Abstract:
The present invention relates to a gene, derived from cotton plants, which encodes (+)-γ-cadinene 8-hydroxylase. The present invention further relates to a vector which expresses such a gene, and to polypeptides expressed by said gene.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to the isolation and cloning of a gene derived from cotton plants and the use of the enzyme therefrom in the biosynthesis pathway of gossypol. This invention also relates to a vector comprising said gene.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The cultivated species of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum  and  G. barbadense ) synthesizes a group of sesquiterpenoids, gossypol and related compounds that defend the plants against microbial pathogens and animal herbivores. Cottonseed contains these compounds in dark-colored glands within the embryo. Since they are toxic to livestock and to humans their presence limits the use of cottonseed for feed and fuel. The amino acid composition of cottonseed meal approaches that of milk protein in quality, and the meal has a pleasantly mild flavor. Cottonseed oil is extracted by a process that separates it from the sesquiterpenes, but it is not economically feasible to remove the sesquiterpenes from cottonseed meal. Crushed cottonseed is used in cattle feed, but only at low rates because of its toxic sesquiterpene content. Thus, if cotton varieties lacking toxic sesquiterpenes in their seeds could be developed, cottonseed would have greater value for feed and could also be used as a nutritious food for humans.  
           [0003]    Since the gossypol-related sesquiterpene are important in disease and pest resistance of cotton plants there is a need to develop cotton plants that are genetically blocked in biosynthesis of the gossypol-like compounds in their seeds, but produce these compounds normally in all other parts of the plant.  
           [0004]    The first committed step in gossypol synthesis is the cyclization of trans, trans-farnesyl diphosphate to (+)-ä-cadinene. Clones for this product have been developed by Chen et al. and have been used in an effort to genetically block this step by anti-sense suppression and by co-suppression, using a seed specific promoter to regulate the transgenes. This approach has provided a suppression of only about 40%. A problem for suppression of this step is that cotton possesses two types of (+)-ä-cadinene genes, A and C, which are only 80% identical at the amino acid level. Moreover, diploid  G. arboreum  has six copies of the C gene while the cultivated allotetraploid cotton species  G. hirsutum  has twelve copies. Thus no single transgene is perfect for suppressing the expression of all copies of genes for (+)-ä-cadinene synthase.  
           [0005]    It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a gene construct which is effective for the suppression of biosynthesis of gossypol and related sesquiterpenes.  
           [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide cotton cultivates which avoid the presence of sesquiterpenoids in the seeds thereof.  
           [0007]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a cottonseed product which is suitable for use as a feed for both livestock and humans.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention is based upon the inventors discovery and cloning of a gene for (+)-ä-cadinene 8-hydroxylase. This product is considered to be the second committed step of gossypol biosynthesis and is present in  G. arboreum  as a single copy. Thus, a significant advantage for suppression of biosynthesis of gossypol and related sesquiterpenes is provided since a transgene in anti-sense or sense orientation could be used which would be a perfect match to the native gene whose expression is sought to be suppressed.  
           [0009]    The cDNA encodes a protein of 536 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 60.1 kDa. The sequence of the protein, as well as its sensitivity to inhibition by carbon monoxide, clotrimazole and miconazole indicates that it is a cytochrome P450. The cDNA has been classified as CYP706B1.  
           [0010]    The cDNA was isolated from  G. arboreum  and was cloned in yeast,  Saccharomyces cervisiae  strain WR in the expression vector pYeDP60 (Urban et al., 1994).  
           [0011]    Thus, the present invention relates to a DNA fragment comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
           [0012]    The present invention further relates to a DNA fragment which is at least 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95% homologous to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
           [0013]    The present invention also relates to a polypeptide sequence which comprises the amino acid sequence identified as CYP706B1 in FIG. 2.  
           [0014]    The present invention further relates to a polypeptide sequence which is at least 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95% homologous to the sequence identified as CYP706B1 in FIG. 2, and which has the same biological activities of said sequence.  
           [0015]    The present invention also relates to a vector for transforming a plant, such as cotton, specifically a cotton seed, which comprises a DNA fragment which comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, or a DNA fragment which is at least 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95% homologous to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
           [0016]    A better understanding of the present invention, its several aspects, and its objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an RT-PCR analysis (30 cycles of amplification) of expression of LP132 and CAD1-C in developing seeds (27 DPA), petals and pericarp (−3 DPA) of glanded and glandless cotton cultivars. His3, amplification with histone3-specific primers as an internal control; +, positive control with corresponding plasmid DNA as the template; −, negative control, no template DNA; g, glanded cultivar of  G. hirsutum  cv. Zhong-12; gl, glandless cultivar of  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is an alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence of CYP706B1 of  G. arboreum  with those of CYP706A4 and CYP706A5 of  A. thaliana . Consensus sequences discussed are underlined. The region used to synthesize the degenerate primer is also underlined. Its sequence in CYP706B1 turned out to be slightly different from the primer.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a Southern blot of CYP706B1 in genome of  Gossypium arboreum  L. DNA of 20 mg was digested with Xba I, EcoR V and EcoR I, separated on an 0.8% agarose gel, and hybridized with a  32 P-labeled CYP706B1 probe.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a reversed phase HPLC of reaction mixtures. [ 3 H] (+)-d-cadinene was incubated with yeast microsomes containing CYP706B1 (A) or another cotton clone LP64 (B). [ 3 H] (+)-d-cadinene eluted at 60 min; the product eluted at 33.5 min.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 provides mass spectrum of the product obtained by incubation of (+)-d-cadinene with yeast microsomes containing CYP706B1 (A), proposed fragmentation scheme of the molecular ion (B), and the reaction catalyzed by the cotton P450 monooxygenase, CYP706B1.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 provides an RT-PCR analysis (30 cycles of amplification) of CYP706B1 expression in cotton seedlings (A). Lanes 1-3: roots, hypocotyls and cotyledons, respectively, of the glanded cultivar  G. arboreum ; lanes 4-6: roots, hypocotyls and cotyledons, respectively, of the glandless cultivar  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1; Northern blot of CYP706B1 transcripts in roots of cotton seedlings (B). Lane 1 , G. arboreum ; lane 2 , G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1; sesquiterpene aldehydes in different tissues of cotton seedlings (C). Lane 1, roots of  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1; lanes 2-4, roots, hypocotyls and cotyledons, respectively, of  G. arboreum.    
