(Solved): Crown gall, the common name for Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is one of the most famous plant disease ...

Crown gall, the common name for Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is one of the most famous plant diseases in the world. This bacterium can cause galls in more than 600 plant species, some of which are trees. Members of the rose family, including apples, pears, peaches, and cherries, are especially susceptible; willows and poplars are also vulnerable. Vineyards can be troubled by a closely- related gall species. In scientific circles, crown gall is also famous for its ability to genetically modify its host plant. Like all gall-inducing organisms, \( A \). tumefaciens integrates a segment of its DNA into its host plant's cells; this causes the cells to proliferate, creating visible, and usually disfiguring, galls. Crown Gall, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Illustration by Adelaide Tyrol Image A shows an electron micrograph of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Image \( B \) shows \( A \). tumefaciens interacting with a plant cell. QUESTION: The F-factor in \( A \). tumefaciens is called \( \mathrm{Ti} \) and refers to what key component? the genome the flagella the integral protein the exotoxin the plasmid the fimbrae