Plant Vernalization Independence (VIP) Genes, Proteins, and Methods Of Use

Abstract

The present invention relates to plant genes involved in regulating flowering, and especially to genes involved in the induction of flowering in response to cold, or vernalization. In particular, the present invention provides the identification, cloning, and characterization of genes involved in vernalization, and specifically of VIP genes, as well as to the proteins encoded by these genes, and to methods of using the VIP genes and proteins. Mutants of VIP genes, where the mutation is a knock-out mutation, confer a vernalization independence, or constitutively vernalized, phenotype in a plant which in the non-mutant form requires vernalization to flower.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a second nucleic acid sequence which is complementary to the first nucleic acid sequence of claim  1 . 
     
     
         6 . An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a second nucleic acid sequence which hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to the first nucleic acid sequence of claim  1 , wherein the second nucleic acid sequence encodes a VIP polypeptide. 
     
     
         7 . An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a second nucleic acid sequence which encodes a nucleic acid product which interferes with the expression of the first nucleic acid sequence of claim  1 , wherein the interference is based upon a coding sequence of the VIP protein encoded by the first nucleic acid sequence of claim  1 . 
     
     
         8 . The nucleic acid sequence of  claim 7 , wherein the second nucleic acid sequence is an antisense sequence of the first nucleic acid sequence of claim  1 . 
     
     
         9 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for altering the phenotype of a plant, comprising:
 a. providing
 i. an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence of  claim 7 , and 
 ii. plant tissue; and 
   b. transfecting the plant tissue with the vector under conditions such that expression of a VIP polypeptide coding sequence is inhibited in a plant obtained from the transfected plant tissue and the phenotype of the plant is altered.