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AssigneesYale University, Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education
InventorsStephen L. DELLAPORTA, Andrew HAYWARD, Maria MORENO, Albert KAUSCH, John MOTTINGER
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The present invention pertains to genetically modified plants, particularly maize, sorghum and rice, with an all pistillate or all staminate phenotype and methods of the same. The survival of functional pistils in maize requires the action of the sk1 gene. SK1 encodes a glycosyltransferase (GT) that protects pistils from tasselseed-mediated cell death. sk1-dependent pistil protection at a developing floret gives rise to stamen arrest at the same floret, and so determines the pistillate floral fate. This is the first single gain-of-function gene known to control sexuality. The present invention further provides a direct strategy to extend hybrid technologies to related cereals such as sorghum and rice. Tasselseed and silkless genes represent major sex determination genes in maize, a pathway that permits the efficient production of hybrid seed and the associated benefits of heterosis-increased yield, resistance to pathogens, etc. Except for maize, current hybrid systems in cereals are fraught with genetic and environmental limitations. Genotype-independent hybrid cereal technology could potentially increase crop yields as much as 20-40% without placing additional land under agricultural production. This has profound implications for food security and the environmental impact of agriculture in some of the poorest regions of the world.
An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
A genetically modified plant comprising a transgene containing an sk1-encoded glycosyltransferase operably linked to a promoter for heterologous expression in the cells of the plant.
A genetically modified plant comprising a transgene encoding a uridine diphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferase.
A genetically modified plant comprising a mutation or transgene targeting an endogenous UDP glycosyltransferase and disrupting its activity.
A method of generating a genetically modified plant comprising transforming a cell with a construct comprising a transgene encoding a UDP glycosyltransferase, thereby promoting the expression of the UDP glycosyltransferase in one or more cells of the plant.
A method of generating a transgenic plant comprising the step of engineering a mutation or transgene targeting an endogenous UDP glycosyltransferase and disrupting its activity.
A method of generating a transgenic plant comprising engineering a mutation in a 5′ or 3′ regulatory element of an endogenous UDP glycosyltransferase to alter an expression level of the UDP glycosyltransferase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.