114results about "Gymnosperms" patented technology

The invention provides methods for preparing a conifer seedling with increased tolerance to a pest. A conifer seedling is inoculated with an isolated endophyte when the conifer seedling is susceptible to colonization by the endophyte.

Tissue specific promoters (SEQ. ID. No. 1-5) are disclosed, these being preferentially expressed in the xylem tissue of woody plants. These promoters are used e.g. to specifically regulate gene expression in xylem tissue and alter xylem properties in plants. Transgenic plants, exhibiting modified xylem properties can be produced using these promoters.

A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and / or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.

Novel isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides associated with the lignin biosynthetic pathway are provided, together with genetic constructs including such sequences. Methods for the modulation of lignin content, lignin structure and lignin composition in target organisms are also disclosed, the methods comprising incorporating one or more of the polynucleotides of the present invention into the genome of a target organism.

The present invention relates to methods for the transformation and regeneration of transformed embryogenic tissue of coniferous plants. In particular, the invention relates to improved methods for transforming embryogenic tissue of coniferous plants and for regenerating transformed embryogenic tissue of coniferous plants. The invention is well suited to the transformation and regeneration of transformed embryogenic tissue of plants of the subgenus Pinus of pines and hybrids thereof.

A method of sowing a somatic plant embryo or germinant of a conifer species to facilitate subsequent development of the embryo or germinant into an autotrophic seedling. The method involves the following steps carried out ex vitro in non-sterile conditions: providing a nutrient medium comprising particles of a solid component present within a flowable or semi-solid component containing water and a carbohydrate nutrient for the embryo or germinant, dispensing a quantity of the nutrient medium onto a surface of a porous solid growth substrate for the somatic plant embryo or germinant, and contacting the plant embryo or germinant with the nutrient medium. The nutrient medium has a fluidity such that at least some of the flowable or semi-solid component containing the carbohydrate nutrient remains in contact with the embryo or germinant at least until the embryo or germinant establishes vigorous growth under environmental conditions effective for such growth. The particles of the solid component are adapted to remain in contact with the embryo or germinant after of the flowable or semi-solid material dissipates, thereby providing continuing physical support for the embryo or germinant after the dissipation. The invention also relates to seedlings produced in this way and to the nutrient solution.

A method is disclosed for classifying plant embryos according to their quality using a penalized logistic regression (PLR) model. First, sets of image or spectral data are acquired from plant embryos of known quality, respectively. Second, each of the acquired sets of image or spectral data is associated with one of multiple class labels according to the corresponding embryo's known quality. Third, sets of metrics are calculated based on the acquired sets of image or spectral data, respectively. Fourth, a penalized logistic regression (PLR) analysis is applied to the sets of metrics and their corresponding class labels to develop a PLR-based classification model. Fifth, image or spectral data are acquired from a plant embryo of unknown quality, and metrics are calculated based therefrom. Sixth, the PLR-based classification model is applied to the metrics calculated for the plant embryo of unknown quality to classify the same.

A multi-step process by which plant somatic embryos can be sown and germinated ex vitro using conventional seeding equipment, growing mixes, and plant propagation environments. The process most preferably comprises the steps of: placing a somatic embryo on or within a three-phase substrate, the phases comprising solid, liquid and gas phases, placing the substrate containing a somatic embryo into an environmentally-controlled plant-growing environment in which at least one environmental factor (i.e. moisture level within the three-phase substrate, atmospheric humidity, temperature, nutrients, ambient light intensity and diurnal photoperiod) may be controlled and manipulated, manipulating at least one of the environmental factors to enable and facilitate germination of the somatic embryo, and applying water and / or nutrient solutions at regular intervals, the intervals preferably ranging from 1 minute-24 hours, to the surface of the substrate in the form of microdroplets, preferably for a period of time ranging between 3 to eight weeks, such that somatic embryo imbibition, germination, growth and development occur. The process can be practiced in non-sterile conditions with “naked” fresh and / or HRHT-treated and / or desiccated embryos, i.e., non-encapsulated or otherwise uncoated embryos, and does not require the use of aseptic techniques or sterilized media or equipment.

Polynucleotides useful for improvement of plants are provided. In particular, polynucleotide sequences are provided from plant sources. Polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotide sequences are also provided. The disclosed polynucleotides and polypeptides find use in production of transgenic plants to produce plants having improved properties.

The present invention provides methods for multiplying conifer embryogenic tissue. The methods of the present invention each include the step of continuously culturing conifer embryogenic tissue in liquid multiplication medium for a period of time sufficient for the embryogenic tissue to multiply.

The invention provides a polynucleotide for identifying male and female ginkgo strains. The polynucleotide comprises or consists of: 1) a nucleotide sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 5; or 2) a complement,degenerate or homologous sequence of the sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 5; or 3) a polynucleotide which hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 under stringent conditions or a complement thereof; 4) a coding sequence of any of the sequences 1) to 3); or 5) a nucleotide sequence identical to a nucleotide of 10 bp or more in any of the sequences of sequences 1) to 4). The polynucleotide provided by the present invention is unique among male ginkgo plants, uses the same to identify male and female plants of ginkgo, has the advantages of stable and accurate results, good reproducibility and rapid detection, and provides a basis for the identification of male and female ginkgo by molecular markers.

The present invention provides methods for developing conifer cotyledonary somatic embryos. In some embodiments, the methods of the invention include the step of culturing conifer pre-cotyledonary somatic embryos on a porous membrane, that is at least intermittently contacted with liquid development medium, for a period of time sufficient to produce conifer, cotyledonary, somatic embryos from the pre-cotyledonary somatic embryos.

Transgenic lignocellulosic plants are provided according to embodiments of the present invention, the transgenic plants transformed with an expression cassette encoding a protein operably linked to a signal peptide which targets the protein to a cell wall of the transgenic plant, where at least 5% of the total amino acid residues of the protein are tyrosine, lysine, serine, threonine or cysteine. Methods of increasing lignin-protein bonds in a lignocellulosic plant are provided according to embodiments of the present invention which include expressing a recombinant nucleic acid in a lignocellulosic plant, the recombinant nucleic acid encoding a protein operably linked to a signal peptide which targets the protein to the cell wall of a plant, where at least 5% of the total amino acid residues of the protein are tyrosine, lysine, serine, threonine or cysteine.

The present invention provides methods for multiplying conifer embryogenic tissue. The methods of the present invention each include the step of continuously culturing conifer embryogenic tissue in liquid multiplication medium for a period of time sufficient for the embryogenic tissue to multiply.

The present invention provides methods of selectively controlling lignin biosynthesis in plants such that lignification is reduced or enhanced, as desired. The invention provides, for example, a method of reducing lignification in a vascular plant by ectopically expressing a nucleic acid molecule encoding an AGL8-like gene product in the plant, whereby lignification is reduced due to ectopic expression of the nucleic acid molecule. An AGL8-like gene product useful in the invention can have, for example, substantially the amino acid sequence of an AGL8 ortholog such as Arabidopsis AGL8 (SEQ ID NO:2).