North Carolina State University

Vector Tobacco Inc.

Mark A Conkling

Wen Song

Nandini Mendu

Yan Li

Charles H Opperman

Christopher G Taylor

Todd Robert Klaenhammer

Shirley A Walker

Gordana Djordjevic

Dan O'Sullivan

Yuri T Yamamoto

Gregoria N Acedo

DNA encoding a plant quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPRTase) enzyme, and constructs comprising such DNA are provided. Methods of altering quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase expression are provided.

Tobacco products with reduced nicotine

Tobacco products with increased nicotine

Regulation of quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase expression

Methods and compositions for protein production in tobacco plants with reduced nicotine

Aspects of the invention concern an isolated nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 operably associated with a heterologous nucleotide sequence.

Plant promoter sequence

Putrescine-N-Methyltransferase promoters, particularly promoters isolated from tobacco, are disclosed, along with recombinant nucleic acids containing the same, expression vectors containing the same, and transgenic plants produced therewith. Methods of use thereof are also disclosed.

Putrescine-n-methyltransferase promoter

The present application describes an isolated promoter fragment that is recognized by the product of the Nic gene of tobacco.

Promoter fragment that is recognized by the product of the tobacco Nic gene

The present invention generally relates to tobacco and tobacco products having a reduced amount of nicotine and/or tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA). More specifically, several ways to make tobacco plants that have reduced nicotine and TSNA levels have been discovered. Embodiments include tobacco harvested from said tobacco plants, cured tobacco from said tobacco plants, tobacco products made with said cured tobacco and methods of making these compositions.

Modifying nicotine and nitrosamine levels in tobacco

DNA encoding a tobacco quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPRTase) enzyme, and constructs comprising such DNA are provided. Methods of altering quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase expression are provided.

Regulation of quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase expression by transformation with a tobacco quinolate phosphoribosyl transferase nucleic acid

Nematode-resistant transgenic plants are disclosed. The plants comprise plant cells containing a DNA construct comprising a transcription cassette, which construct comprises, in the 5' to 3' direction, a promoter operable in the plant cells, and a DNA comprising at least a portion of a DNA sequence encoding a nematode-inducible transmembrane pore protein in either the sense or antisense orientation. Intermediates for producing the same along with methods of making and using the same are also disclosed. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the sense or antisense DNA is replaced with a DNA encoding an enzymatic RNA molecule directed against the mRNA transcript of a DNA sequence encoding a nematode-inducible transmembrane pore protein.

Nematode-resistant transgenic plants

An isolated DNA molecule which comprises a DNA promoter sequence which directs root cortex specific transcription of a downstream heterologous DNA segment in a plant cell. A DNA construct which comprises an expression cassette comprising, in the 5' to 3' direction, a promoter of the present invention and a heterologous DNA segment positioned downstream from the promoter and operatively associated therewith. Transformed plants, such as tobacco plants, comprise transformed plant cells containing a heterologous DNA construct comprising an expression cassette as described above.

Root cortex specific gene promoter

Described herein is a bacterial cell containing a recombinant bacteriophage defense mechanism. The defense mechanism comprises a bacteriophage promoter (e.g., a phage .phi.31 promoter; a T7 promoter) operatively associated with a heterologous DNA encoding a product lethal to the bacterial cell. The bacterial cell is susceptible to infection by a bacteriophage, and the promoter is activated upon the infection of said bacterial cell by that bacteriophage. Bacteria useful in carrying out the invention include both gram negative and gram positive bacteria (e.g., Lactococcus lactis; Escherichia coli); the heterologous DNA may encode an enzyme that degrades nucleic acid (e.g., the products of the LlaI restriction cassette; barnase). Recombinant DNAs useful for making the foregoing cells, cultures prepared from such cells, and fermentation methods carried out with such cells are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Fuquay Varina, NC, United States of America

Mark A Conkling