Male-sterile plants, method for obtaining male-sterile plants and recombinant DNA for use therein
AssigneeMogen International N.V.
InventorsAdrianus Johannes Van Tunen, Ingrid Maria Van Der Meer, Josephus Nicolaas Maria Mol
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Abstract
The present invention provides male-sterile plants. The plants have a recombinant polynucleotide integrated into their genome, essentially comprising an inhibitory gene, which, upon proper expression in the anthers of the plant, is capable of inhibiting expression of one or more genes encoding an enzyme involved in the synthesis of chalcone, or one of its precursors.
Claims33
A polynucleotide which can be directed against a target gene of a plant having reproductive organs which render the plant both male-fertile and female-fertile, said plant having a biosynthesis pathway wherein there is produced a plurality of enzymes which catalyze a stepwise synthesis of chalcone, said target gene encoding one enzyme of the chalcone biosynthesis pathway, said polynucleotide comprising:
- a) an inhibitory gene encoding an RNA molecule or polypeptide which, when produced in said plant at a sufficient level, inhibits expression of said one enzyme sufficiently to render the plant male-sterile without impairing the female-fertility of the plant;
- and
- b) a promotor operably linked to said inhibitory gene, said promotor being sufficiently active in anthers of the plant to promote expression of said RNA molecule or polypeptide in the anthers of the plant at said sufficient level.
A method for rendering a plant incapable of producing functional pollen, said method comprising inhibiting the synthesis of chalcone in cells of an anther of the plant, including cells of a tapetum layer of the anther, by a) transforming the plant with an inhibitory gene that encodes a nucleotide transcript that inhibits expression of a target gene, said target gene encoding a nucleotide transcript for an enzyme of the chalcone biosynthesis pathway, the transcript encoded by the inhibitory gene being sufficiently similar or sufficiently complementary to the transcript encoded by the target gene to inhibit the expression of the target gene by antisense inhibition or cosuppression, said inhibitory gene being under the control of a promoter that causes selective expression of the gene in the anther of the plant including the cells of the tapetum layer, such that expression of the gene renders the plant incapable of producing functional pollen but is not lethal to the plant;
- and b) regenerating the plant.
A method for obtaining seed of a male-sterile plant comprising the steps of:
- a) obtaining a male-sterile plant by transforming a male-fertile plant with a DNA construct comprising a promoter that will promote expression in the anthers of the plant that is operably linked to a chalcone synthase gene, or a portion of said gene that is sufficient to inhibit the expression of chalcone synthase in the plant, and
- b) contacting the pistil of said male-sterile plant with pollen of the same male-sterile plant in the presence of a flavonoid compound selected from the group consisting of myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol, and
- c) allowing the pollen to germinate on the pistil and fertilize the male-sterile plant, and
- d) allowing the plant to set seed.
A DNA construct for use in transforming a male-fertile plant, said construct comprising a promoter that will promote expression in the anthers of the male-fertile plant, said promoter being operably linked to an inhibitory gene that is a) a chalcone synthase gene, or a portion of the chalcone synthase gene that is sufficient to inhibit the expression of chalcone synthase in the plant, or b) an antisense gene that is sufficiently complementary to a native gene in the male-fertile plant that encodes chalcone synthase to inhibit the expression of chalcone synthase in the male-fertile plant, said construct being a hybrid molecule that is not naturally present in said male-fertile plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.