Theoretical and Biotechnological Approaches in the Institute of Biology Bucharest between 1975 - 2015 Based on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture Technology

Abstract

The year 1975 marked the beginning of research on plant biotechnology at the Institute of Biology Bucharest by the study of in vitro culture of plant cells. The team of researchers was coordinated by Dr. Aurelia BREZEANU within the Laboratory of Plant Morphogenesis and Genetic Engineering.

During the first stage (1975-1983) several basic research topics were studied, that contributed to a better understanding of the biology of the plant development:

- Plant in vitro cytodifferentiation and morphogenesis;

- Apoptosis and senescence in plants, using crown gall tissues infected by Agrobacterium tumefaciens;

- The role of endo- and exogenous factors in expressing the androgenetic and/or gynogenetic potential thus regenerating haploid plants used in programs of genetic improvement;

- Protoplasts technology, a pioneer activity in Romania. The studies were focused on microbial protoplasts (yeasts, bacteria) and plant protoplasts and included isolation of protoplasts, their chemical or electric fusion, plant cell regeneration, used in experiments of parasexual interspecific plant hybridization.

- Important results were obtained in the field of microbial genetic engineering and plant transgenesis.