Application of Site-Specific Recombination Systems for Targeted Modification of Plant Genomes

Biotechnology has already become a major driving force in the creation of new agricultural products. Transgenic plants bring benefits to farmers, consumers, and reduce a heavy toll inflicted on the environment by conventional agricultural practices. Yet debate continues around the issues related to the production of transgenic organisms, including plants. New transformation technologies being developed, such as site-specific recombination systems, may address some concerns and, at the same time, streamline procedures utilized in the production of transgenic crops. Here, we review progress in the implementation of emerging technologies based on site-specific recombination for plant transgenic research. We also comment on potential improvements that can make such technologies increasingly applicable for transgenic plant production. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________