Plant farnesyltransferases

Abstract

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a farnesyltransferase subunit. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the farnesyltransferase subunit, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the farnesyltransferase subunit in a transformed host cell.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of a farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize cell, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) constructing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide comprising all or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:11, wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and the NO:11;   (b) introducing the recombinant DNA construct into a maize cell;   (c) measuring the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell containing the recombinant DNA construct;   (d) comparing the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell containing the recombinant DNA construct with the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize cell that does not contain the recombinant DNA construct; and   (e) selecting the isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of the farnesvltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize cell.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the isolated polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:11. 
     
     
         17 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 40 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11. 
     
     
         33 . A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of a farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize plant, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) constructing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide comprising all or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:11, wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11;   (b) transforming a maize cell with the recombinant DNA construct;   (c) regenerating a maize plant from the transformed maize cell of (b), wherein the maize plant comprises the recombinant DNA construct;   (d) measuring the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and   (e) comparing the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct with the level of farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in a maize plant that does not comprise the recombinant DNA construct; and   (f) selecting the isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of the farnesyltransferase beta subunit polypeptide in the maize plant.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the isolated polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:11. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the fragment comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 40 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:11. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the promoter directs expression in response to an environmental condition. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the environmental condition is drought stress.