Method of controlling the fertility of a plant
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the fertility of a plant comprising:
- a) transforming said plant with a first receptor expression cassette which encodes a first receptor polypeptide comprising a first ligand binding domain and a first DNA binding domain;
a second receptor expression cassette which encodes a second receptor polypeptide comprising a second ligand binding domain and a second DNA binding domain, wherein said first and second receptor polypeptides are members of the Class II steroid and thyroid hormone superfamily of nuclear receptors; and
a target expression cassette comprising a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a target polypeptide that renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization, wherein said 5'"'"' regulatory region comprises one or more response elements complementary to said first or second DNA binding domain;
b) expressing said first and second receptor polypeptides in said transformed plant; and
c) contacting said transformed plant with one or more chemical ligands which are complementary to the ligand binding domain of said first or second receptor polypeptides whereby said receptor polypeptides in the presence of said chemical ligand activate the expression of said target polypeptide, wherein said target polypeptide renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization.
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Abstract
The present invention is drawn to a method of controlling gene expression in plants. Specifically, the method comprises obtaining a transgenic plant comprising at least two receptor expression cassettes and at least one target expression cassette. The first receptor expression cassette comprises a nucleotide sequence for a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence which encodes a first receptor polypeptide, and a 3'"'"' termination region. The second receptor expression cassette comprises a nucleotide sequence for a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence which encodes a second receptor polypeptide, and a 3'"'"' termination region. The target expression cassette comprises a nucleotide sequence for a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence which encodes a target polypeptide, and a 3'"'"' termination region, wherein the 5'"'"' regulatory region of said target expression cassette is activated by said first and second receptor polypeptides in the presence of one or more chemical ligands which are complementary to the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptides, whereby expression of said target polypeptide is accomplished. The method is useful for controlling various traits of agronomic importance, such as plant fertility.
93 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the fertility of a plant comprising:
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a) transforming said plant with a first receptor expression cassette which encodes a first receptor polypeptide comprising a first ligand binding domain and a first DNA binding domain;
a second receptor expression cassette which encodes a second receptor polypeptide comprising a second ligand binding domain and a second DNA binding domain, wherein said first and second receptor polypeptides are members of the Class II steroid and thyroid hormone superfamily of nuclear receptors; and
a target expression cassette comprising a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a target polypeptide that renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization, wherein said 5'"'"' regulatory region comprises one or more response elements complementary to said first or second DNA binding domain;b) expressing said first and second receptor polypeptides in said transformed plant; and c) contacting said transformed plant with one or more chemical ligands which are complementary to the ligand binding domain of said first or second receptor polypeptides whereby said receptor polypeptides in the presence of said chemical ligand activate the expression of said target polypeptide, wherein said target polypeptide renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of controlling the fertility of a plant comprising:
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a) transforming said plant with a first receptor expression cassette which encodes a first receptor polypeptide comprising a first ligand binding domain and a first DNA binding domain;
a second receptor expression cassette which encodes a second receptor polypeptide comprising a second ligand binding domain and a second DNA binding domain, wherein said first and second receptor polypeptides are members of the Class II steroid and thyroid hormone superfamily of nuclear receptors; and
a target expression cassette comprising a 5'"'"' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding the anti-sense version of a coding sequence critical to effective fertilization, wherein said 5'"'"' regulatory region comprises one or more response elements complementary to said first or second DNA binding domain;b) expressing said first and second receptor polypeptides in said transformed plant; and c) contacting said transformed plant with one or more chemical ligands which are complementary to the ligand binding domain of said first or second receptor polypeptides whereby said receptor polypeptides in the presence of said chemical ligand activate the expression of said anti-sense sequence, wherein said anti-sense sequence renders fertilization ineffective.
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Specification