Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co., Ltd.

Pill-Soon Song

Jeong-Gu Kang

Chung-Mo Park

Tohyama Kohichi

Ju Yun

Moon Kyung Ko

Young Soon Kim

Hyo Yeon Lee

Jeong-Il Kim

Boung-Jun Oh

Chang Ho Chung

Yun-Jeong Han

Hyo-Yeon Lee

Ae Ran Park

Jeon-Gu Kang

Chang-Hyu Bae

Kyung-Sook Chung

Hyo Guen Park

Jae Bok Yoon

Moo Je Cho

Won Do Heo

Moon-Soo Soh

Hyo Hyoun Seo

Ki-Young Yang

The present invention includes modified phytochrome A (PHYA) nucleic acid molecules in which Pr absorption spectra have been shifted to longer wavelength (i.e. bathochromism or red-shift). The plants with the bathochromic phytochromes are expected to respond to canopy and shade conditions for growth and development with greater efficiency than the plants with wild-type phytochrome (i.e. suppression of shade avoidance reactions in plants). Since the shade avoidance reactions in plants induce a rapid and dramatic increase in the extension growth of stems and petioles at the expense of leaf growth, storage organ production, and reproductive development, it causes significant losses of crop yields. Thus, the bathochromic phytochromes that utilize the shade light efficiently would suppress the shade avoidance reactions in plants, giving plants the tolerance to shade. In this invention, several bathochromic phytochromes were generated by site-directed mutagenesis in the region of bilin lyase domain in plant PHYA, and their ability to suppress the shade avoidance reactions were examined by transforming the bathochromic phytochromes into PHYA deficient(ecotype col-0). The transgenic plants with the bathochromic phytochromes showed significantly increased shade tolerance compared to wild-type plants and transgenic plants with wild-type phytochromes. Therefore, the present invention can be utilized to suppress plants' shade avoidance that is one of major causes to induce crop-yield losses, and ultimately to generate shade tolerant plants with higher yields. The invention also includes plants having at least one cell expressing the modified PHYA, vectors comprising at least one portion of the modified PHYA nucleic acids, and methods using such vectors for producing plants with shade tolerance.

Isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the modified phytochrome A

The invention relates to a gDNA and corresponding cDNA sequence comprising pathogenesis related protein-10 (CbPR-10) gene in. The polypeptide encoded by the DNA sequence has ribonuclease activity which makes the enzyme highly effective in inhibiting the growth of fungal pathogen. The use of the DNA sequence disclosed herein contains the gDNA, cDNA, protein and a genetic construct for the production of transgenic plants, especially genetically transformed pepper plants, with an enhanced resistance against fungal pathogens.

Pathogenesis related protein and use thereof

This invention is about the functionally hyperactive light signal related molecule, HFR1-&#x394;N105, of which the nucleic acids that encode N-terminal 105 amino acid residues were deleted. HFR1 as a bHLH transcription factor functions in a subset of phytochrome A signaling cascade and it was reported to be regulated negatively by COP1. Experiments with a HFR1-&#x394;N105 overexpressing plant revealed that the deletion of N-terminal amino acids makes the HFR1 more active in photomorphogenic development such as germination and de-etiolation. In addition, the transgenic plants showed hypersensitive photo-responses in the inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, dependently on another positive element of light signaling, a bZIP protein, HY5. The end-of-day far-red light response and petiole elongation were suppressed in the HFR1-&#x394;N105 overexpressing plants. These results suggest that N-terminal region of HFR1 negatively regulate HFR1 function and that HFR1-&#x394;N105 is hyperactive.

Hyperactive light signal related molecule of HFR1-&#x394;N105 and transgenic plant thereof

The present invention provides transgenic zoysiagrass plant cells transformed with a modified oat phytochrome A gene (S598A) in which the serine-598 codon was replaced with an alanine codon, which, when expressed, significantly suppresses shade avoidance reactions, such as dwarfish internodes and petioles, short leaves, increased branching, and dark-green leaf color. Said transgenic zoysiagrass shows a robust appearance and is expected to show enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Also provided are a recombinant DNA construct comprising the S598A gene which, when expressed, induces drastic suppression of shade avoidance reactions, transgenic plants produced by this method, and propagating seeds obtained from said transgenic plants.

