Methods and means for modifying the alkaloid content of plants
AssigneeBritish American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
InventorsSara Ben Khaled, Francisco Anastacio De Abreu E Lima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for modulating (e.g. decreasing) the alkaloid content of a plant (e.g. a tobacco plant), the method comprising modifying said plant by modulating (e.g. decreasing) the expression of at least one armadillo repeat protein. The present invention also provides for the use of an armadillo repeat protein for modulating the alkaloid content of a plant, as well as tobacco cells, plants, plant propagation materials, harvested leaves, processed tobaccos, or tobacco products obtainable in accordance with the invention.
Claims33
A method of modulating (e.g. decreasing) the alkaloid content of a plant or a part thereof, or a cell culture, the method comprising modifying said plant or a cell culture:
- by modulating (e.g. decreasing) the expression of at least one armadillo repeat protein which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3.
A method of modulating (e.g. decreasing) the content of a tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) or a precursor of a TSNA in a tobacco plant or plant part thereof, the method comprising modifying said plant or a cell culture:
- by modulating (e.g. decreasing) the expression of at least one armadillo repeat protein which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3.
Use of at least one gene encoding an armadillo repeat protein for modulating alkaloid content of a cell or plant or part thereof or a cell culture;
- wherein the armadillo repeat protein:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3.
A method for producing a plant or part thereof, a cell culture, a plant propagation material, a leaf, a cut harvested leaf, a processed leaf or a cut and processed leaf which has modulated (e.g. decreased) alkaloid content, the method comprising modifying said plant or cell culture to:
- modulate (e.g. decrease) the expression of at least one armadillo repeat protein which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3.
A method or use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the modification in the nucleic acid sequence of the at least one gene encoding an armadillo repeat protein is in an armadillo repeat domain.
A method or use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alkaloid content is modulated (e.g. decreased) in comparison to a plant or cell culture which has not been modified to:
- modulate the expression of the at least one armadillo repeat protein;
- or to modify the nucleic acid sequence of at least one gene encoding the armadillo repeat protein.
A plant or part thereof or a cell culture which has been modified to achieve a modulation (e.g. decrease) in alkaloid content in comparison to an unmodified plant or unmodified cell culture, wherein the modification is the modulation of the expression of at least one armadillo repeat protein which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3.
Use of a nucleotide sequence encoding an armadillo repeat protein which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3, to select a plant having modulated (e.g. reduced) alkaloid content and/or modulated (e.g. reduced) content of tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) or a precursor of a TSNA.
A mutant of a plant carrying a heritable mutation in a nucleotide sequence which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3,
- wherein said heritable mutation modulates (e.g. decreases) the expression of the armadillo repeat protein and wherein the mutant plant has modulated (e.g. decreased) alkaloid content and/or modulated content of a tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) or a precursor of a TSNA relative to a comparable plant which does not carry said heritable mutation.
Progeny or seed of a mutant plant which carries the heritable mutation according to claim 32
A harvested leaf, a processed leaf or cured tobacco material produced from a plant comprising a modification in a nucleotide sequence which:
- a) comprises an amino acid sequence as set out in:
- SEQ ID No. 1 or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue thereof, or a sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1;
- or
- b) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence as set out in SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a functional variant or functional fragment or orthologue of SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- or a nucleic acid sequence which has at least 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or 3;
- wherein said modification modulates (e.g. decreases) the expression of the at least one gene encoding an armadillo repeat protein and wherein said plant has modulated (e.g. decreased) alkaloid content and/or modulated content of a tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) or a precursor of a TSNA relative to a comparable plant which does not carry said modification in the at least one gene encoding an armadillo repeat protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.