Modification of plant development and morphology

• US 20090249518A1
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technologies Group Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Thomas, Christopher John Robert, Ward, Martin Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,093,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/287
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8226 Stem-specific, e.g. including tubers, beets
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8229 Meristem-specific, e.g. nodal, apical
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8237 Externally regulated expression systems
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8261 with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8263 Ablation; Apoptosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/146 Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants

Abstract

A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.

Claims

1. A method of modifying morphology in a plant comprising introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene comprising a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gene product is capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression substantially specifically in a lateral bud and/or a lateral shoot.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the promoter sequence comprises the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or a functional part thereof, or a sequence having at least 60% homology thereto.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gene product of the nucleic acid sequence is a cytotoxic molecule.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gene product of the nucleic acid sequence is a ribosome inactivating protein (RIP).

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gene product of the nucleic acid sequence capable is pokeweed antiviral protein.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is pokeweed antiviral protein S (PAP-S).

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein outgrowth of a lateral bud and/or a lateral shoot is modified.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the outgrowth of a lateral bud and/or a lateral shoot is reduced, prevented or delayed.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the outgrowth of a lateral bud and/or a lateral shoot is modified by disrupting the metabolism or by causing death of cells involved in lateral bud development.

25. A plant produced according to the method of claim 1.

27. The plant according to claim 25 wherein the plant is of the family Solanaceae.

28. The plant according to claim 27 wherein the plant is of the subfamily Cestoideae.

29. The plant according to claim 28 wherein the plant is of the genus Nicotiana.

30. The plant according to claim 29 wherein the plant the Nicotiana tabacum.

31. The plant according to claim 25 wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of tomato, cucumber, Petunia, Dianthus, Picea, Pinus, Eucalyptus, Populus, potato, tobacco, cotton, lettuce, eggplant, melon, squash, pea, canola, soybean, sugar beet sunflower, wheat, barley, rye, rice, and maize.

12. A nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence, comprising SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or a part thereof being capable of regulating the expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 65% identity with SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating the expression of a gene.

13. The nucleic acid according to claim 12 wherein said sequence has at least 70%, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 97%, identity with SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7.

14. The nucleic acid according to claim 12 wherein the nucleic acid further comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cytotoxic molecule.

15. The nucleic acid according to claim 14 wherein the nucleic acid sequence encodes a ribosome inactivating protein (RIP).

16. The nucleic acid according to claim 14 wherein the nucleic acid sequence encodes a pokeweed antiviral protein.

17. The nucleic acid according to claim 16 wherein the pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is pokeweed antiviral protein S (PAP-S).

24. A recombinant DNA comprising vector DNA and the nucleic acid according to claim 12.

26. A plant comprising the nucleic acid according to claim 12.

32. A plant cell comprising the nucleic acid according to claim 12.

33. A method of regulating the expression of a gene in a plant, the method comprising introducing into a plant the nucleic acid according to claim 12 operably associated with a coding sequence of a gene the expression of which gene is to be regulated.

34. A method of modifying the metabolism within a cell of a transgenic plant, the method comprising introducing into a plant the nucleic acid according to claim 12.

41. A plant cell comprising the recombinant DNA according to claim 24.

43. Use of the nucleic acid according to claim 12 to transform a plant for modifying the morphology of the plant.

18. A chimaeric gene comprising a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence the promoter sequence comprising SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 7, or part thereof being capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 65% identity to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.

19. The chimaeric gene according to claim 18 wherein said sequence has at least 70%,

preferably at least 85%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 97%, identity with SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7.

20. The chimaeric gene according to claim 18 wherein the nucleic acid further comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cytotoxic molecule.

21. The chimaeric gene according to claim 18 wherein the nucleic acid sequence encodes a ribosome inactivating protein (RIP).

22. The chimaeric gene according to claim 18 wherein the nucleic acid sequence encodes a pokeweed antiviral protein.

23. The chimaeric gene according to claim 22 wherein the pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is pokeweed antiviral protein S (PAP-S).

36. Use of the chimaeric gene according to claim 18 to transform a plant for modifying the morphology of a plant.

38. A recombinant DNA comprising vector DNA and the chimaeric gene according to claim 18.

39. A plant comprising the chimaeric gene according to claim 18.

40. A plant cell comprising the chimaeric gene according to claim 18

42. A method of modifying the metabolism within a cell of a transgenic plant, the method comprising introducing into a plant the chimaeric gene according to claim 18.

35. Use of the nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence comprising SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7, or functional part thereof, or a sequence having at least 60% identity to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or, for modifying the morphology of a plant.

37. A of a nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence comprising SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or, or part thereof, or a sequence having at least 60% identity to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7, for altering metabolism within a plant cell.