Plant sterol reductases and uses thereof

A substantially pure polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence shown in FIG. 14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 1).

A purified DNA encoding a C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide.

A purified DNA comprising a sequence substantially identical to the DNA sequence shown in FIG. 14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 2).

A method of producing a recombinant C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide comprising

• providing a cell transformed with purified DNA encoding a C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide positioned for expression in said cell, and
• culturing said transformed cell under conditions for expressing said DNA.

An isolated antibody which specifically recognizes and binds a plant C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide.

A transgenic plant which contains DNA encoding a C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide integrated into the genome of said plant, wherein said DNA is expressed in said transgenic plant.

A transgenic plant which contains DNA encoding an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence shown in FIG. 14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 1) integrated into the genome of said plant, wherein said DNA is expressed in said transgenic plant.

A method for reducing the level of C-14 sterol reductase polypeptide in a transgenic plant cell, said method comprising expressing in a plant cell an antisense C-14 sterol reductase nucleic acid sequence.

A method for increase the level of a C-14 sterol reductase in a transgenic plant cell, comprising expressing in said transgenic plant cell a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide substantially identical to SEQ ID NO:

• 1.

A transgenic plant comprising purified DNA encoding a plant C-14 sterol reductase polypeptid, said DNA comprising a knockout mutation in said C-14 sterol reductase sequence.