Regulating metabolism by modifying the level of trehalose-6-phosphate

• US 6,833,490 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Syngenta Mogen BV (China National Chemical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mogen International Nv (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: Goddijn, Oscar Johannes Maria, Pen, Jan, Smeekens, Josephus Christianus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, David T.
• Application Number:
  US09/171,937
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 800/278, 800/284, 800/287, 800/288, 800/290, 800/294, 435/468, 435/469, 435/101, 435/194, 435/320.1, 536/23.7
• US Class Current: 800/284
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8242 with non-agronomic quality (output) traits, e.g. for industrial processing; Value added, non-agronomic traits
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8245 involving modified carbohydrate or sugar alcohol metabolism, e.g. starch biosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8261 with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8269 Photosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8273 for drought, cold, salt resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/1051 Hexosyltransferases (2.4.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/1205 Phosphotransferases with an alcohol group as acceptor (2.7.1), e.g. protein kinases
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/16 acting on ester bonds (3.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2402 hydrolysing O- and S- glycosyl compounds (3.2.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01028 Alpha,alpha-trehalase (3.2.1.28)

Abstract

The invention involves decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by plant cell transformation with a gene encoding trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase from E. coli. Phenotypic effects of plant transformation with this gene include stimulation of glycolysis, cell or tissue growth, and metabolism; and inhibition of photosynthesis and bolting.

Claims

1. Method for the stimulation of carbon flow in the glycolytic direction in a plant cell by decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plant cell with a vector that is capable of expressing the enzyme TPP of SEQ ID NO:

4.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said decrease of the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate is effected by an increase in trehalose-phosphate-phosphatase (TPP) activity.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the increase in TPP activity is achieved by transformation of said plant cell with a vector capable of expression of the enzyme TPP.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein said plant cell is transformed with a vector comprising a heterologous gene encoding TPP.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said cell is located in a plant.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein said plant is a transgenic plant.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said transgenic plant is produced by transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the expression of TPP is limited to a specific tissue.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the expression of TPP is under control of an inducible promoter.

2. Method for the inhibition of photosynthesis in a plant cell by decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plant cell with a vector that is capable of expressing the enzyme TTP of SEQ ID NO:

4.

3. Method for the stimulation of growth of a plant cell or plant tissue by decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plant cell or cells of the plant tissue with a vector that is capable of expressing the enzyme TPP of SEQ ID NO:

4.

4. Method for increasing metabolism of plant cells by decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plant cells with a vector that is capable of expressing the enzyme TPP of SEQ ID NO:

4.

13. Method for the stimulation of carbon flow in the glycolytic direction in a plant cell by causing expression in the plant cell of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

14. Method for the inhibition of photosynthesis in a plant cell by causing expression in the plant cell of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

15. Method for the stimulation of growth of a plant cell or plant tissue by causing expression in the plant cell or in cells of the plant tissue of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

16. Method for increasing metabolism of plant cells by causing expression in the plant cells of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

17. Method for the prevention of bolting in a plant susceptible to bolting by decreasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plant with a vector capable of expressing the enzyme TPP of SEQ ID NO:

4.

18. Method for the prevention of bolting in a plant susceptible to bolting by causing expression in the plant of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

19. Method for increasing the total leaf biomass of plants by transforming them with a nucleic acid sequence coding for trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of SEQ ID NO:

4.

20. Method for increasing the total leaf biomass of plants by increasing the intracellular availability of trehalose-6-phosphate by transforming the plants with a vector capable of expression of the enzyme TPP of SEQ ID NO:

4.