Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Sasha Zanjani on 11/08/2009 11:30:03

Title: Can plants get cancer?
Post by: Sasha Zanjani on 11/08/2009 11:30:03

Sasha Zanjani asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi, I was wondering if plants can get cancer?

What do you think?

Title: Can plants get cancer?
Post by: Don_1 on 11/08/2009 11:41:44

Root vegetables can develope a sort of cancerous growth, but unlike in animals, the growth cannot spread throughout the plant because of the tough cell walls.

I believe these growths are caused by infected soil.

Title: Can plants get cancer?
Post by: Nizzle on 12/08/2009 21:41:31

Agrobacterium Tumefaciens (or Ground Bacteria that makes tumors) can cause tumor growth on plants and trees. The Tumor mass is undifferentiated callus tissue.
A. Tumefaciens has a plasmid, that is used widely in the biotech world to genetically alter plants.

But as far as real metastasing cancer goes, i don't think plants can have that. It can only get multiple tumors by multiple infections.

Title: Can plants get cancer?
Post by: RD on 12/08/2009 21:54:42

I can't believe you've got the gall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall) to ask that question.

Title: Can plants get cancer?
Post by: Don_1 on 13/08/2009 07:58:54

Quote from: RD on 12/08/2009 21:54:42

I can't believe you've got the gall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall) to ask that question.

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fdoh%2F2.gif&hash=fef6931e562a6dc5fd0fd29a97202c70)

Bless you. You did sneeze didn't you, I thought I heard a tissue.