Split selectable marker mediated gene stacking in plants

Plant synthetic biology and genetic engineering depend on the controlled expression of transgenes of interest, which relies heavily on the use of Agrobacterium -mediated transformation. Here we establish a novel split selectable marker system using protein splicing elements called “inteins” for Agrobacterium -mediated co-transformation in plants. This method enables robust co-transformation in Arabidopsis and poplar, providing a novel strategy for the simultaneous insertion of multiple genes into both herbaceous and woody plants.