Aromatic methyltransferases and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to genes associated with the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway. More particularly, the present invention provides and includes nucleic acid molecules, proteins, and antibodies associated with genes that encode polypeptides that have methyltransferase activity. The present invention also provides methods for utilizing such agents, for example in gene isolation, gene analysis and the production of transgenic plants. Moreover, the present invention includes transgenic plants modified to express the aforementioned polypeptides. In addition, the present invention includes methods for the production of products from the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . A transformed plant comprising an introduced first nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide molecule comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 22 through 28, 33 through 38, and an introduced second nucleic acid molecule that encodes an enzyme selected from the group consisting of tyrA, slr1736, HPT, tocopherol cyclase, dxs, dxr, GGPPS, GMT, HPPD, AANT1, sir 1737, IDI, GGH, and complements thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The transformed plant of  claim 27 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa,  Arabidopsis thaliana , barley,  Brassica campestris, Brassica napus , oilseed rape, broccoli, cabbage, citrus, canola, cotton, garlic, oat,  Allium , flax, an ornamental plant, peanut, pepper, potato, rapeseed, rice, rye, sorghum, strawberry, sugarcane, sugarbeet, tomato, wheat, poplar, pine, fir, eucalyptus, apple, lettuce, lentils, grape, banana, tea, turf grasses, sunflower, soybean, corn,  Phaseolus , crambe, mustard, castor bean, sesame, cottonseed, linseed, safflower, and oil palm.  
     
     
         29 . The transformed plant of  claim 27 , wherein said introduced second nucleic acid molecule encodes GMT and wherein said transformed plant comprises tissue with one or both of an increased α-tocopherol level and increased α-tocotrienol level relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         30 . The transformed plant of  claim 27 , wherein said transformed plant produces a seed with one or both of an increased γ-tocopherol level and increased γ-tocotrienol level relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         31 . The transformed plant of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule further comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, an operably linked heterologous promoter.  
     
     
         32 . The transformed plant of  claim 31 , wherein said promoter is a seed specific promoter.  
     
     
         33 . A transformed plant comprising an introduced first nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 8 through 15, and complements thereof, and an introduced second nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 39 through 54, and complements thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The transformed plant of  claim 33 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa,  Arabidopsis thaliana , barley,  Brassica campestris, Brassica napus , oilseed rape, broccoli, cabbage, citrus, canola, cotton, garlic, oat,  Allium , flax, an ornamental plant, peanut, pepper, potato, rapeseed, rice, rye, sorghum, strawberry, sugarcane, sugarbeet, tomato, wheat, poplar, pine, fir, eucalyptus, apple, lettuce, lentils, grape, banana, tea, turf grasses, sunflower, soybean, chick peas, corn,  Phaseolus , crambe, mustard, castor bean, sesame, cottonseed, linseed, safflower, and oil palm.  
     
     
         35 . The transformed plant of  claim 33 , wherein said transformed plant produces a seed with increased α-tocopherol levels relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         36 . The transformed plant of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, an operably linked heterologous promoter.  
     
     
         37 . The transformed plant of  claim 36 , wherein said promoter is a seed specific promoter.  
     
     
         38 . A transformed plant comprising an introduced first nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide molecule comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 22 through 28, 33 through 38, and an introduced second nucleic acid molecule having a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 39 through 54, and complements thereof.  
     
     
         39 . The transformed plant of  claim 38 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa,  Arabidopsis thaliana , barley,  Brassica campestris, Brassica napus , oilseed rape, broccoli, cabbage, citrus, canola, cotton, garlic, oat,  Allium , flax, an ornamental plant, peanut, pepper, potato, rapeseed, rice, rye, sorghum, strawberry, sugarcane, sugarbeet, tomato, wheat, poplar, pine, fir, eucalyptus, apple, lettuce, lentils, grape, banana, tea, turf grasses, sunflower, soybean, corn,  Phaseolus , crambe, mustard, castor bean, sesame, cottonseed, linseed, safflower, and oil palm.  
     
     
         40 . The transformed plant of  claim 38 , wherein said transformed plant produces a seed with one or both of an increased α-tocopherol level and increased α-tocotrienol level relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said introduced first nucleic acid molecule and said introduced second nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         41 . The transformed plant of  claim 38 , wherein at least one nucleic acid molecule further comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, an operably linked heterologous promoter.  
     
     
         42 . The transformed plant of  claim 41 , wherein said promoter is a seed specific promoter.  
     
     
         43 - 61 . (canceled)  
     
     
         62 . Seed derived from a transformed plant, wherein said transformed plant comprises an introduced first nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 8 through 15, and complements thereof, and an introduced second nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 39 through 54, and complements thereof.  
     
     
         63 - 65 . (canceled)  
     
     
         66 . A transformed plant comprising an introduced first nucleic acid molecule encoding a tMT2 enzyme and an introduced second nucleic acid molecule encoding a GMT enzyme.  
     
     
         67 - 71 . (canceled)