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 provides an RT-PCR analysis (25 cycles of amplification) of CYP706B1 and CAD1-C in developing seeds of  G. arboreum  (A); sesquiterpene aldehyde accumulation in the seeds (B).  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 shows induced expression of CYP706B1 and accumulation of sesquiterpene aldehydes in  G. arboreum  suspension cultured cells treated with  V. dahliae  elicitors. Northern blot of CYP706B1 transcripts (A); sesquiterpene aldehydes (B). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]    Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is important to understand that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction illustrated and the steps described herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.  
         [0026]    In the context of the coding sequences and genes of this invention, “homologous” refers to genes whose expression results in expression products which have a combination of amino acid sequence similarity or identity (or base sequence similarity for transcript products) and functional equivalence, and are therefore homologous genes. In general such genes also have a high level of DNA sequence similarity (i.e., greater than 80% when such sequences are identified among members of the same genus, but lower when these similarities are noted across fungal genera), but are not identical. Preferred genetic homologs include those genes which are about at least 85%, 90% or 95% similar at the nucleic acid or the amino acid level. The combination of functional equivalence and sequence similarity means that if one gene is useful, e.g., as a target for an antifungal agent, or for screening for such agents, then the homologous gene is likewise useful. In addition, identification of one such gene serves to identify a homologous gene through the same relationships as indicated above.  
         [0027]    Due to the DNA sequence similarity, homologous genes are often identified by hybridizing with probes from the initially identified gene under hybridizing conditions which allow stable binding under appropriately stringent conditions (e.g., conditions which allow stable binding with at least approximately 85% or more sequence identity). Hybridization methods are known in the art and include, but are not limited to: (a) washing with 0.1X SSPE (0.62 M NaCl, 0.06 M NaH 2 PO 4 .H 2 O, 0.075 M EDTA, pH 7.4) and 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at 50° C.; (b) washing with 50% formamide, 5X SSC (0.75 M NaCl, 0.075 M sodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 6-8), 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, 5X Denhardt&#39;s solution, sonicated salmon sperm DNA (50 μg/ml), 0.1% SDS and 10% dextran sulfate at 42° C., followed by washing at 42° C. in 0.2X SSC and 0.1% SDS; and (c) washing with of 0.5 M NaPO 4 , 7% SDS at 65° C. followed by washing at 60° C. in 0.5X SSC and 0.1% SDS. High stringency hybridization conditions are those performed at about 20° C. below the melting temperature (T m ) of the probe. Preferred stringency is performed at about 5-10° C. below the melting temperature (T m ) of the probe. Additional hybridization conditions can be prepared as described in Chapter 11 of  Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual,  2nd Ed., ed. By Sambrook, Fritsch and Maniatis (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: 1989), or as would be known to the artisan of ordinary skill. The equivalent function of the product is then verified using appropriate biological and/or biochemical assays.  
         [0028]    One of skill in the art of plant molecule biology will understand that the term “transgenic plant” means a new plant created by introducing an isolated DNA into the genome of the starting plant. The term “gene” means a nucleic acid molecule, which is usually a DNA molecule, but can also be an RNA molecule. The nucleic acid molecule may be a DNA fragment which encodes a protein which is expressed by the plant cell into which it has been introduced, thereby providing the desired phenotypic trait to the plant comprised of the transformed cells. Expression of the protein in a plant cell is responsible for the altered characteristics of the cell, and consequently the characteristics of a plant comprised of the transformed cells.  
         [0029]    One of skill in the art would know of a variety of vectors which can be used to express the DNA fragment of the present invention. Furthermore, methods of transforming plant cells, specifically cotton plant cells, most specifically cotton seed cells, are well known to one of skill in the art.  
         [0030]    For example, one common method used to introduce foreign genes into plant cells is transformation with Agrobacterium, a relatively benign natural plant pathogen. Agrobacterium actively mediates transformation events—the integration of a gene providing a desired phenotypic trait—as part of the natural process it utilizes when it infects a plant cell. Methods for transferring foreign genes into plant cells and the subsequent expression of the inserted genes in plants regenerated from transformed cells are well known in the prior art. See for example, M. De Block et al.,  The EMBO Journal  (1984) 3:1681; Horsch et al.  Science ( 1985) 227:1229; and C. L. Kado ( Crit. Rev. Plant. Sci . (1991) 10:1.  
         [0031]    The technique known as microprojectile bombardment has been used to successfully introduce genes encoding new genetic traits into a number of crop plants, including cotton, maize, tobacco, sunflowers, soybeans and certain vegetables. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050, issued to Sanford; Sanford et al.,  Trends in Biotechnology  (1988) 6:299; Sanford et al.,  Part. Sci. Technol . (1988) 5:27; J. J. Finer and M. D. McMullen,  Plant Cell Reports  (1990) 8:586-589; and Gordon-Kamm,  The Plant Cell  (1990) 2:603). Transformation by microprojectile bombardment is less species and genotype specific than transformation with Agrobacterium, but the frequencies of stable transformation events achieved following bombardment can be quite low, partly due to the absence of a natural mechanism for mediating the integration of a DNA molecule or gene responsible for a desired phenotypic trait into the genomic DNA of a plant. Particle gun transformation of cotton for example, has been reported to produce no more than one clonal transgenic plant per 100-500 meristems targeted for transformation. Only 0.1 to 1% of these transformants were capable of transmitting foreign DNA to progeny. See WO 92/15675. Cells treated by particle bombardment must be regenerated into whole plants, which requires labor intensive, sterile tissue culture procedures and is generally genotype dependent in most crop plants, particularly so in cotton. Similar low transformation frequencies have been reported for other plant species as well.  
         [0032]    DNA to be inserted into the plant is generally in the form of a plasmid vector and is constructed using methodology known to those of skill in the art of plant molecular biology. Exemplary methods are described in  Current Protocols In Molecular Biology , F. Ausubel et al. (eds.), Wiley Interscience (1990) and “Procedures for introducing foreign DNA into plants” in  Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology , B. R. Glick, and J. E. Thompson, eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, (1993).  
         [0033]    The DNA to be expressed is flanked by suitable promoters known to function in plant cells, such as the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), described by Odell et al.,  Nature  (1985) 313:810; or the nopaline or octopine synthetase promoters (NOS) from Agrobacterium, described by Vontling et al.,  Mol. Plant - Microbe Interactions  (1991) 4:370; and M. de Block et al.,  The EMBO Journal  (1984) 3:1681. Any promoter which functions in a plant can be used to express the gene encoding the desired trait, including inducible, tissue-specific, tissue-preferred or constitutive promoters. Other regulatory sequences such as transcription termination sequences, polyadenylation sequences, and intervening sequences, or introns, which provide enhanced levels of expression may also be included in the DNA construct or plasmid used for transformation. Depending upon the desired function of the gene, it may be desirable to include protein sequences which direct the secretion or intracellular compartmentalizations of the DNA to be expressed. Such sequences are well-known to those of skill in the art of plant molecular biology.  
