Regulated expression of heterologous genes in plants and transgenic fruit with a modified ripening phenotype

A method for producing a transgenic fruit-bearing plant, where fruit produced by said plant has a modified ripening phenotype, comprising

• introducing into progenitor cells of the plant a (i) DNA sequence encoding S-adenosylmethionine hydrolase, and operably linked to said DNA sequence (ii) a promoter selected from the group consisting of:
• a promoter of a tomato E4 gene, wherein said E4 gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 8, a promoter of a tomato E8 gene, wherein said gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 27, and an avocado cellulase gene promoter,
• where expression regulated by said promoter is induced during fruit ripening or by ethylene synthesis by said fruit, and
• growing the transformed progenitor cells to produce a transgenic plant bearing fruit, wherein fruit produced by said plant has an initial burst of ethylene production, followed by a reduction in the level of ethylene synthesis by said fruit, resulting in fruit having a modified ripening phenotype in which the time course of ripening is delayed over that of non-transformed fruit.

An expression vector for use in transforming plant cells of a fruit-bearing plant, comprising

• (i) a DNA sequence encoding S-adenosylmethionine hydrolase, and operably linked to said DNA sequence (ii) a promoter selected from the group consisting of:
• a promoter of a tomato E4 gene, wherein said E4 gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 8, a promoter of a tomato E8 gene, wherein said gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 27, and an avocado cellulase gene promoter,
• where expression regulated by said promoter is induced during fruit ripening or by ethylene synthesis by said fruit.

A chimeric gene capable of expressing a polypeptide in a fruit-bearing plant, comprising

• (i) a DNA sequence encoding S-adenosylmethionine hydrolase, and operably linked to said DNA sequence (ii) a promoter selected from the group consisting of:
• a promoter of a tomato E4 gene, wherein said E4 gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 8, a promoter of a tomato E8 gene, wherein said gene is composed of a series of nucleotides that is at least 60% identical to that presented in SEQ ID NO:
• 27, and an avocado cellulase gene promoter,
• where expression regulated by said promoter is induced during fruit ripening or by ethylene biosynthesis by fruit produced by said plant.