National Research Council of Canada

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada As Represented by Agriculture

Hai Ping Hong

Laurian Sylvio Robert

Jean L Gerster

A Brassica sp. genomic clone containing a gene promoter, which directs expression in the tapetum, was isolated. When the promoter was fused with the GUS gene and introduced into B. napus by Agrobacterium mediated transformation, this promoter controlled GUS expression in the tapetum in transgenic B. napus plants. Expression was observed from bud length 2-3 mm, which corresponds to the uninucleate microspore stage, peaked at 4-5 mm which corresponds to the binucleate microspore stage and declined to no detectable level at the open flower stage. There was no GUS expression in other tissues such as root, stem, leaf, sepal, petal or pistil. This promoter will be useful for the temporal and spatial control of gene expression in plants.

Brassica sp. gene promoter highly expressed during tapetum development

A Brassica sp. genomic clone containing a polygalacturonase gene promoter was isolated. This promoter directs high levels of transcription in the pollen. When the promoter was fused with the GUS gene and introduced into B. napus by Agrobacterium mediated transformation, this promoter controlled GUS expression in microspores and pollen in transgenic B. napus plants. Expression occurred between the late uninucleate microspore stage and the mature pollen grain stage. GUS activity was also identified in tapetal tissue at the binucleate microspore stage. There was no GUS expression in other tissues such as root, stem, leaf, sepal, petal or pistil. This promoter will be useful for the temporal and spatial control of endogenous gene expression in plants.

Growing community of inventors

Saskatoon, Canada

Hai Ping Hong