         [0034]    The plasmid may also contain a DNA sequence encoding a selectable marker gene or a screenable marker gene, which can be used to identify individual transformed plants. The marker may allow transformed plants to be identified by negative selection or by screening for a product encoded by a genetic marker. Suitable selectable markers include antibiotic and herbicide resistance genes such as the neomycin transferase gene (NPTII) described by Fraley et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A . (1983) 80:4803 and by van den Elzen et al.,  Plant Mol. Biol ., (1985) 5:299; the or the phosphinothricin acetyl transferase genes (pat and bar) described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,561,236 and 5,276,268. Markers which may be used to directly screen for transformed plants include the β-glucuronidase gene (GUS), the luciferase gene, the green fluorescence protein gene and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. R. G. Jefferson,  Plant Molecular Biology Reporter  (1987) 5:387; C. Koncz et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci . (1987) 84:131; Teri et al.,  EMBO J . (1989) 8:343; and De Block et al.,  EMBO J . (1984) 3: 1681. Any gene encoding a selectable or screenable marker known to function in plant cells or plant tissues may be used in the method.  
         [0035]    The abbreviations used are: CAD for (+)-d-cadinene synthase; COSY for Correlation Spectroscopy; GC for gas chromatography; MS for mass spectrum; NMR for nuclear magnetic resonance; DPA for days post anthesis; FDP for farnesyl diphosphate; RT for reverse transcription; and TMS for tetramethylsilane.  
         [0036]    Cotton plants (Gossypium spp.) accumulate secondary sesquiterpenes in subepidermal glands of aerial tissues and in root epidermal cells. These defense compounds may also function as phytoalexins, with their formation induced by fungal and bacterial infection and by other stress factors (Bell et al (1986) In  Natural Resistance of Plants to Pests  (Green, M. A., and Hedin, P. A., eds.). Pp. 36-54, Amer. Chem. Soc., Washington, D.C.; Davila-Huerta et al (1995)  Phytochemistry  39, 531-536; and Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651.). The majority of cotton secondary sesquiterpenoids, including gossypol, are derived from a common parent compound, (+)-ä-cadinene (4). The cotton (+)-ä-cadinene synthase (CAD1 or CDN1), a sesquiterpene cyclase, has been investigated at both enzymatic and molecular levels (Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651; Davis et al (1995)  Phytochemistry  39, 553-567; Chen et al (1995)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  324, 255-266; Chen et al (1996)  J Nat Prod.  59, 944-951; Davis et al (1996)  Phytochemistry  41, 1047-1055; Alchanati et al (1998)  Phytochemistry  47, 961-967; Liu et al (1999)  Mol. Plant Microbe Interact.  12, 1095-1104; and Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252). Little is known about enzymes catalyzing subsequent biosynthetic steps. Desoxyhemigossypol-O-methyl transferase, which catalyzes one of the late steps, has been purified (Liu et al (1999)  Plant Physiol.  121, 1017-1024). However, until now no enzymes that modify (+)-ä-cadinene itself have been reported.  
         [0037]    Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases are enzymes that activate molecular oxygen and typically insert one oxygen atom, as a hydroxyl group, into lipophilic substrates (Halkier, B. A. (1996)  Phytochemistry  43, 1-21). In plants, these enzymes participate in many biochemical pathways, including secondary metabolism, hormone biosynthesis and detoxification of xenobiotics (Chapple, C. (1998)  Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  49, 311-343). A number of P450s of the phenylpropanoid pathway have been cloned from plants (Chapple, C. (1998)  Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  49, 311-343; Jung et al (2000)  Nature Biotechnol.  18, 208-212; Martens, S., and Forkmann, G. (1999)  Plant J.  20, 611-618; Akashi, T. et al (1999)  Plant Physiol.  121, 821-828; Humphreys et al (1999)  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  96, 10045-10050; and Steele et al (1999)  Arch. Biochem. Biophys.  367, 146-50). In terpenoid pathways, P450 monooxygenases are involved in biosynthesis of various classes of compounds (Hefner et al (1996)  Chem. Biol.  3, 479-89; and Hedden et al (1997)  Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  48, 431-460). Microsomes prepared from Mentha spp. were demonstrated to catalyze hydroxylation of the monoterpene (−)-4S-limonene (Karp et al (1990)  Arch. Biochem. Biophys.  276, 219-226; Lupien et al (1995)  Drug Metab. Drug Interact.  12, 245-260), and recently cDNAs encoding two regiospecific P450 limonene hydroxylases, (−)-4S-limonene-3-hydroxylase and (−)-4S-limonene-6-hydroxylase, were reported (Lupien et al (1999)  Arch. Biochem. Biophys.  368, 181-192). For biosynthesis of taxol, a diterpenoid found in trees of Taxus spp., the first oxygenation step was found to be a P450-dependent reaction (Hefner et al (1996)  Methods Enzymol.  272, 243-250; Hezari et al (1997)  Planta Med.  63, 291-295). The P450s were also shown to be involved in resin biosynthesis of conifer trees (Funk et al (1994)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  308, 258-266). Sesquiterpenes constitute the largest group of natural terpenoids (Bohlmann et al (1998)  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  95, 4126-4133), and P450s are also proposed to play a major role in sesquiterpene biosynthesis (Mihaliak et al (1993)  Methods Plant Biochem.  9, 261-279). Although great progress has been made in investigation of plant sesquiterpene cyclases, which catalyze the first committed steps in secondary sesquiterpene biosynthesis (Bohlmann et al (1998)  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  95, 4126-4133; Chappell, J. (1995)  Annu. Rev. Plant. Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  46, 521-547), up to now P450 enzymes catalyzing subsequent oxidative reactions of sesquiterpenes have not been characterized at the molecular level.  
         [0038]    The cotton (+)-ä-cadinene synthase is encoded by a gene family. On the basis of sequence similarities, the family has been divided into two subfamilies, CAD1-A and CAD1-C. The diploid genome of  G. arboreum  contains about six members of CAD1-C, and a single copy of CAD1-A (Tanet al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651). Both CAD1-C and CAD1-A members are actively transcribed in developing seeds of glanded cotton cultivars, but neither are transcribed in seeds of a glandless cultivar, of which the seeds are gossypol free (Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252). Therefore, there is reason to assume that genes coding for other enzymes in the gossypol pathway are also silent in developing seeds of glandless cultivars.  
         [0039]    In connection with the present invention, a P450 cDNA was isolated from  G. arboreum  by using a combinatory strategy of PCR and differential hybridization. Microsomal proteins prepared from yeast cells expressing this P450 catalyzed hydroxylation of (+)-ä-cadinene in vitro. This cotton P450 has been placed in a new subfamily as CYP706B1, and it is the first member of the CYP706 family for which the function has been determined.  
         [0040]    The present invention will be further understood with reference to the following examples.  
       EXAMPLE 1  
       [0041]    Materials  
         [0042]    Plants of  Gossypium arboreum  L. cv. Qingyangxiaozhi,  G. hirsutum  L. cv. Zhong-12, and a glandless cultivar  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1 were grown in a greenhouse. Flowers, peels (pericarp of the cotton boll), and seeds were collected at various developmental intervals as previously described (Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651; and Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252). Cell suspension cultures of  G. arboreum  cv. Qingyangxiaozhi were maintained in liquid MS medium (Murashige, J., and Skoog, F. (1962)  Physiol. Plant.  115, 473-497), and transferred into fresh medium every seven days. Elicitors of the fungus  Verticillium dahliae  were prepared and applied to suspension cultured cells at a final concentration of 1 mg sucrose equivalent per mL culture, as previously described (Liu et al (1999)  Mol. Plant Microbe Interact.  12, 1095-1104; Heinstein, P. (1985)  J. Nat. Prod.  48, 907-915).  
