Juvenile hormone or one of its agonists as a chemical ligand to control gene expression in plants by receptor mediated transactivation
First Claim
1. A method of controlling gene expression in a transgenic plant cell transformed with an Ultraspiracle (USP) receptor expression cassette that encodes a USP receptor polypeptide and a target expression cassette that encodes a target polypeptide, comprising:
- a) expressing the receptor polypeptide in said transgenic plant cell; and
b) contacting said transgenic plant cell with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists, wherein the receptor polypeptide controls expression of the target polypeptide in the presence of juvenile hormone or one of its agonists.
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Abstract
The present invention is drawn to a method of controlling gene expression in plants. Specifically, the method comprises transforming a plant with a USP receptor expression cassette which encodes a USP receptor and at least one target expression cassette which encodes a target polypeptide. Contacting said transformed plant with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists activates expression of the target polypeptide in the presence of said USP receptor polypeptide. Optionally, additional “secondary” receptor expression cassettes may be used, wherein the secondary receptor expression cassette encodes a receptor polypeptide distinct from USP. The method is useful for controlling various traits of agronomic importance, such as plant fertility. Also disclosed is a method of identifying previously unknown ligands for USP. Substances to be tested are identified by placing them in contact with plant cells transformed with a USP receptor expression cassette and a target expression cassette. The target expression cassette encodes a reporter polypeptide whose expression can be determined quantitatively or qualitatively, whereby the test substance is identified as a ligand for USP.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of controlling gene expression in a transgenic plant cell transformed with an Ultraspiracle (USP) receptor expression cassette that encodes a USP receptor polypeptide and a target expression cassette that encodes a target polypeptide, comprising:
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a) expressing the receptor polypeptide in said transgenic plant cell; and
b) contacting said transgenic plant cell with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists, wherein the receptor polypeptide controls expression of the target polypeptide in the presence of juvenile hormone or one of its agonists. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controlling gene expression in a transgenic plant cell transformed with a USP receptor expression cassette that encodes a USP receptor polypeptide and a target expression cassette that encodes an anti-sense sequence comprising:
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a) expressing the receptor polypeptide in said transgenic plant cell; and
b) contacting said transgenic plant cell with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists, wherein the receptor polypeptide controls expression of the antisense sequence in the presence of juvenile hormone or one of its agonists.
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17. A method of controlling gene expression, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a transgenic plant or plant cell transformed with chimeric DNA comprising;
i) a USP receptor expression cassette that encodes a USP receptor polypeptide, and ii) a target expression cassette that encodes a target polypeptide;
b) expressing said receptor polypeptide in said transgenic plant or plant cell; and
c) contacting said transgenic plant or plant cell with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists, wherein the receptor polypeptide controls expression of the target polypeptide in the presence of juvenile hormone or one of its agonists. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of controlling gene expression, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a transgenic plant or plant cell transformed with chimeric DNA comprising;
i) a USP receptor expression cassette that encodes a USP receptor polypeptide, and ii) a target expression cassette that encodes an anti-sense sequence;
b) expressing said receptor polypeptide in said transgenic plant or plant cell; and
c) contacting said transgenic plant or plant cell with juvenile hormone or one of its agonists, wherein the receptor polypeptide controls expression of the anti-sense sequence in the presence of juvenile hormone or one of its agonists.
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Specification