Gene encoding protein having aurone synthesizing activity

• US 6,982,325 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1999
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suntory Holdings Limited (Kotobuki Realty Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suntory Flowers Limited (Kotobuki Realty Co., Ltd.), Suntory Ltd (Kotobuki Realty Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshikazu, Nakayama, Toru, Kusumi, Takaaki, Sakakibara, Keiko, Fukui, Yuko, Mizutani, Masako
• Primary Examiner(s): SWITZER, JULIET CAROLINE
• Application Number:
  US09/446,089
• Time in Patent Office: 2,454 Days
• Field of Search: 536/23.1, 536/24.3, 536/24.33, 435/320.1, 435/69.1, 435/252.3, 435/410
• US Class Current: 536/23.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/52 Genes encoding for enzymes or proenzymes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/825 involving pigment biosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/0059 Catechol oxidase (1.10.3.1), i.e. tyrosinase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 17/04 containing a five-membered hetero ring, e.g. griseofulvin , vitamin C

Abstract

The present invention provides a protein having aurone synthase activity involved in the color of flowers such as snapdragons, a gene that encodes it, cDNA in particular, and its applications. This gene can give yellow color to the flowers of plants by introducing into plants deficient in chalcone isomerase and so forth and expressing.

Claims

1. An isolated nucleic acid encoding an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:

2.

2. A vector comprising a nucleic acid as set forth in claim 1.

3. An isolated host cell transformed with a vector as set forth in claim 2.

4. An isolated host cell according to claim 3, wherein said host cell is a microorganism, an animal cell or a plant cell.

5. An isolated nucleic acid sequence having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:

1.

6. A vector comprising a nucleic acid as set forth in claim 5.

7. An isolated host cell transformed with a vector as set forth in claim 6.

8. An isolated host cell according to claim 7, wherein said host cell is a microorganism, an animal cell or a plant cell.