         [0043]    Cloning of cDNA—A Degenerate Primer  
         [0044]    5ç-GCGGATCCGA(AG)TT(CT)(AC)G(AGCT)CC(AGCT)GA(AG)(AC)G (sense) was synthesized corresponding to a conserved peptide sequence of EEF(L/R)PERF (Frank et al (1996)  Plant Physiol.  110, 1035-1046), about 20 amino acids upstream of the heme-binding domain of plant P450 monooxygenases. It was used together with a vector-specific T7 primer (reverse; Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.), in PCR amplification of P450 fragments from a 1-UniZap cDNA library constructed from elicitor-treated  G. arboreum  cells (Chen et al (1995)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  324, 255-266). The PCR program was: 94° C. for 30 s, 55° C. for 30 s, 72° C. for 30 s; 30 cycles. The PCR products of were inserted into pGEM-T vectors (Promega, Madison, Wis.). After amplification in  E. coli , plasmid DNA from individual clones was spotted onto nitrocellulose membranes, which were then baked at 80° C. for 2 hrs for subsequent hybridization screening.  
         [0045]    Probes were generated from total RNAs isolated from developing seeds of the glanded and glandless  G. hirsutum  cultivars, respectively, and the first strand cDNA was synthesized as previously described (Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252). The cDNAs were  32 P-labeled using a random DNA labeling kit (Takara, Dalian, China), and used for dot-hybridizations. Clones LP132 and LP64 showing preferential hybridization with probes of glanded seeds were selected and sequenced by the dideoxynucleotide chain termination method. Specific primers LP132F [5ç-TGACTGATCATGAGAAGCT (sense)] and LP132R [5ç-GTGCTGGAGATIRGATGGT (reverse)] based on the sequence of LP132 were then used for screening the  G. arboreum  cDNA library by using a PCR 96-well plate method (Liu et al (1999)  Mol. Plant Microbe Interact.  12, 1095-1104). A cDNA clone, CYP706B1, was then isolated and sequenced (See SEQ. ID. NO. 1; GenBank/EBI Data Bank Accession No. AF332974).  
         [0046]    DNA and RNA Analysis  
         [0047]    Genomic DNA of  G. arboreum  was isolated from foliar tissues as described (Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651). After complete digestion (4 hrs to overnight) with restriction enzymes of EcoR I, Xba I and EcoR V, about 20 mg of DNA per lane were separated by electrophoresis and transferred onto a nitrocellulose membrane. For probe preparation, the CYP706B1 was digested with Xba I and EcoR V, and the 947 bp fragment released was  32 P labeled. Hybridization and washing were performed following a standard protocol (Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F., and Maniatis, T. (1989)  Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual . (2nd ed.). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, NY.), and the membrane was finally exposed to X-ray film for 1 ˜ 2 days.  
         [0048]    Pericarp (approx. 3 mm thick) was peeled from bolls with a blade. Total RNAs were isolated from tissues or from suspension cultured cells by a cold phenol method, and the transcripts were analyzed by RT-PCR with primers LP132F and LP132R for CYP706B1 (position 1433 ˜ 1689), 97400 [5ç-CACATCC(AC)TTCGATTCCGAC (sense)] and 97T580 [5ç-AGGCTTAAATGGTGGGTGGT (reverse)] for CAD1-C (position 398 ˜ 610), and H3F [5ç-GAAGCCTCATCGATACCGTC (sense)] and H3R [5ç-CTACCACTACCATCATGTC (reverse)] for the histone gene his3 (positions 95 ˜ 526). For Northern analysis, 10 mg of RNA per lane were separated by electrophoresis, blotted onto a nitrocellulose membrane, and the blots were hybridized with  32 P labeled DNA probes of either CYP706B1 (see above) or CAD1-C1 (Liu et al (1999)  Mol. Plant Microbe Interact.  12, 1095-1104). After hybridization and washing, the blots were exposed to X-ray film for 2 days.  
         [0049]    Expression in Yeast Cells and Enzyme Assay  
         [0050]    The yeast  Saccharomyces cerevisiae  strain W(R), which overexpresses the yeast cytochrome P450 reductase when grow on galactose, and the expression vector pYeDP60 were provided by D. Pompon (Pompon et al (1996)  Methods Enzymol.  272, 51-64). The cDNA of CYP706B1 was modified by PCR with a 5′-terminal primer 5ç-GGGTACCATGTTGCAAATAGCTTTCAG (sense), in which a Kpn I site was introduced, and a 3′-terminal primer 5ç-GGGAGCTCTTACTTCATATAGTGCTGGA (reverse), in which a Sac I site was introduced. PCR was conducted on plasmid DNA by using Pyrobest™ DNA polymerase (TaKaRa). After digestion with the restriction enzymes, the fragment was inserted into pYeDP60. Plasmid DNA was introduced into yeast cells by a LiAc method, transformed yeast cells were then selected, cultured, and induced, and microsomes were prepared following a high density procedure (Pompon et al (1996)  Methods Enzymol.  272, 51-64).  
         [0051]    The (+)-d-cadinene hydroxylase activity assay was based on a published protocol for monoterpene P450 hydroxylases (Mihaliak et al. (1993)  Methods Plant Biochem.  9, 261-279). The radioactive assay was conducted in 100 mL of potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.4) containing 1 mM EDTA (pH 8.0), 0.4 M sucrose, 2 mM DTT, 0.1% BSA, 1 mM NADPH, 5 mM FAD, 5 mM FMN, 4 mM glucose-6-phosphate, 1 unit of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 40 mM  3 H-(+)-d-cadinene (32 mCi/mmol) and yeast microsomes (100 ˜ 200 mg protein). The reaction was started by adding the microsomes, incubated at 30° C. for 1 hr, and stopped by chilling on ice. The reaction mixture was extracted three times with 500 mL hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1), the extract was filtered through a 0.2 g, 100 ˜ 200 mesh silica gel column in a pasteur pipet, eluted with 1.5 mL hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1), and concentrated to ca 100 mL with an argon stream. The entire sample was subjected to reversed phase HPLC on C 18  silica (250×4.6 mm, 5 mm particle diameter) with a gradient of 40:60 to 100:0 acetonitrile/water (v/v) over 60 min followed by 10 min of 100% acetonitrile, flow rate 1 mL/min. Tritium was detected by an on-line liquid scintillation counter (b-RAM, IN/US Systems, Inc., Tampa, Fla.). The tritium-labeled product eluted at 33 ˜ 34 min, followed by the substrate, (+)-d-cadinene, at 59 ˜ 60 min.  
         [0052]    [ 3 H](+)-d-cadinene was prepared from commercial (E,E)-[1- 3 H]farnesyl diphosphate (FDP, NEN, Boston, Mass.), with the CAD1-C1 fusion protein expressed in  E. coli  and prepared as described (Chen et al (1995)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  324, 255-266), except that the sonication buffer was 100 mM Tris/HCl, pH 7.4, 1 mM EDTA, 0.1% Tween 20. The reaction mixture consisted of 1 mL of the  E. coli  extract (ca 7 mg protein), 8 mL of 30 mM HEPES, pH 7.0, 10% glycerol, 1 mM MgCl 2 , and 1 mL of 1 mM [ 3 H]FDP (diluted to a specific activity of 32 mCi/mmol with non-radioactive (E,E)-FDP in 25 mM (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3  (pH 7.0), 40% glycerol (35), degassed with argon. The reaction mixture was incubated at 30° C. with gentle shaking for 60 min. Products were extracted at 4° C. with hexane (4×10 mL), applied to a silica gel column (2 g, 100 ˜ 200 mesh) to remove any [1- −3 H]farnesol, and eluted with 20 mL hexane. The eluate was added to 5 mL 2-propanol and evaporated in vacuo to ca 3 mL. Purity of the resulting [ 3 H](+)-d-cadinene was checked by HPLC as described above.  
         [0053]    Protein concentration was determined with the Bio-Rad Protein Assay (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif.). Sesquiterpene aldehydes were extracted and quantitated by the phloroglucinol method (36).  
         [0054]    Isolation of the Reaction Product  
