Wheat dwarf virus Ac/Ds vectors: expression and excision of transposable elements introduced into various cereals by a viral replicon

The maize transposon Activator (Ac) and in vitro-generated nonautonomous derivatives thereof [AcΔ or Dissociation (Ds) elements] were inserted into the genome of a geminivirus of graminaceous plants, wheat dwarf virus, at a site that does not interfere with viral replication. These recombinant viral genomes were introduced into wheat, maize, and rice protoplasts, where rapid and efficient excision of Ac was observed. Excision was detected only in vectors in which, after transfection, the virus could replicate. This result is not restricted to the autonomous Ac; excision of Ds elements was also induced by transposase activity provided in trans by plasmids expressing the cDNA of Ac. The potential of this combination of a transposon with a viral replicon for plant molecular genetic engineering is discussed.