Patent ID: 6147282
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: C07K,C12N

Abstract:
A method of controlling the fertility of a plant comprising:a) transforming said plant with a first receptor expression cassette which encodes a first receptor polypeptide comprising a first ligand binding domain and a first DNA binding domain; a second receptor expression cassette which encodes a second receptor polypeptide comprising a second ligand binding domain and a second DNA binding domain, wherein said first and second receptor polypeptides are members of the Class II steroid and thyroid hormone superfamily of nuclear receptors; and a target expression cassette comprising a 5' regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a target polypeptide that renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization, wherein said 5' regulatory region comprises one or more response elements complementary to said first or second DNA binding domain;b) expressing said first and second receptor polypeptides in said transformed plant; andc) contacting said transformed plant with one or more chemical ligands which are complementary to the ligand binding domain of said first or second receptor polypeptides whereby said receptor polypeptides in the presence of said chemical ligand activate the expression of said target polypeptide, wherein said target polypeptide renders fertilization ineffective or restores effective fertilization.