         [0055]    Samples for GC-MS and NMR analysis were prepared from non-radioactive (+)-d-cadinene, which had been prepared by acid-catalyzed rearrangement of commercial (−)-a-cubebene (Davis et al (1995)  Phytochemistry  39, 553-567). To avoid problems with scaling up the reaction, one hundred 1.0-mL reaction mixtures (same components and concentrations as for the (+)-d-cadinene hydroxylase activity assay above) were prepared with 200 mM non-radioactive (+)-d-cadinene as substrate and incubated at 30° C. for 30 minutes. The reaction was quenched by adding 0.2 mL diethyl ether to each tube. The mixtures were combined, the ether was removed, and products were extracted from the aqueous phase twice more with 20 mL diethyl ether. The combined ether extract was dried by passage through a silica gel (1 g, 10 ˜ 40 mm particle size, 9 mm×30 mm) column, and evaporated to yield an 11.4 mg residue. The residue was dissolved in 100 mL of diethyl ether and chromatographed on a silica gel (3 g, 10 ˜ 40 mm particle size, 9 mm×90 mm) column with hexane-ethyl ether (4:1, v/v) as eluant, collecting 2-mL fractions. Fractions 7 to 15 were combined and washed with 3 M sodium carbonate buffer, pH 12.  
         [0056]    Identification of the Reaction Product  
         [0057]    Samples were analyzed for 8-hydroxy-(+)-d-cadinene using GC-MS on a HP 5890 series II GC equipped with a HP-ZB5 column (30 m×0.25 mm). The helium inlet pressure was controlled by Electronic Pressure Control to achieve a constant column flow of 1.0 ml/min during the following oven program: initial temp. 45° C. for 5 min, ramp of 5° C./min to 295° C. and 10 min at 295° C. Ionization potential was 70 eV.  1 H NMR and  1 H- 1 H COSY spectra were recorded on a Varian Unity Inova 600 spectrometer using TMS as internal standard.  
         [0058]    cDNA Cloning and Analysis  
         [0059]    The 3ç-terminal cDNA fragments of P450 monooxygenases were amplified by PCR from a  G. arboreum  library that was constructed from mRNAs of fungal elicitor-treated suspension cells (Chen et al (1995)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  324, 255-266). This resulted in a mixture of DNA fragments with different lengths ranging from 300 ˜ 600 bp, possibly due to a large number of P450 genes expressed in cotton cells after elicitation. About 100 individual clones of the PCR products were then used in differential dot-blot hybridization, with cDNA probes prepared from developing seeds of a glanded cultivar  G. hirsutum  cv. Zhong-12, and of a glandless cultivar  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1, respectively. Two clones with an approximately 500 base-pair insert, LP132 and LP64, showed clear hybridization signals with glanded probes only (data not shown), and their nucleotide sequences were then determined. A search of the GenBank database with the NCBI blastx program revealed high sequence similarities between LP132 and plant P450 monooxygenases (30 ˜ 45% identity at the amino acid sequence level). Subsequent RT-PCR with primers specific to LP132 indicated that, while a significant level of its transcript was present in developing seeds, petals and pericarp of the glanded cultivar, this transcript was indeed undetectable in those tissues of the glandless cultivar. As shown in FIG. 1, and also as reported previously (Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651; Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252), this expression pattern was identical to that of (+)-d-cadinene synthase, a sesquiterpene cyclase that catalyzes the first committed step in biosynthesis of cotton sesquiterpene phytoalexins.  
         [0060]    A cDNA clone corresponding to LP132 was isolated from the  G. arboreum  library. It contained a reading frame coding for a protein of 536 amino acid residues, with a calculated molecular mass of 60.12 kDa. Its alignment with known P450 cytochromes suggests that it contains the full-length coding sequence. An NCBI blast search of the GenBank database with its deduced protein sequence revealed highest sequence identity (up to 47%) with six putative P450 proteins from  Arabidopsis thaliana  (CYP706A1 through CYP706A6; AL080318, genomic sequences of chromosome 4). Its alignment with its two closest homologues, CYP706A4 and CYP706A5, is shown in FIG. 2. Among proteins of known functions, it has the highest amino acid sequence identity (34.2%) with a flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase from  Petunia x hybrida , a member of CYP75B2 (Brugliera et al (1999)  Plant J.  19, 441-451), followed by 32% with a flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase from  Solanum melongena , a member of CYP75A2 (Toguri et al (1993)  Plant Mol. Biol.  23, 933-946). This cotton P450 has been placed in a new subfamily as CYP706B1 (accessed via dnelson@utmenl.utmen.edu).  
         [0061]    Sequence analysis revealed several structural motifs characteristic of eukaryotic P450s (FIG. 2). The highly conserved heme-binding motif FxxGxRxCxG (Chapple, C. (1998)  Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  49, 311-343) was found in CYP706B1 as FGSGRRMCAG, 73 amino acid residues from the C-terminus. In most plant P450s, there is a proline residue immediately after the invariant heme-binding cysteine (Schalk et al (1999)  Biochemistry  38, 6093-61103); however, in CYP706B1, this proline is replaced by alanine. The proline-rich region immediately after the N-terminal signal anchor sequence (Nelson, D. R., and Strobel, H. W. (1988)  J. Biol. Chem.  263, 6038-6050), with a consensus of (P/I)PGPx(G/P)xP (Schalk et al (1999)  Biochemistry  38, 6093-61103), was completely conserved in this cotton P450 as PPGPRGLP. In addition, the threonine-containing pocket for binding an oxygen molecule, with a consensus of (A/G)Gx(D/E)T(T/S) (Durst, F., and Nelson, D. R. (1995)  Drug Metab. Drug Interact.  12, 189-206), was also found (as GGTDTT).  
         [0062]    Hybridization of the genomic DNA of  G. arboreum  with a CYP706B1 probe revealed a single band in EcoR I, EcoR V and Xba I digested DNA samples, respectively (FIG. 3). This hybridization pattern indicated a single copy gene encoding CYP706B1 in the genome of  G. arboreum , a diploid cotton species.  
         [0063]    Sesquiterpene Hydroxylase Activities  
         [0064]    Microsomal proteins prepared from yeast cells expressing CYP706B1 showed clear hydroxylase activities in vitro with tritium-labeled (+)-d-cadinene as a substrate. HPLC revealed a single product peak with more polarity than the (+)-d-cadinene (FIG. 4A). When the microsomes from yeast cells harboring a different P450-like clone, LP64 (FIG. 4B), or from yeast cells harboring an empty pYeDP60 vector (data not shown), were used as the catalyst, no product was detected by radio-HPLC. In a 15 min assay, the yeast microsomes containing CYP706B1 showed a specific activity of 42.6±2.8 nmol product/mg protein h. Highest activity was achieved when the reaction was supported by 1 mM NADPH; when replaced by NADH, the activity decreased by about 65%. Treating the reaction mixture with a slow stream of CO for about 2 min inhibited the hydroxylase activity by 70%.  
         [0065]    Product Identification by GS/MS and NMR  
         [0066]    GC analysis also revealed a single peak of product (data not shown). The mass spectrum of the product showed a molecular mass of 220 (FIG. 5A), consistent with that of an 8-hydroxy-d-cadinene (molecular mass of (+)-d-cadinene is 204.). The MS fragmentation pattern exhibited the loss of water, loss of the isopropyl group (C 3 H 7 ), and reverse Diels-Alder cleavage (—C 5 H 10 ) that are typical of sesquiterpenes with this carbon skeleton (FIG. 5B) (Davis, G. D., and Essenberg, M. (1995)  Phytochemistry  39, 553-567). The  1 H NMR spectrum was very similar to that of d-cadinene (Table 1).  
                                 TABLE I                             1 H NMR chemical shifts of d-cadinene and 8-hydroxy-d-cadinene                H   d-cadinene 1     8-hydroxy-d-cadinene 2                         H 2 -2   1.95 (m)               H-2a       2.02 (br.d, 12.1 Hz)           H-2b       1.96 (br.t, 7.2 Hz)           H-3a   1.61 (m)   1.63           H-3b   1.16 (m)   1.16           H-4   1.05 (m)   1.12 (m)           H-5   5.45 (br.s)   5.60 (br.s)           H 2 -7   2.00 (m)               H-7a       2.40 (br.d, 12.5 Hz)           H-7b       2.21 (br.d, 12.5 Hz)           H-8a   2.72 (m)   3.45           H-8b   1.90 (m)               H-10   2.52 (br.d, 9.0 Hz)   2.25 (d, 12.2 Hz)           H-13   2.06 (m)   1.91           11-Me   1.66 (s)   1.67 (s)           12-Me   1.68 (s)   1.69 (s)           14-Me   0.96 (d, 6.9 Hz)   1.10 (d, 6.8 Hz)           15-Me   0.78 (d, 6.9 Hz)   1.00 (d, 6.8 Hz)                      
 
