Keygene N.v.

Rik Hubertus Martinus Op Den Camp

Peter Johannes Van Dijk

Anthony Gallard

Michiel Theodoor Jan De Both

Bernarda Gerharda Johanna Fierens-onstenk

Bjorn Alexander Kloosterman

The invention provides a method to produce a mutant gene, wherein said gen comprises a modified promoter and wherein said gene is capable of inducing the parthenogenesis phenotype to a plant. The invention further provides said mutant gene, isolated nucleic acid molecule, construct or vector comprising the same. Also, the invention provides for a method to produce a parthenogenetic plant comprising the mutant gene, and the parthenogenetic plant thus obtained.

Modified promoter of a parthenogenesis gene

Genetic modification of plants is hampered by the limited capacity of plant cells to regenerate. The current invention solves this problem by introducing or increasing the expression of a histidine kinase in a plant cell. Preferred histidine kinases are at least one of CHK2, CHK3 and CHK4. The invention therefore concerns a method for improving a cytokinin-induced regeneration capacity of a plant cell, wherein the method comprises a step of increasing or introducing the expression of a histidine kinase in the plant cell. The invention further pertains to a method for regenerating a plant, wherein the method comprises a step of introducing or increasing the expression of a histidine kinase and to a plant obtainable from such method. Moreover, the method concerns the use of at least one of CHK2, CHK3 and CHK4 for improving a cytokinin-induced regeneration capacity of a plant.

Shoot regeneration by overexpression of CHK genes

It was found that plants with loss of functional Msi2 protein due to a nucleotide polymorphism resulting in the introduction of a premature stop codon in the Msi2 protein, are able to induce haploid offspring after a cross to or with a wild type plant comprising a functional Msi2 protein. The invention relates to generation of haploid and doubled haploid plants.

Method for the production of haploid and subsequent doubled haploid plants

It was found that plants comprising modified CENPC protein comprising one or more active mutations which affect the functioning of CENPC protein yet allow plants expressing said modified CENPC protein to be viable, are able to induce haploid offspring after a cross to or with a wild type plant comprising a endogenous CENPC protein. The invention relates to generation of haploid and doubled haploid plants.

Growing community of inventors

Wageningen, Netherlands

Rik Hubertus Martinus Op Den Camp