# US 2013/0157280 A1 · Plant farnesyltransferases

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- Number: US 2013/0157280 A1
- Document ID: US20130157280A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/777,282
- Filed: 2013-02-26
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 1998-09-08
- Assignees: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.; E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
- Inventors: Guo-Hua Miao; Rebecca E Cahoon; Timothy George Helentjaris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157280A1

## CPC

- C12Q 1/6811: Selection methods for production or design of target specific oligonucleotides or binding molecules
- C12N 9/1085: {transferring alkyl or aryl groups other than methyl groups (2.5)}
- C12N 15/8243: {involving biosynthetic or metabolic pathways, i.e. metabolic engineering, e.g. nicotine, caffeine}
- C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield}
- C12N 15/8273: {for drought, cold, salt resistance}
- C12Y 205/01021: Squalene synthase (2.5.1.21), i.e. farnesyl-disphosphate farnesyltransferase
- Y02A 40/146: Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12Y: ENZYMES
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a farnesyltransferase subunit. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the farnesyltransferase subunit, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the farnesyltransferase subunit in a transformed host cell.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15

A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of a farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize cell, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide comprising all or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:11, wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and the NO:11;
(b) introducing the recombinant DNA construct into a maize cell;
(c) measuring the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell containing the recombinant DNA construct;
(d) comparing the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell containing the recombinant DNA construct with the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize cell that does not contain the recombinant DNA construct; and
(e) selecting the isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of the farnesvltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the isolated polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:11.

### Claim at position 4

17-31. (canceled)

### Claim 32 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 40 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11.

### Claim 33

A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of a farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize plant, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide comprising all or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:11, wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11;
(b) transforming a maize cell with the recombinant DNA construct;
(c) regenerating a maize plant from the transformed maize cell of (b), wherein the maize plant comprises the recombinant DNA construct;
(d) measuring the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and
(e) comparing the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct with the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize plant that does not comprise the recombinant DNA construct; and
(f) selecting the isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of the farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the isolated polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:11.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 40 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the promoter directs expression in response to an environmental condition.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method of claim 36, wherein the environmental condition is drought stress.