         [0067]    [0067] 1  400 MHz, CDCl 3  (Davis et al, 1996).  2  600 MHz, d 6 -benzene. Signal multiplicities are indicated as follows: m: multiplet; br.s: broad singlet; s: singlet; d: doublet; br.t: broad triplet.  
         [0068]    The differences in chemical shifts and multiplicities indicated that the product is hydroxylated at C-8. A two-dimensional  1 H- 1 H COSY analysis revealed all the expected connectivities between hydrogen atoms on the same or adjacent carbon atoms except that for H-13 to H-4. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of 8-hydroxy-(+)-d-cadinene. The reaction catalyzed by CYP706B1 of  Gossypium arboreum  is given in FIG. 5C. Some preparations of the product appear to be conjugated through the 8-hydroxyl group to a moiety that has not yet been identified.  
         [0069]    Expression Pattern  
         [0070]    In cotton roots, gossypol and related sesquiterpene aldehydes are stored in epidermal tissues, rather than in subepidermal glands, as found in aerial tissues. RT-PCR indicated that CYP706B1 was expressed in roots of both the glanded  G. arboreum  and glandless cultivar of  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1 (FIG. 6A), although, according to Northern analysis, roots of the glanded cultivar had a higher steady-state mRNA level than roots of the glandless cultivar (FIG. 6B). Similarly, roots of  G. arboreum  had a higher level of sesquiterpene aldehydes than roots of  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1 (FIG. 6C). Transcripts of CYP706B1 were also detected in cotyledons and hypocotyls of  G. arboreum  seedlings by RT-PCR, but not in cotyledons and hypocotyls of the glandless  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1 (FIG. 6A). Accordingly, sesquiterpene aldehydes were detected in glanded cotyledons and hypocotyls (FIG. 6C), but not in glandless cotyledons and hypocotyls (data not shown). In developing seeds of  G. arboreum , CYP706B1 transcripts were detected at 20 DPA and afterwards (FIG. 7A) followed by sesquiterpene aldehyde accumulation (FIG. 7B), a pattern similar to CAD1-C expression and sesquiterpene accumulation in developing seeds of another glanded cultivar,  G. hirsutum  cv. Sumian-6 (Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252).  
         [0071]    When suspension cultured cells of  G. arboreum  were treated with elicitors of  Verticillium dahliae , a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for a vascular wilt disease of cotton, transcription of CYP706B1 was significantly induced (FIG. 8A), followed by increased production of sesquiterpene phytoalexins (FIG. 8B). After a quick induction of the CYP706B1 transcription within 4 hours of elicitation, the mRNA steady-state level peaked again around 20 hours post-elicitation (FIG. 8A). The elicitation experiment was then repeated and the double peaks of the transcription level were again detected by Northern hybridization (data not shown).  
         [0072]    According to hydroxylation positions, there are two groups of cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids in cotton. The 7-hydroxylated cadinanes, such as 2,7-dihydroxycadalene and lancinilene C, are induced to accumulate in foliar tissues after bacterial infection (Davila-Huerta et al (1995)  Phytochemistry  39, 531-536; Essenberg et al (1990)  Phytochemistry  29, 3107-3113;  
         [0073]    Pierce et al (1996)  Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol.  48, 305-324). The 8-hydroxylated cadinanes, such as gossypol and related sesquiterpene aldehydes, are the largest group of cotton secondary sesquiterpenoids and are distributed in roots, seeds and glanded green tissues; in addition, their formation may also be elicited by fungal or bacterial infection (Bell et al (1986) In  Natural Resistance of Plants to Pests  (Green, M. A., and Hedin, P. A., eds.). Pp. 36-54, Amer. Chem. Soc., Washington, D.C.; Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651; and Essenberg et al (1990)  Phytochemistry  29, 3107-3113). Hydroxylation of (+)-d-cadinene at C-8 is theorized to be the second step in the biosynthetic pathway leading to gossypol; therefore cloning of an enzyme catalyzing this hydroxylation of cadinene is useful in elucidation and investigation of gossypol biosynthesis and in the suppression of gossypol formation through genetic manipulation.  
         [0074]    In various tissues of seedlings and mature plants, the expression pattern of CYP706B1 reported herein is similar to that of sesquiterpene cyclase CAD1-C1 (Tan et al (2000)  Planta  210, 644-651; and Meng et al (1999)  J. Nat. Prod.  62, 248-252). In suspension cultured cells, expression of CYP706B1 is inducible by fungal elicitors (FIG. 8), as are FDP synthase and CAD1 (Chen et al (1995)  Arch Biochem Biophys.  324, 255-266; Chen et al (1996)  J Nat Prod.  59, 944-951; and Liu et al (1999)  Mol. Plant Microbe Interact.  12, 1095-1104), the two enzymes immediately upstream of this P450 monooxygenase. These enzymes may be concordantly regulated, directing isoprenoids into sesquiterpene aldehydes, including gossypol. Coordinate regulation of enzymes involved in phenylpropanoid phytoalexin synthesis has also been reported (Logemann et al (2000)  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  97, 1903-1907).  
         [0075]    Many plant P450s have been cloned by PCR amplification, however, functions of many genes obtained by this approach remain unknown (Chapple, C. (1998)  Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol.  49, 311-343). When used in combination with analysis of mutants, the method has been proven successful and efficient in isolation and identification of targeted P450s. Examples include flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase from  Petunia hybrida  (Holton et al (1993)  Nature  366, 276-2799), flavone synthase II from Gerbera hybrids (Martens, S., and Forkmann, G. (1999)  Plant J.  20, 611-618), and the hydroxylase reported therein. Since genes encoding the first two enzymes in the gossypol pathway were found not to be expressed in developing seeds and other aerial tissues of healthy plants of  G. hirsutum  cv. Hai-1, this glandless mutant will be valuable for cloning other enzymes involved in gossypol biosynthesis. It seems that in cotton plants, common factor(s) control development of glands and biosynthesis of secondary sesquiterpenes. However, in roots, which accumulate sesquiterpenes in epidermal cells rather than in subepidermal glands, expression of CYP706B1 and biosynthesis of sesquiterpene aldehydes were detected in both the glanded and glandless cultivars. This suggests that mechanisms regulating secondary sesquiterpene biosynthesis in roots and in aerial tissues are at least partly different.  
         [0076]    The cotton (+)-d-cadinene 8-hydroxylase is the first member of the CYP706 family whose function has been discovered. Among plant P450s, it is not closely related to monoterpene hydroxylases from Mentha (Lupien et al (1999)  Arch. Biochem. Biophys.  368, 181-192), with only about 30% sequence identities. This is a contrast with plant terpene synthases of different classes, which share a common origin (Bohlmann et al (1998)  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. A.  95, 4126-4133). Although phylogenetic analyses of P450 sequences throughout biological kingdoms indicate a common origin for cytochromes P450 (Yoshida et al (2000)  Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.  273, 799-804), sequences may have diverged in different angiosperm families, followed by convergent evolution of substrate specificities, resulting in the monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydroxylases we now observe that have sequences of low similarity despite similar substrate specificities and identical function. Exploring functions of other CYP706 members, especially those of CYP706A of the model plant  Arabidopsis thaliana,  may shed light upon the relative evolution of amino acid sequence and of function within this subgroup.  
         [0077]    Cottonseeds contain on the average 30% oil and over 30% protein, and are potentially useful as a foodstuff additive. However, their nutritional value is limited because of a high content of sesquiterpene aldehydes, mainly gossypol, which are toxic to monogastric animals. CYP706B1 appears to catalyze the second step in gossypol biosynthesis, directing (+)-d-cadinene into toxic sesquiterpene aldehydes. In addition, it is encoded by a single copy gene in the diploid  G. arboreum . In comparison with (+)-d-cadinene synthase, which is encoded by a complex gene family, this enzyme provides a better target for suppression of gossypol formation in cottonseeds through genetic engineering.  
         [0078]    While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) set for herein for purposes of exemplification.  
     
