is introduced into the cell (typically within 48 hours of transformation) and do not require the DNA to be replicated or stably integrated into the host chromosome. Several novel approaches to transformation of plants have been developed to circumvent this problem. In spite of the complications, some plant viruses are currently being investigated as vectors for transformation of plants. Although the methods used for introducing DNA into plant cells are often more complex and the selection of transformants more tedious than for other organisms, methods exist that allow the transformation of an increasing variety of plant species.
