Incorporated Administrative Agency, National Agriculture and Bio-oriented Research Organization

Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution

International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Science

Yusuke Ito

Kazuko Shinozaki

Yoh Sakuma

Koji Katsura

Identification of a gene from monocotyledonous plants such as rice, which codes for a transcription factor specific to a stress tolerant gene and provision of a novel environmental stress tolerant plant using the gene. From the rice genome, a gene, which binds to a cis element existing upstream of the gene encoding a stress responsive protein and for a transcription factor to activate the transcription of the gene, is identified. Further, the gene of the transcription factor is used to transform a plant, thereby improving tolerance against environmental stresses such as low temperature, dehydration, and salt stresses.

Genes encoding plant transcription factors

This invention provides a stress-inducible promoter that effectively functions in monocotyledonous plants such as rice, and environmental stress-tolerant plants using the promoter. Such promoter is derived from rice and consists of the following DNA (a) or (b): (a) DNA that consists of the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 10; or (b) DNA that hybridizes under stringent conditions with DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to the DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 10 and that expresses stress-inducible promoter activity. Such environmental stress-tolerant plant has had such promoter introduced therein.

Stress-induced promoter and method of using the same

The invention relates to an isolated stress-induced promoter which effectively functions in monocotyledonous plants such as rice, and of environmental stress tolerant plants using the promoter.

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Yusuke Ito