Reversible nuclear genetic system for male sterility in transgenic plants
AssigneePioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
InventorsAndrew M. Cigan, Marc C. Albertsen
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Abstract
Plant development can be altered by transforming a plant with a genetic construct that includes regulatory elements and DNA sequences capable of acting in a fashion to inhibit pollen formation or function, thus rendering the transformed plant reversibly male-sterile. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of dominant negative genes and an anther-specific promoter. Male sterility is reversed by incorporation into a plant of a second genetic construct which represses the dominant negative gene. The invention also relates to novel DNA sequences which exhibit the ability to serve as anther-specific promoters in plants.
Claims21
A recombinant DNA molecule comprising:
- (i) a DNA sequence encoding a gene product which when expressed in a plant inhibits or disrupts pollen formation or function;
- (ii) an operator which controls the expression of said DNA sequence;
- (iii) a gene encoding a DNA binding protein, wherein said DNA binding protein is a gene fusion product comprising a DNA binding component and transcription activating component, and can bind to said operator and activate transcription of said DNA sequence;
- and
- (iv) a promoter specific to cells critical to pollen formation or function operatively linked to said gene encoding a DNA binding protein.
A recombinant DNA molecule comprising:
- (i) a DNA sequence encoding a gene product which when expressed in a plant inhibits or disrupts pollen formation or function;
- (ii) an operator which controls the expression of said DNA sequence;
- (iii) a gene encoding a DNA binding protein, wherein said DNA binding protein can b nd to said operator and activate transcription of said DNA sequence;
- and
- (iv) a 5126 promoter, or variant, derivative thereof, which retains 5126 activity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.