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A method for controlling endosperm size and development in plants. The method employs nucleic acid constructs encoding proteins involved in genomic imprinting, in the production of transgenic plants. The nucleic acid constructs can be used in the production of transgenic plants to affect interspecif

A method for controlling endosperm size and development in plants. The method employs nucleic acid constructs encoding proteins involved in genomic imprinting, in the production of transgenic plants. The nucleic acid constructs can be used in the production of transgenic plants to affect interspecific hybridisation.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for the production of modified endosperm, which comprises the step of introducing a nucleic acid molecule into a plant, the nucleic acid molecule comprising a promoter that targets expression to female germ line cells and a sequence whose transcription product

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for the production of modified endosperm, which comprises the step of introducing a nucleic acid molecule into a plant, the nucleic acid molecule comprising a promoter that targets expression to female germ line cells and a sequence whose transcription product comprises a partial or full-length Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase 1 (Met1) sequence, wherein the introduced nucleic acid is effective for down-regulating one or more DNA methylating enzymes present in the plant, whereby the degree of DNA methylation of nucleic acid in the plant is reduced as compared to a control plant. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transcription product comprises an antisense nucleic acid. 3. A method for the production of modified endosperm, which comprises the step of introducing a nucleic acid molecule into a plant, the nucleic acid molecule comprising a promoter that targets expression to female germ line cells and a sequence whose transcription product comprises a partial or full-length Z. mays DNA sequence orthologous to the Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase 1 (Met1) sequence, wherein the introduced nucleic acid is effective for down-regulating one or more DNA methylating enzymes present in the plant, whereby the degree of DNA methylation of nucleic acid in the plant is reduced as compared to a control plant. 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transcription product comprises an antisense nucleic acid. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transcription product down-regulates one DNA methylating enzyme. 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transcription product comprises a full or partial sense copy of the Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase 1 (Met1) sequence. 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sense copy is a partial sense copy. 9. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transcription product comprises a full or partial sense copy of the Z. mays sequence. 10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 11. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the promoter targets expression in female gametic cells. 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transcription product comprises an antisense nucleic acid. 14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transcription product comprises a partial sense copy of the Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase 1 (Met1) sequence. 15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plant is a monocotyledonous plant. 17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plant is a Brassica plant. 18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plant is a B. napus plant. 19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plant is a Zea mays plant. 20. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the promoter targets expression to female gametic cells. 21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transcription product comprises an antisense nucleic acid. 22. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transcription product comprises a partial sense copy of the Z. mays sequence orthologous to Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase 1 (Met1) sequence. 23. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 24. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the plant is a monocotyledonous plant. 25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the plant is a Brassica plant. 26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the plant is a B. napus plant. 27. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the plant is a Zea mays plant.