       
       
         1 
         
           
             19  
           
           
             1  
             1933  
             DNA  
             Gossypium arboreum  
           
            1 

ccacttcgca gcaatattat tgcagttcct ggttggctac ctctgagttt tcaacttaaa     60 

atttcttggt tttcctcaag aaggaagaag atgttgcaaa tagctttcag ctcgtattca    120 

tggctgttga ctgctagcaa ccagaaagat ggaatgttgt tcccagtagc tttgtcattt    180 

ttggtagcca tattgggaat ttcactgtgg cacgtatgga ccataaggaa gccaaagaaa    240 

gacatcgccc cattaccgcc gggtccccgt gggttgccaa tagtgggata tcttccatat    300 

cttggaactg ataatcttca cttggtgttt acagatttgg ctgcagctta cggtcccatc    360 

tacaagcttt ggctaggaaa caaattatgc gtagtcatta gctcggcacc actggcgaaa    420 

gaagtggttc gtgacaacga catcacattt tctgaaaggg atcctcccgt ttgtgcaaag    480 

attattacct ttggcctcaa tgatattgta tttgattctt acagtagtcc agattggaga    540 

atgaagagaa aagtgctggt acgtgaaatg cttagccata gtagcattaa agcttgttat    600 

ggtctaagga gggaacaagt gcttaaaggc gtacaaaatg ttgctcaaag tgctggcaag    660 

ccaattgatt ttggtgaaac ggcattttta acatcaatca atgcgatgat gagcatgctg    720 

tggggtggca aacagggagg agagcggaaa ggggccgacg tttggggcca atttcgagat    780 

ctcataaccg aactaatggt gatacttgga aaaccaaacg tttctgatat tttcccggtg    840 

cttgcaaggt ttgacataca gggattggag aaggaaatga ctaaaatcgt taattctttc    900 

gataagcttt tcaactccat gattgaagaa agagagaact ttagcaacaa attgagcaaa    960 

gaagatggaa acactgaaac aaaagacttc ttgcagcttc tgttggacct caagcagaag   1020 

aacgatagcg gaatatcgat aacaatgaat caagtcaagg ccttgctcat ggacattgtg   1080 

gtcggtggaa ctgatacaac atcaaccatg atggaatgga caatggctga actaattgca   1140 

aatcctgaag caatgaaaaa ggtgaagcaa gaaatagacg atgttgtcgg ttcggatggc   1200 

gccgtcgatg agactcactt gcctaagttg cgctatctag atgctgcagt aaaggagacc   1260 

ttccgattgc acccaccgat gccactcctt gtaccccgtt gcccgggcga ctcaagcaac   1320 

gttggtggct atagcgtacc aaagggcacc agggtcttct taaacatttg gtgtattcag   1380 

agggatccac agctttggga aaatccttta gaattcaagc ctgagaggtt cttgactgat   1440 

catgagaagc tcgattattt aggaaacgat tcccggtaca tgccgtttgg ttctggaagg   1500 

agaatgtgtg ccggagtatc tctcggtgaa aagatgttgt attcctcctt ggcagcaatg   1560 

atccatgctt atgattggaa cttggccgac ggtgaagaaa atgacttgat tggcttattt   1620 

ggaattatta tgaagaaaaa gaagccttta attcttgttc ctacaccaag accatcaaat   1680 

ctccagcact atatgaagta actttactat tgtatttctt ttataccact ttattgcctc   1740 

tttgtcatgt ttaggcaaca attctaagta ataagtttgg ctatatggtg aacaataatg   1800 

tgtttattat acatcataag caatgagctc ttcccgaccc tagggcaata caatgatact   1860 

gtgtattaag tgaaatcaac aaatctttta ttctaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa   1920 

aaaaaaaaaa aaa                                                      1933 

 
           
             2  
             535  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
           
            2 

Met Leu Gln Ile Ala Phe Ser Ser Tyr Ser Trp Leu Leu Thr Ala Ser 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Asn Gln Lys Asp Gly Met Leu Phe Pro Val Ala Leu Ser Phe Leu Val 
            20                  25                  30 

Ala Ile Leu Gly Ile Ser Leu Trp His Val Trp Thr Ile Arg Lys Pro 
        35                  40                  45 

Lys Lys Asp Ile Ala Pro Leu Pro Pro Gly Pro Arg Gly Leu Pro Ile 
    50                  55                  60 

Val Gly Tyr Leu Pro Tyr Leu Gly Thr Asp Asn Leu His Leu Val Phe 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Thr Asp Leu Ala Ala Ala Tyr Gly Pro Ile Tyr Lys Leu Trp Leu Gly 
                85                  90                  95 

Asn Lys Leu Cys Val Val Ile Ser Ser Ala Pro Leu Ala Lys Glu Val 
            100                 105                 110 

Val Arg Asp Asn Asp Ile Thr Phe Ser Glu Arg Asp Pro Pro Val Cys 
        115                 120                 125 

Ala Lys Ile Ile Thr Phe Gly Leu Asn Asp Ile Val Phe Asp Ser Tyr 
    130                 135                 140 

Ser Ser Pro Asp Trp Arg Met Lys Lys Lys Val Leu Val Arg Glu Met 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Leu Ser His Ser Ser Ile Lys Ala Cys Tyr Gly Leu Arg Arg Glu Gln 
                165                 170                 175 

Val Leu Lys Gly Val Gln Asn Val Ala Gln Ser Ala Gly Lys Pro Ile 
            180                 185                 190 

Asp Phe Gly Glu Thr Ala Phe Leu Thr Ser Ile Asn Ala Met Met Ser 
        195                 200                 205 

Met Leu Trp Gly Gly Lys Gln Gly Gly Glu Arg Lys Gly Ala Asp Val 
    210                 215                 220 

Trp Gly Gln Phe Arg Asp Leu Ile Thr Glu Leu Met Val Ile Leu Gly 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Lys Pro Asn Val Ser Asp Ile Phe Pro Val Leu Ala Arg Phe Asp Ile 
                245                 250                 255 

Gln Gly Leu Glu Lys Glu Met Thr Lys Ile Val Asn Ser Phe Asp Lys 
            260                 265                 270 

Leu Phe Asn Ser Met Ile Glu Glu Arg Glu Asn Phe Ser Asn Lys Leu 
        275                 280                 285 

Ser Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Thr Glu Thr Lys Asp Phe Leu Gln Leu Leu 
    290                 295                 300 

Leu Asp Leu Lys Gln Lys Asn Asp Ser Gly Ile Ser Ile Met Asn Gln 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Val Lys Ala Leu Leu Met Asp Ile Val Val Gly Gly Thr Asp Thr Thr 
                325                 330                 335 

Ser Thr Met Met Glu Trp Thr Met Ala Glu Leu Ile Ala Asn Pro Glu 
            340                 345                 350 

Ala Met Lys Lys Val Lys Gln Glu Ile Asp Asp Val Val Gly Ser Asp 
        355                 360                 365 

Gly Ala Val Asp Glu Thr His Leu Pro Lys Leu Arg Tyr Leu Asp Ala 
    370                 375                 380 

Ala Val Lys Glu Thr Phe Arg Leu His Pro Pro Met Pro Leu Leu Val 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Pro Arg Cys Pro Gly Asp Ser Ser Asn Val Gly Gly Tyr Ser Val Pro 
                405                 410                 415 

Lys Gly Thr Arg Val Phe Leu Asn Ile Trp Cys Ile Gln Arg Asp Pro 
            420                 425                 430 

Gln Leu Trp Glu Asn Pro Leu Glu Phe Lys Pro Glu Arg Phe Leu Thr 
        435                 440                 445 

Asp His Glu Lys Leu Asp Tyr Leu Gly Asn Asp Ser Arg Tyr Met Pro 
    450                 455                 460 

Phe Gly Ser Gly Arg Arg Met Cys Ala Gly Val Ser Leu Gly Glu Lys 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Met Leu Tyr Ser Ser Leu Ala Ala Met Ile His Ala Tyr Asp Trp Asn 
                485                 490                 495 

Leu Ala Asp Gly Glu Glu Asn Asp Leu Ile Gly Leu Phe Gly Ile Ile 
            500                 505                 510 

Met Lys Lys Lys Lys Pro Leu Ile Leu Val Pro Thr Pro Arg Pro Ser 
        515                 520                 525 

Asn Leu Gln His Tyr Met Lys 
    530                 535 

 
           
             3  
             516  
             PRT  
             Arabidopsis thaliana  
           
            3 

Met Ser Pro Ile Ser Asn Leu Phe Pro Asp Asn Thr Ile Asn Leu Thr 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Pro Tyr Ala Ile Val Ile Leu Thr Thr Val Phe Ser Ile Leu Trp Tyr 
            20                  25                  30 

Ile Phe Lys Arg Ser Pro Gln Pro Ser Leu Pro Pro Gly Pro Arg Gly 
        35                  40                  45 

