Monsanto Technology LLC

Agracetus

Monsanto Company

Swain, William F.

Barton, Kenneth A.

Mccormick, Francis P.

Kenneth A Barton

Larry A Gilbertson

Michael W Petersen

Brian J Martinell

Xudong Ye

Shihshieh Huang

Qi Wang

Yong Huang

Kenneth John Piller

Toni Armstrong

Laura J Crow

Michael J Miller

Paul F Umbeck

William F Swain

Dennis E McCabe

Francis P McCormick

Paul Christou

John Maliyakal

The compositions and methods are provided that enhance the selection of transgenic plants having two T-DNA molecules integrated into a plant genome at different physical and genetic loci. The compositions are DNA constructs that comprise novel arrangements of T-DNA molecules containing genes of interest, positive selectable marker genes, and conditional lethal genes. The methods disclosed herein comprises transforming a plant cell to comprise the DNA constructs of the present invention, regenerating the plant cell into a plant and identifying independent transgene loci, where the selectable marker genes or transgenic elements can be segregated in the progeny.

Compositions for enhancing segregation of transgenes in plants

Methods for enhancing segregation of transgenes in plants

The compositions and methods are provided that enhance the selection of transgenic plants having two T-DNA molecules integrated into a plant genome at different physical and genetic loci. The compositions are DNA constructs that comprise novel arrangements of T-DNA molecules containing genes of interest, positive selectable marker genes, and conditional lethal genes. The methods disclosed herein comprises transforming a plant cell to comprise the DNA constructs of the present invention, regenerating the plant cell into a plant and identifying independant transgene loci, where the selectable marker genes or transgenic elements can be segregated in the progeny.

Methods for enhancing segregation of transgenes in plants and compositions thereof

Disclosed is a method for improving the expression of Cry1A in plants that makes use of codons preferentially used in native plant genes. The coding sequence of the gene for the delta endotoxin Cry1A crystal protein was analyzed and found to have codons not preferred by plants. By constructing a synthetic protein coding sequence that uses codons which are preferred in plant genes, expression of the protein in plant cells was improved.

Expression of the toxic portion of Cry1A in plants

A strategy for effecting virus resistance in plants causes the transcription in the plant cells of negative RNA strands which are substantially complementary to a target RNA strand. The target RNA strand can be an mRNA transcript created in gene expression, a viral RNA, or other RNA present in the plant cells. The negative RNA strand is complementary to at least a portion of the target RNA strand to inhibit its activity in vivo.

Effecting virus resistance in plants through the use of negative strand RNAs

A plant expression vector is constructed to cause the expression of an amino-terminal portion of the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin gene in plant cells and the vector is used to create transgenic plants expressing the toxin. A truncated form of the toxin is used, with carboxy-terminal prolines added for stability. A translational enhancer sequence derived from the untranslated leader sequence from the mRNA of the coat protein gene of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein gene is placed between a promoter and the toxin gene to increase translational efficiency. The transgenic plants produced are toxic to Lepidopteran pests and can transmit that trait to their progeny by normal Mendelian inheritance.

Expression of proteins in plants using an AMV coat protein leader

Insecticidal cotton plants

Transgenic cotton plants have been created which expressed an immobilized protein in the cotton fiber cells. The cotton fiber can be recovered from such transgenic cotton plants and then used as a substrate for fixing immobilized protein for use in industrial or laboratory processes. Using an enzyme expressed inside cotton fiber, it is possible to fabricate a convenient reaction column by simply packing the cotton fiber carrying the enzyme into a column and passing substrate therethrough.

Immobilized proteins in cotton fiber

Transgenic plants have been created which express an insect-specific toxin from a scorpion. The chimeric inheritable trait produced conditions of toxicity in the plant cells of toxicity to certain insects upon ingestion of plant tissues. The inheritable trait has also been cross-bred to plants transgenic to the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin to produce plants having two independent insect-specific toxin traits. Insect feeding trails revealed additive toxic effects. A generalized approach for developing other insecticidal toxins as candidates for insertion into transgenic plants is also presented.

Insecticidal toxins in plants

A method and apparatus is disclosed for the genetic transformation of soybean plants and plant lines by particle mediated transformation. Foreign genes are introduced into regenerable soybean tissues by coating on carrier particles which are physically accelerated into plant tissues. The treated plant tissues are then recovered and regenerated into whole sexually mature plants. The progeny are recovered from seed set by these plants and a portion of these progeny will contain in their genome the foreign gene. The procedure may be used to create novel genetically engineered soybean plants and lines.

Particle-mediated transformation of soybean plants and lines

Growing community of inventors

Middleton, WI, United States of America

Kenneth A Barton