Genes encoding wheat starch synthases and uses thereof
AssigneesCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Ressearch Organization, Biogemma
InventorsMatthew Morell, Zhongyi Li, Sadequr Rahman, Rudolph Appels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding wheat starch synthases, and probes and primers derived therefrom, which are useful in the modification of plant starch content and/or composition, and for screening plant lines to determine the presence of natural and/or induced mutations in starch synthase genes which affect starch content and/or composition. More particularly, the isolated nucleic acid molecules of the present invention further provide for the screening-assisted breeding of plants having desirable starch content and/or composition, in addition to providing for the direct genetic manipulation of plant starch content and/or composition.
Claims26
A process for identifying a wheat plant comprising a starch synthase II null allele or a starch synthase II mutant allele, the process comprising
- a) contacting a nucleic acid sample of a wheat plant with two nucleic acid primers including at least one sequence-specific amplification primer for a time and under conditions sufficient for a polymerase chain reaction to occur, the first of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is selected from
- a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37, and the second of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is complementary to a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37;
- and
- b) determining whether a nucleic acid of the sample is amplified by polymerase chain reaction, so as to thereby identify the wheat plant that comprises the starch synthase II null allele or the starch synthase II mutant allele.
A process of breeding a wheat plant that produces starch in its grain having an increased amylose/amylopectin ratio as compared to wild-type wheat starch, the process comprising
- A) obtaining a first wheat plant which was identified to have a starch synthase II null allele or a starch synthase II mutant allele by
- a) contacting a nucleic acid sample of a wheat plant with two nucleic acid primers including at least one sequence-specific amplification primer for a time and under conditions sufficient for a polymerase chain reaction to occur, the first of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is selected from
- a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37, and the second of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is complementary to a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37;
- and
- b) determining whether a nucleic acid of the sample is amplified by polymerase chain reaction, thereby identifying the first wheat plant with the starch synthase II null allele or the starch synthase II mutant allele;
- B) obtaining a second wheat plant;
- and
- C) crossing the first wheat plant with the second wheat plant, thereby breeding the wheat plant that produces wheat starch having increased amylose/amylopectin ratio as compared to wild-type wheat starch.
A process of breeding a wheat plant that produces starch in its grain having an increased amylose/amylopectin ratio as compared to wild-type wheat starch, the process comprising
- A) obtaining a first wheat plant which was identified to have a starch synthase II null allele or a starch synthase II mutant allele on the D genome by
- a) contacting a nucleic acid sample of a wheat plant with two nucleic acid primers including at least one sequence-specific amplification primer for a time and under conditions sufficient for a polymerase chain reaction to occur, the first of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is selected from a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37, and the second of the primers comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides whose sequence is complementary to a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 37;
- and
- b) determining whether a nucleic acid of the sample is amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and determining whether the starch synthase II null allele or the starch synthase II mutant allele is on the D genome of the wheat plant, thereby identifying the first wheat plant with the starch synthase II null allele or the starch synthase II mutant allele on the D genome;
- B) obtaining a second wheat plant;
- and
- C) crossing the first wheat plant with the second wheat plant, thereby breeding the wheat plant that produces wheat starch having increased amylose/amylopectin ratio as compared to wild-type wheat starch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.