Engineering lipids in vegetative tissues of plants
AssigneesUniversity of North Texas, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsKent D. Chapman, Richard G. W. Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses gene targets and methods for the genetic control of lipid accumulation in vegetative (non-seed) portions of plants. Enhanced lipid, e.g. triacylglycerol (TAG), accumulation in vegetative portions of plants may be obtained by down-regulation of activity of At4g24160 or a homolog thereof. Plants, plant parts, seeds comprising down-regulated AT4G24160 activity, or activity of a homolog thereof, are also provided, as well as products prepared therefrom.
Claims18
An Arabidopsis or Brassica plant comprising increased lipid accumulation in vegetative tissues relative to a wild type plant of the same species, wherein activity of an At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof is down-regulated in the plant, wherein said down-regulation comprises:
- expressing in the plant a RNA molecule complementary to all or a portion of an mRNA expressed from a gene comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:
- 6, and 37, wherein the RNA molecule inhibits the function of the At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof in said plant.
A method of altering lipid content in an Arabidopsis or Brassica plant or plant cell comprising down-regulating the function of an At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof, wherein said down-regulating comprises expressing in the plant a RNA molecule complementary to all or a portion of an mRNA expressed from a gene comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:
- 6, and 37, wherein the RNA molecule inhibits the function of an At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof in said plant or plant cell.
A method of altering lipid content in an Arabidopsis or Brassica plant or plant cell comprising down-regulating the function of an At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof by co-suppression, wherein said down-regulating comprises expressing in the plant a cDNA molecule comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:
- 6, and 37, wherein the cDNA molecule inhibits the function of an At4g24160 gene product or homolog thereof in said plant or plant cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.