Transgenic zoysiagrass with reduced shade avoidance

This invention relates to dual roles of the pepper esterase protein as a biocontrol agent that can elicit defense reactions in plant cells and as direct fungal inhibitor that can block fungal penetration into plant cells. The possible enzymatic actions of the PepEST protein were elucidated in both fungus and plant to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the fungal resistance. Exogenously treated PepEST protein on the unripe pepper fruits decomposed the cuticles of the fruits and released glycerol and 9-octadecenamide. The treatment resulted in the massive generation of hydrogen peroxide in the unripe pepper fruit and simultaneously elicited the expression of defense-related genes in both absence and presence of the fungus.

Dual roles of pepper esterase as a biocontrol agent

The present invention provides transgenic higher plants and transgenic plant cells thereof which have been transformed with a plant translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) gene to improve growth rate in a growth stage-dependent manner, especially in the earlier vegetative growth stage from seedlings to young plants. Also, the invention provides methods for engineering higher plants so that they can be more efficiently transformed with other transforming vector constructs. Further, provided are TCTP expression vectors which contain an uninterrupted coding region for the TCTP protein used to generate transgenic plants and cells thereof.

Transgenic plant transformed with a translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) gene

The present invention provides an efficient genetic transformation system for the zoysiagrass plant ( Steud.). Also provided are optimized media compositions and culture conditions for the zoysiagrass transformation. The reliable transformation system for zoysiagrass was developed by optimizing several factors that significantly affect calli growth and plant regeneration. Callus type and co-cultivation period absolutely influenced the transformation efficiency. Concentrations of 2,4-D, CaCl and acetosyringone were also critical factors. The best result was achieved when type 3 calli were co-cultivated on a 2,4-D-free co-cultivation medium for 6 days. Removal of calcium and addition of 50 mg/liter acetosyringone during co-cultivation drastically enhanced the efficiency. The invention also provides a bialaphos-resistant zoysiagrass plant, which can be used in golf courses and athletic fields to save the maintenance cost.

Genetic transformation method for zoysiagrass

This invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding the catalytic subunit of a protein phosphatase (PP2AC-JD) that belongs to the PP2A family. The PP2AC-JD interacts with the phytochrome A, a primary photoreceptor in the light signal transduction in plants, in the photoperiodic control of flowering. The present invention also provides the methods and processes for generating transgenic higher plants transformed with said nucleic acid molecule to engineer flowing time of economically important crop plants.

Nucleic acid molecule encoding the catalytic subunit of a protein phosphatase 2A that regulates flowering time in plants

The present invention provides a nucleic acid molecule isolated from the 5&prime; untranscribed region of a translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) gene from Arabidopsis. The nucleic acid molecule, referred to as TCTP promoter in the present invention, directs the high-level expression of a reporter gene that is properly placed under its control. The TCTP promoter initiates and regulates the gene expression to a level that is comparable to those by the currently available promoters in plant genetic engineering. A minimum of 300-bp region is enough for fill regulatory activity. The TCTP promoter is functional in all plant tissues tested with the highest activity in the meristem tissue of root tip. The present invention can be utilized to express useful genes to a high level in agronomically important plants.

Promoter system of plant translationally controlled tumor protein gene

Fully differentiated higher plants may be regenerated from undifferentiated plant tissues, such as callus, derived from mature seeds, immature embryos, stems, roots, or leaves. The present invention provides a plant regeneration method from mature seed-derived calli. The regeneration procedure may include the induction of calli on the MS media containing 2 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.2 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine, 4 mg/L thiamine-HCl, and 100 mg/L &agr;-ketoglutaric acid. The plant regeneration efficiency is the highest when calli are grown on the MS media supplemented with 3% maltose and 1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine or 1 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ). The invention can be utilized to introduce a gene or genes of agronomically important values into the zoysiagrass or possibly closely related turfgrass species.

Plant regeneration method for mature seed-derived callus in zoysiagrass

The present invention provides transgenic plants and plant cells thereof which have been transformed with the soybean calmodulin isoform (SCaM5) gene to exhibit greatly enhanced resistance to a wide spectrum of plant pathogens. The present invention also provides the expression vector containing SCaM5 gene and to host cells into which the gene in the expression vector has been introduced to plant pathogens-resistant plants. Transgenic plants expressing a heterologous SCaM5 gene show increased resistance to fungi, bacteria and viruses which normally infect the plants.

Growing community of inventors

Kwangju, South Korea

Pill-Soon Song