Flowering locus T (FT) and genetically modified plants having delayed flower development
AssigneeThe Salk Institute for Biological Studies
InventorsDetlef Weigel, Igor Kardailsky
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Abstract
The present invention provides a gene, termed “FT” for flowering locus T, and a polypeptide encoded by FT that modulates flower development in plants. FT is useful in methods of the invention for producing genetically modified plants characterized as having the phenotypic trait of modulated flower development, for example early or delayed flowering. Such plants can be genetically modified by nucleic acids encoding functional FT peptides; at least one antisense nucleic acid for FT; a structural gene that encodes wild-type FT polypeptide; or a structural gene that encodes dominant negative polypeptides, for example, in order to modulate flowering in the plant.
Claims23
A genetically modified plant comprising in its genome at least one antisense sequence that inhibits expression of a FT gene having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 1, wherein said plant has a phenotype of delayed flower development, and wherein the at least one antisense sequence has at least 95% identity to a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 3.
A seed which germinates into a plant comprising in its genome at least one antisense sequence that inhibits expression of a FT gene having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 1, wherein said plant has a phenotype of delayed flower development, and wherein the at least one antisense sequence has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:3.
A vector containing a nucleotide sequence comprising at least one antisense sequence operably associated with a promoter, wherein said vector, when introduced into a plant, encodes at least one antisense molecule that inhibits expression of a FT gene having a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 1 wherein said plant exhibits delayed flower development in comparison to a wildtype plant, and wherein the at least one antisense sequence has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:3.
A method of producing a genetically modified plant having delayed flowering, comprising:
- contacting plant cells with a vector encoding an antisense sequence having at least 95% identity with the nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 3, and wherein said antisense sequence interferes with expression of a FT gene having a nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 1 to create transformed plant cells;
- growing plants from said transformed plant cells;
- and
- screening for a plant exhibiting delayed flower development relative to wildtype plants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.