R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Reynolds Technologies, Inc.

University of Kentucky Research Foundation

Darlene Madeline Lawson

Michael Francis Dube

William Monroe Coleman, Iii

Serban C Moldoveanu

Patsy Elizabeth Elliott Brown

Sanjay K Singh

Ling Yuan

Sitakanta Pattanaik

Patsy Elizabeth Elliott

Jerry Wayne Marshall

Susan Marlene Adams

Yijian He

Xingpeng Li

Emmett Ernest Hiatt, Iii

Emmett Ernest Hiatt

Gregory P Pogue

Patsy E Elliott

Iii William Monroe Coleman

William Monroe Coleman Iii

A method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine is provided herein. The methods includes administering at least one basic region/leucine zipper (bZIP) type transcription factor inhibitor to an organism in need thereof. Also provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a bZIP type transcription factor binding site on a promoter of a nicotine N-demethylase (NND). Further provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a plant genome to knockout at least one bZIP type transcription factor.

bZIP transcription factors regulate conversion of nicotine to nornicotine and reduce levels of tobacco specific (TSNA) precursors

bZIP transcription factors regulate conversion of nicotine to nornicotine

Methods and compositions are provided for increasing the expression of a gene of interest in a plant by co-expressing the gene of interest with a p21 polynucleotide. The gene of interest can be endogenous or heterologous to the plant. Further provided are plants, such as tobacco plants, comprising a heterologous p21 polynucleotide. Co-expression of the p21 polynucleotide with a gene of interest in the plant increases the expression of the gene of interest when compared to a control plant. Accordingly, p21 co-expression can increase the expression of genes of interest encoding proteins such as defense proteins, enzymes, signaling proteins, reporter proteins, antibodies and fragments thereof, growth factors, cell surface receptor molecules, seed storage proteins, and fungicides in a plant.

Methods and compositions for increasing expression of genes of interest in a plant by co-expression with p21

The invention provides a tobacco composition for use in a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco composition that includes an additive derived from a flower of thespecies. The additive can be a flower isolate derived from a flower of thespecies. In certain embodiments, the flower isolate is in the form of an extract from a flower of thespecies or in the form of a chemically transformed flower isolate, the chemical transformation being selected from acid/base reaction, hydrolysis, thermal treatment, and enzymatic treatment, the chemical transformation releasing at least a portion of a glycosidically bound compound in the flower of thespecies. The invention also provides smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include the flower additives described herein, and methods for preparing an additive derived from a flower of thespecies for addition to a tobacco composition.

Tobacco-derived components and materials

The present invention discloses genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising a decrease in at least one amino acid such that upon heating and/or burning, the tobacco plant or a portion thereof generates reduced levels of a compound derived from the at least one amino acid as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant or a portion thereof. In an embodiment, the tobacco generates reduced levels of acrylamide and/or acrylonitrile upon heating and/or burning of the tobacco as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco line. These plants are useful for improving tobacco products.

Tobacco having reduced amounts of amino acids and methods for producing such lines

A method of curing tobacco. The method comprises the steps of contacting a tobacco material with a curing additive comprising one or more salts and curing the tobacco material under conditions and temperature for a time sufficient to produce cured tobacco wherein the amount of the one or more salts contacted with the tobacco is at least 5 percent of the dry weight of the cured tobacco.

Tobacco products and processes

A tobacco composition for use in a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco composition is provided, the composition including a component derived from a seed of thespecies. The component can be a seed of thespecies or a portion thereof in particulate form or in the form of seed isolate derived from a seed of thespecies. In certain embodiments, the seed isolate is in the form of a chemically transformed seed isolate, the chemical transformation being selected from hydrogenation, acid/base reaction, hydrolysis, thermal treatment, and enzymatic treatment. The invention also provides smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include the seed components described herein, and methods for preparing a component derived from a seed of thespecies for addition to a tobacco composition.

Tobacco seed-derived components and materials

Disclosed herein are genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising an altered uptake and/or altered levels of at least one environmental contaminant or other non-natural chemical as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant from which the modified plant is derived. The alteration in uptake and/or levels may be a reduction, or alternatively an increase, in the uptake and/or levels of the environmental contaminant or other non-natural chemical. These methods and plants are useful for improving tobacco products or in generating tobacco lines that may have environmentally useful properties.

Tobacco having altered amounts of environmental contaminants

The invention provides a tobacco composition for use in a smoking article or a smokeless tobacco composition that includes an additive derived from a flower of thespecies. The additive can be a flower of thespecies or a portion thereof in particulate form or in the form of flower isolate derived from a flower of thespecies. In certain embodiments, the flower isolate is in the form of an extract from a flower of thespecies or in the form of a chemically transformed flower isolate, the chemical transformation being selected from acid/base reaction, hydrolysis, thermal treatment, and enzymatic treatment. The invention also provides smoking articles and smokeless tobacco compositions that include the flower additives described herein, and methods for preparing an additive derived from a flower of thespecies for addition to a tobacco composition.

Growing community of inventors

Kernersville, NC, United States of America

Darlene Madeline Lawson