Virulence genes promote conjugative transfer of the Ti plasmid between Agrobacterium strains

Certain virulence region operons of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid promoted conjugative Ti plasmid transfer. Mutations in the vir region of pTiC58 inhibited conjugative plasmid transfer between A. tumefaciens strains. Mutations in virA, virG, 5' virB, and virE had the greatest effect on plasmid transfer, and mutations in virC had no effect. Transfer inhibition in vir mutants occurred in the presence or absence of acetosyringone.