Kinetics of DNA degradation in transgenic plant leaves in the residuosphere

The research aimed to answer some questions regarding the process of degradation and transformation ability of DNA in transgenic plants (transplastomic Tobacco) subjected to processes of decay. What happens to DNA during plant decay (in terms of quality and quantity of total DNA)? If there is a degradation of total plant DNA, what happens to the specific transgene (aadA)? Could the remaining degraded DNA still retain its biological activity (as transformation ability)? The results showed that most of the DNA was degraded; the aadA target gene dramatically decreased; the remaining DNA can transform competent bacteria. Thus enough biologically active DNA survives to imagine it entering the soil.