Multicellular living organisms and unmodified parts thereof and – Plant – seedling – plant seed – or plant part – per se
Patent
1993-10-14
1999-12-21
McElwain, Elizabeth F.
Multicellular living organisms and unmodified parts thereof and
Plant, seedling, plant seed, or plant part, per se
800260, 800278, 435 691, 536 236, 536419, 536468, A01H 500, C12N 1582
Patent
active
060051671
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to recombinant DNA, more in particular to recombinant DNA in relation to genetic manipulation of plants. The invention is further related to plants which exhibit nuclear encoded male-sterility, due to expression of the said recombinant DNA, as well as parts of the said plants which are either sexually or asexually reproducible, or both.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
It has since long been acknowledged that seeds derived through cross-pollination between different varieties of one species, give rise to offspring with better characteristics in terms of yield, environmental fitness, and disease resistance, when compared with the offspring of seeds derived through self-pollination. This effect is generally referred to as the heterosis effect. For this reason, it is an object for the seed industry to obtain hybrid seed in as many agricultural and horticultural crops as possible, because of their higher commercial value.
Unfortunately, however, many crop plants bear the male and female reproductive organs on the same individual, which strongly promotes self-pollination over cross-pollination. Therefore, in order to obtain seeds derived from cross-pollination, it would be desirable to have acceptor plants which are unable to self-pollinate, due to the absence of (properly functioning) pollen. These male-sterile plants or female parents, are then used in cross-fertilization with a male-fertile donor plant to produce hybrid seed.
For the production of hybrid seed on a large scale usually the male-sterile plants and the male-fertile plants are grown together in the field and allowed to cross-pollinate, whereafter the hybrid seed is selected. Depending on the type of male-sterile plants that are used, the selection or separation of hybrid seed is performed before harvesting, i.e. by destroying or removing the male-fertile donor plants which produce non-hybrid seeds, or after harvesting, e.g. on the basis of a marker, such as seed color in maize, or another easily perceptible phenotype. The pre-harvesting selection is possible when the male-fertile parent can be distinguished from the male-sterile parent plant and can subsequently be removed or destroyed. Alternatively, when the male-sterility locus is closely linked to a selectable marker (such as a herbicide resistance), the male-sterile plants, which carry the hybrid seeds, can outcompete the male-fertile plants by applying the appropriate selective pressure.
As male-sterile parental line, use is made of e.g. physically emasculated plants, or if available natural cytoplasmic or nuclear encoded male-sterile mutants. Such naturally male-sterile plants have their disadvantages, be it the very laborious preparation, the presence of additional undesired characteristics, the difficulty of maintenance and propagation, the unpredictable inheritance, or the limited availability of natural male-sterile mutants in commercially interesting crops.
Only recently, genetically engineered nuclear encoded male-sterile plants are known that can be used for the production of hybrid seeds and which lack at least some of the disadvantages of most natural male-sterile mutants.
STATE OF THE ART
The International Patent Application WO 90/08830, ICI proposes methods for the production of restorable male-sterile plants in general terms, essentially comprising expression of a) either a gene encoding a protein inhibitor, or b) a so-called killer gene, wherein said genes are to be expressed in the male flowers, leading to cell death of the anthers and associated tissues. Exemplified killer genes are those which upon expression have an effect on mitochondrial metabolism.
In the International Patent Application WO 90/08831, ICI, the inhibition of cell-respiration by expression of a disrupter gene is disclosed, to inhibit mitochondrial function, eventually resulting in the death of the cells in which these genes are expressed. Preferred disrupter proteins are a) the mammalian uncoupling protein (UCP) b) a mutated form of the gene for the .beta.-1 subu
REFERENCES:
patent: 3710511 (1973-01-01), Patterson
patent: 5034323 (1991-07-01), Jorgensen et al.
patent: 5231020 (1993-07-01), Jorgensen et al.
patent: 5283184 (1994-02-01), Jorgensen et al.
patent: 5432068 (1995-07-01), Albertsen
Matsuda et al. Plant Cell Physiol. 37(2): 215-222, 1996.
Koltunow, A.M. et al "Different Temporal . . . " The Plant Cell, vol. 21, Americal Society of Plant Physiologists, pp. 1201-1224.
Marrani et al (1990) Nature 347: 737-741.
Finnegan et al (1994) BioTechnology 12 : 883-888.
Van Tunen, A.J., et al. `Regulation of chalcone flavanone . . . ` in: Plant Molecular Biology., vol. 12, No. 5, 1989, Dordrecht NL, pp. 539-551.
Van Der Meer, I.M., et al. `Promoter analysis . . . ` in: Plant Molecular Biology., vol. 15, No. 1, 1990, Dordrecht NL, pp. 95-109.
Sun, L.Y., et al. `Changes in flowering . . . ` in: Plant Science, vol. 80, No. 1-2, 1991, Limerick, Irel. pp. 145-156.
Van Der Meer, I.M., et al. `Antisense Inhibition . . . ` in: Plant Cell, vol. 4, No. 3, 1992, Rockville US, pp. 253-262.
Taylor, L.P., et al. `Conditional Male . . . ` in: Journal of Heredity, vol. 83, No. 1, 1992, Washington DC US, pp. 11-17.
Coe, E.H., et al., "White Pollen in Maize" The Journal of Heredity, 72:318-320, 1981.
van der Meer, I.M., "Regulation of Flavonoid Gene Expression in Petunia Hybrida: CIS-Acting Elements and Trans-Acting Factors" Free University of Amsterdam, 1991.
Mol Josephus Nicolaas Maria
Van Der Meer Ingrid Maria
Van Tunen Adrianus Johannes
McElwain Elizabeth F.
Mogen International N.V.
LandOfFree
Male-sterile plants, method for obtaining male-sterile plants an does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Male-sterile plants, method for obtaining male-sterile plants an, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Male-sterile plants, method for obtaining male-sterile plants an will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-507008