Self processing plants and plant parts

• US 7,557,262 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG (China National Chemical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG (China National Chemical Corporation)
• Inventors: Basu, Shib Sankar, Batie, Christopher J., Chen, Wen, Kinkema, Mark, Lanahan, Michael B., Craig, Joyce
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox; David T
• Application Number:
  US11/415,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 800/284
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8245 involving modified carbohydrate or sugar alcohol metabolism, e.g. starch biosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2408 acting on alpha -1,4-glucosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2411 Amylases
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2414 Alpha-amylase (3.2.1.1.)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2422 from plant source
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2428 Glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase (3.2.1.3), i.e. glucoamylase
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2451 acting on alpha-1,6-glucosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2457 Pullulanase (3.2.1.41)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/246 Isoamylase (3.2.1.68)
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01001 Alpha-amylase (3.2.1.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01003 Glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase (3.2.1.3), i.e. glucoamylase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/0102 Alpha-glucosidase (3.2.1.20)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01041 Pullulanase (3.2.1.41)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01068 Isoamylase (3.2.1.68)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

The invention provides polynucleotides, preferably synthetic polynucleotides, which encode processing enzymes that are optimized for expression in plants. The polynucleotides encode mesophilic, thermophilic, or hyperthermophilic processing enzymes, which are activated under suitable activating conditions to act upon the desired substrate. Also provided are “self-processing” transgenic plants, and plant parts, e.g., grain, which express one or more of these enzymes and have an altered composition that facilitates plant and grain processing. Methods for making and using these plants, e.g., to produce food products having improved taste and to produce fermentable substrates for the production of ethanol and fermented beverages are also provided.

Claims

1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising

a) the polynucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

2;

or

b) a polynucleotide having at least 99% sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO;

2, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide with alpha-amylase activity.

2. An expression cassette comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1 operably linked to a promoter and a signal sequence, wherein the signal sequence directs the alpha-amylase to a specific compartment allowing the alpha-amylase to be localized in a manner that it will not come into contact with its substrate.

3. The expression cassette of claim 2, wherein the promoter is a seed-specific promoter.

4. The expression cassette of claim 2, wherein the promoter is an endosperm-specific promoter.

5. The expression cassette of claim 4, wherein the endosperm-specific promoter is a maize gamma-zein promoter.

6. The expression cassette of claim 2, wherein the signal sequence is selected from the group consisting of an ER signal sequence, an ER retention sequence, and an ER signal sequence and an ER retention sequence.

7. A plant part comprising the expression cassette of claim 2.

8. The plant part of claim 7, wherein the expression cassette comprises a seed specific promoter.

9. The plant part of claim 7, wherein the expression cassette comprises an endosperm specific promoter.

10. The plant part of claim 9, wherein the endosperm-specific promoter is a maize gamma-zein promoter.

11. The plant part of claim 7, wherein the expression cassette comprises a signal sequence selected from the group consisting of an ER signal sequence, an ER retention sequence, and an ER signal sequence and an ER retention sequence.

12. Seed, fruit or grain comprising the expression cassette of claim 2.

13. The seed, fruit or grain of claim 12, wherein the expression cassette comprises a seed specific promoter.

14. The seed, fruit or grain of claim 12, wherein the expression cassette comprises an endosperm specific promoter.

15. The seed, fruit or grain of claim 14, wherein the endosperm-specific promoter is a maize gamma-zein promoter.

16. The seed, fruit or grain of claim 12, wherein the expression cassette comprises a signal sequence selected from the group consisting of an ER signal sequence, an ER retention sequence, and an ER signal sequence and an ER retention sequence.

17. A transgenic plant comprising the expression cassette of claim 2.

18. The transgenic plant of claim 17, wherein the expression cassette comprises a seed specific promoter.

19. The transgenic plant of claim 17, wherein the expression cassette comprises an endosperm specific promoter.

20. The transgenic plant of claim 19, wherein the endosperm-specific promoter is a maize gamma-zein promoter.

21. The transgenic plant of claim 17, wherein the expression cassette comprises a signal sequence selected from the group consisting of an ER signal sequence, an ER retention sequence, and an ER signal sequence and an ER retention sequence.