Patent ID: 6242667
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: A01K,A61K,C07K,C12N

Abstract:
A transgenic plant having a transgene integrated into the genome of the plant and also having a tet operator-linked gene in the genome of the plant, wherein:the transgene comprises a transcriptional regulatory element functional in cells of the plant operatively linked to a polynucleotide sequence encoding a fusion protein which activates transcription of said tet operator linked gene,the fusion protein comprises a first polypeptide which is a mutated Tet repressor that binds to a tet operator sequence in the presence of tetracycline or a tetracycline analogue operatively linked to a second polypeptide which activates transcription in eukaryotic cells,said tet operator-linked gene confers a detectable and functional phenotype on the plant when expressed in cells of the plant,said transgene is expressed in cells of the plant at a level sufficient to produce amounts of said fusion protein that are sufficient to activate transcription of the tet operator-linked gene; andin the presence of tetracycline or a tetracycline analogue in the plant, said fusion protein binds to the tet operator-linked gene and activates transcription of the tet operator linked gene such that the tet operator-linked gene is expressed at a level sufficient to confer the detectable and functional phenotype on the plant, wherein the level of expression of the tet operator-linked gene can be downmodulated by depleting tetracycline or a tetracycline analogue from the plant.