Genetic control of flowering

Abstract

The CONSTANS (CO) gene of Arabidopsis thalina and homologues from Brassica napus are provided and are useful for influencing flowering characteristics in transgenic plants, especially the timing of flowering.

1 . A nucleic acid isolate having a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide which includes the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         2 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 1  wherein the coding sequence is the coding sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         3 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 1  wherein the coding sequence is a mutant, allele or derivative of the coding sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         4 . A nucleic acid isolate having a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide which includes a sequence mutant, allele or derivative of the CO amino acid sequence of the species  Arabidopsis thaliana  shown in FIG. 1 or a homologue from another species, by way of insertion, deletion, addition or substitution of one or more residues, or a said homologue, wherein expression of said nucleotide sequence delays flowering in a transgenic plant, the timing of flowering being substantially unaffected by vernalisation.  
     
     
         5 . A nucleic acid isolate having a nucleotide sequence coding for a polypeptide which includes a sequence mutant, allele or derivative of the CO amino acid sequence of the species  Arabidopsis thaliana  shown in FIG. 1 or a homologue from another species, by way of insertion, deletion, addition or substitution of one or more residues, or a said homologue, wherein expression of said nucleotide sequence promotes flowering in a transgenic plant, the timing of flowering being substantially unaffected by vernalisation.  
     
     
         6 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 5  able to complement a co mutation.  
     
     
         7 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 6  wherein said mutation is in  Arabidopsis thaliana.    
     
     
         8 . Nucleic acid according to any of  claims 4  to  7  wherein the encoded polypeptide includes an arrangement of cystaines characteristic of zinc fingers.  
     
     
         9 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 8  wherein the arrangement of cysteines is C-X 2 -C-X 16 -C-X 2 -C.  
     
     
         10 . Nucleic acid according to any of  claims 4  to  7  wherein the encoded polypeptide includes a zinc finger.  
     
     
         11 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 5  wherein said homologue has the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6.  
     
     
         12 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 11  wherein said coding sequence is the coding sequence shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6.  
     
     
         13 . Nucleic acid according to any of  claims 1  to  12  under the control of a regulatory sequence for expression of said polypeptide.  
     
     
         14 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 13  wherein said regulatory sequence includes an inducible promoter.  
     
     
         15 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 14  wherein the promoter is derived from a maize gene for a 27 kD sub-unit of glutathione-S-transferase, isoform II.  
     
     
         16 . A nucleic acid isolate having a nucleotide sequence complementary to a coding sequence of any of  claims 1  to  12  or a fragment of a said coding sequence suitable for use in anti-sense regulation of gene expression.  
     
     
         17 . Nucleic acid which is DNA according to any one of  claims 1  to  12  or  claim 16  wherein said nucleotide sequence or a fragment thereof is under control of a regulatory sequence for anti-sense transcription of said nucleotide sequence or a fragment thereof.  
     
     
         18 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 17 , comprising an inducible promoter.  
     
     
         19 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 18  wherein the promoter is derived from a maize gene for a 27 kD sub-unit of glutathione-S-transferase, isoform II.  
     
     
         20 . A nucleic acid vector suitable for transformation of a plant cell and comprising nucleic acid according to any one of the preceding claims.  
     
     
         21 . A plant cell comprising nucleic acid according to any preceding claim.  
     
     
         22 . A plant cell according to  claim 21  having heterologous said nucleic acid within its genome.  
     
     
         23 . A plant cell according to  claim 22  having more than one said nucleotide sequence per haploid genome.  
     
     
         24 . A plant comprising plant cell according to any one of  claims 21  to  23 .  
     
     
         25 . Selfed or hybrid progeny or a descendant of a plant according to  claim 24 , or any part or propagule of such a plant, progeny or descendant, such as seed.  
     
     
         26 . A method of influencing a flowering characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing expression of the polypeptide encoded by nucleic acid according to any one of  claims 1  to  15  from that nucleic acid within cells of the plant.  
     
     
         27 . A method of influencing a flowering characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing transcription from nucleic acid according to any one of  claims 1  to  15  within cells of the plant.  
     
     
         28 . A method of influencing a flowering characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing anti-sense transcription from nucleic acid according to any one of  claims 16  to  19  within cells of the plant.  
     
     
         29 . A method of identifying and cloning CO homologues from plant species other than  Arabidopsis thaliana  which method employs a nucleotide sequence derived from that shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         30 . Nucleic acid encoding a CO homologue obtained by the method of  claim 29 , CO having the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.  
     
     
         31 . Nucleic acid according to  claim 30  which comprises a nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6.  
     
     
         32 . A method of identifying and cloning CO homologues from plant species other than  Arabidopsis thaliana  which method employs a nucleotide sequence derived from a sequence shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6.  
     
     
         33 . Nucleic acid encoding a CO homologue obtained by the method of  claim 32 , CO having the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1.