Ph genes and their uses

• US 5,910,627 A
• Filed: 02/16/1996
• Issued: 06/08/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grace Brothers Limited
• Original Assignee: DNA Plant Technology Corporation (SAVIA SA de CV)
• Inventors: Keller, Janis, Dooner, Hugo K., Courtney-Gutterson, Neal, Ralston, Edward J., Nijjar, Charanjit S., Chuck, George S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carlson, Karen Cochrane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saidha, Tekchand
• Application Number:
  US08/537,715
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 800/205, 800/200, 800/250, 800/255, 800/DIG. 67, 435/172.3, 435/320.1, 435/6, 536/22.1, 536/23.1, 536/23.6, 536/24.1, 536/24.5
• US Class Current: 800/286
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/415 from plants
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/00 Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor mutants or genetically engineered microorganisms, per se C12N1/00, C12N5/00, C12N7/00; new plants per se A01H; plant reproduction by tissue culture techniques A01H4/00; new animals per se A01K67/00; use of medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases, gene therapy A61K48/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8241 Phenotypically and genetically modified plants via recombinant DNA technology
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/825 involving pigment biosynthesis

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating vacuolar pH. Isolated DNA constructs comprising sequences substantially identical to a Ph gene are provided. The methods typically involve introducing the construct into a plant, whereby vacuolar pH is modified in the transgenic plant.

Claims

1. An isolated nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a Ph6 nucleic acid having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:

1.

2. The nucleic acid construct of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is from petunia.

3. The nucleic acid construct of claim 1, further comprising a promoter operably linked to the polynucleotide sequence.

4. The nucleic acid construct of claim 3, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is linked to the promoter in an antisense orientation.

5. The nucleic acid construct of claim 3, wherein the promoter is a plant promoter.

6. The nucleic acid construct of claim 5, wherein the promoter is a fruit-specific promoter.

7. The nucleic acid construct of claim 5, wherein the promoter is a flower-specific promoter.

8. A transgenic plant comprising a recombinant expression cassette comprising a plant promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a Ph6 nucleic acid having a sequence of SEQ ID NO:

1.

9. The transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the plant promoter is a heterologous promoter.

10. The transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is linked to the promoter in an antisense orientation.

11. The transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the plant is petunia.

12. The transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is from petunia.

20. A transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the plant is tomato.

21. A transgenic plant of claim 8, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is linked to the promoter in a sense orientation.

13. A method of altering vacuolar pH in a plant, the method comprising:

introducing into plant tissue a recombinant expression cassette comprising a plant promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a Ph6 nucleic acid having a sequence of SEQ ID NO;

1;

regenerating the plant tissue into a whole plant, whereby the regenerated plant transcribes the polynucleotide sequence; and

selecting plants having altered vacuolar pH.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plant tissue is from petunia, rose or tomato.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the recombinant expression cassette is introduced into the plant tissue using Agrobacterium.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is linked to the promoter in an antisense orientation.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is linked to the promoter in a sense orientation.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the promoter is a fruit-specific promoter.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the promoter is a flower-specific promoter.