Plant nuclear scaffold attachment region and method for increasing gene expression in transgenic cells

A DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5' to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene.

A recombinant plant comprising transformed plant cells, said transformed plant cells containing a heterologous DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region functional in plant cells, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5' to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene.

A method of making transgenic plant cells having increased expression of foreign genes therein, said method comprising:

• providing a plant cell capable of regeneration;
• transforming said plant cell with a DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5' to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene.

A method of making recombinant tobacco plant cells having increased expression of foreign genes therein, said method comprising:

• providing a tobacco plant cell capable of regeneration;
• transforming said tobacco plant cell with a DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region functional in plant cells, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5' to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene.

A DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5'0 to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene;

• which DNA construct is carried by a plant transformation vector.

A recombinant tobacco plant comprising transformed tobacco plant cells, said transformed tobacco plant cells containing a heterologous DNA construct comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a transcription initiation region functional in plant cells, a structural gene positioned downstream from said transcription initiation region and operatively associated therewith, and a scaffold attachment region having SEQ ID NO:1 positioned either 5' to said transcription initiation region or 3' to said structural gene.