Patent ID: 6777589
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: C07K,C12N,Y02A

Abstract:
A process for producing a fertile transgenic Zea mays plant comprising the steps of (i) bombarding intact regenerable Zea mays cells with DNA-coated microprojectiles, wherein said DNA comprises a tissue-specific promoter operably linked to a first non-plant DNA sequence that encodes a dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase (DHDPS) that is substantially resistant to feedback inhibition by endogenously produced free L-lysine, wherein said DNA further comprises a second DNA sequence attached to the 5â€² terminus of the first DNA sequence, and wherein the second DNA sequence encodes a plant DHDPS chloroplast transit peptide (CTP) which localizes the DHDPS in the chloroplasts of the cells of said plant, (ii) identifying or selecting a population of transformed cells and (iii) regenerating a fertile transgenic plant therefrom, wherein said plant exhibits an increased lysine level in its seed over a plant which does not comprise said DNA, and wherein said DNA is transmitted through a complete sexual cycle of said transgenic plant to its progeny.