Leu Pro Ile Val Gly Asn Leu Pro Phe Leu Asp Pro Asp Leu His Thr 
    50                  55                  60 

Tyr Phe Ala Asn Leu Ala Gln Ser His Gly Pro Ile Phe Lys Leu Asn 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Leu Gly Ser Lys Leu Thr Ile Val Val Asn Ser Pro Ser Leu Ala Arg 
                85                  90                  95 

Glu Ile Leu Lys Asp Gln Asp Ile Asn Phe Ser Asn Arg Asp Val Pro 
            100                 105                 110 

Leu Thr Gly Arg Ala Ala Thr Tyr Gly Gly Ile Asp Ile Val Trp Thr 
        115                 120                 125 

Pro Tyr Gly Ala Glu Trp Arg Gln Leu Lys Lys Ile Cys Val Leu Lys 
    130                 135                 140 

Leu Leu Ser Arg Lys Thr Leu Asp Ser Phe Tyr Glu Leu Arg Arg Lys 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Glu Val Arg Glu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Leu Tyr Glu Gln Gly Arg Lys Gln 
                165                 170                 175 

Ser Pro Val Lys Val Gly Asp Gln Leu Phe Leu Thr Met Met Asn Leu 
            180                 185                 190 

Thr Met Asn Met Leu Trp Gly Gly Ser Val Lys Ala Glu Glu Met Glu 
        195                 200                 205 

Ser Val Gly Thr Glu Phe Lys Gly Val Ile Ser Glu Ile Thr Arg Leu 
    210                 215                 220 

Leu Ser Glu Pro His Val Ser Asp Phe Phe Pro Trp Leu Ala Arg Phe 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Asp Leu Gln Gly Leu Val Lys Arg Met Gly Val Cys Ala Arg Glu Leu 
                245                 250                 255 

Asp Ala Val Leu Asp Arg Ala Ile Glu Gln Met Lys Pro Leu Arg Gly 
            260                 265                 270 

Arg Asp Asp Asp Glu Val Lys Asp Phe Leu Gln Tyr Leu Met Lys Leu 
        275                 280                 285 

Lys Asp Gln Glu Gly Asp Ser Glu Val Pro Ile Thr Ile Asn His Val 
    290                 295                 300 

Lys Ala Leu Ile Thr Asp Met Val Val Gly Gly Thr Asp Thr Ser Thr 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Asn Thr Ile Glu Phe Ala Met Ala Glu Leu Met Ser Asn Pro Glu Leu 
                325                 330                 335 

Ile Lys Arg Ala Gln Glu Glu Leu Asp Glu Val Val Gly Lys Asp Asn 
            340                 345                 350 

Ile Val Glu Glu Ser His Ile Thr Arg Leu Pro Tyr Ile Leu Ala Ile 
        355                 360                 365 

Met Lys Glu Thr Leu Arg Leu His Pro Thr Leu Pro Leu Leu Val Pro 
    370                 375                 380 

His Arg Pro Ala Glu Asn Thr Val Val Gly Gly Tyr Thr Ile Pro Lys 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Asp Thr Lys Ile Phe Val Asn Val Trp Ser Ile Gln Arg Asp Pro Asn 
                405                 410                 415 

Val Trp Glu Asn Pro Thr Glu Phe Arg Pro Glu Arg Phe Ile Asp Asn 
            420                 425                 430 

Asn Ser Cys Asp Phe Thr Gly Ala Asn Tyr Ser Tyr Phe Pro Phe Gly 
        435                 440                 445 

Ser Gly Arg Arg Ile Cys Ala Gly Val Ala Leu Ala Glu Arg Met Val 
    450                 455                 460 

Leu Tyr Thr Leu Ala Thr Leu Leu His Ser Phe Asp Trp Lys Ile Pro 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Glu Gly His Val Leu Asp Leu Lys Glu Lys Phe Gly Ile Val Leu Lys 
                485                 490                 495 

Leu Lys Ile Pro Leu Val Ala Leu Pro Ile Pro Arg Phe Ser Asp Ser 
            500                 505                 510 

Asn Leu Tyr Leu 
        515 

 
           
             4  
             520  
             PRT  
             Arabidopsis thaliana  
           
            4 

Met Ser Met Leu Ser Asn Leu Phe Pro Asp Asn Ala Ile Ser Leu Thr 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Pro Tyr Ala Tyr Ala Val Leu Ile Leu Thr Ala Thr Phe Ser Ile Leu 
            20                  25                  30 

Trp Tyr Ile Phe Lys Arg Ser Pro Gln Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro Gly Pro 
        35                  40                  45 

Arg Gly Leu Pro Ile Val Gly Asn Leu Pro Phe Leu Asp Pro Asp Leu 
    50                  55                  60 

His Thr Tyr Glu Thr Lys Leu Ala Gln Ser His Gly Pro Ile Phe Lys 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Ile Asn Leu Gly Ser Lys Leu Thr Val Val Val Asn Ser Pro Ser Leu 
                85                  90                  95 

Ala Ser Glu Ile Leu Lys Asp Gln Asp Ile Asn Phe Ser Asn His Asp 
            100                 105                 110 

Val Pro Leu Thr Ala Arg Ala Val Thr Tyr Gly Gly Leu Asp Leu Val 
        115                 120                 125 

Trp Leu Pro Tyr Gly Ala Glu Trp Arg Met Leu Arg Lys Val Cys Ala 
    130                 135                 140 

Ala Lys Leu Phe Ser Arg Lys Thr Leu Asp Ser Phe Tyr Glu Leu Arg 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Arg Lys Glu Ile Arg Glu Arg Thr Arg Cys Leu Tyr Gln Lys Gly Leu 
                165                 170                 175 

Glu Lys Ser Pro Val Asn Val Gly Glu Gln Leu Phe Leu Thr Met Met 
            180                 185                 190 

Asn Leu Met Met Asn Met Leu Trp Gly Gly Ser Val Lys Ala Glu Asp 
        195                 200                 205 

Met Glu Ser Val Gly Thr Glu Phe Lys Gly Val Ile Ser Glu Ile Thr 
    210                 215                 220 

Arg Leu Leu Gly Val Pro Asn Val Ser Asp Phe Phe Pro Met Leu Ala 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Arg Phe Asp Leu Gln Gly Leu Val Lys Lys Met His Leu Tyr Ala Arg 
                245                 250                 255 

Asp Leu Asp Ala Ile Leu Asp Arg Ala Ile Glu Gln Met Gln Arg Leu 
            260                 265                 270 

Arg Ser Arg Asp Gly Asp Asp Gly Glu Cys Lys Asp Phe Leu Gln His 
        275                 280                 285 

Leu Met Lys Leu Arg Asp Gln Glu Ala Asp Ser Asp Val Pro Ile Thr 
    290                 295                 300 

Met Asn His Val Lys Ala Val Leu Met Asp Met Val Val Gly Gly Thr 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Glu Ser Ser Thr Asn Thr Ile Glu Phe Val Met Ala Glu Leu Ile Ser 
                325                 330                 335 

Asn Pro Glu Leu Met Arg Arg Ala Gln Gln Glu Leu Asp Glu Val Val 
            340                 345                 350 

Gly Lys Asp Asn Ile Val Glu Glu Ser His Ile Thr Ser Leu Pro Tyr 
        355                 360                 365 

Ile Leu Ala Val Leu Lys Ser Thr Leu Arg Leu Tyr Pro Thr Ile Pro 
    370                 375                 380 

Leu Leu Val Pro His Arg Pro Ser Glu Thr Ala Leu Val Gly Gly Tyr 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Thr Ile Pro Lys Asn Thr Lys Ile Phe Ile Asn Val Trp Ser Ile Gln 
                405                 410                 415 

Arg Asp Pro Asn Val Trp Glu Tyr Pro Thr Glu Phe Arg Pro Glu Arg 
            420                 425                 430 

Phe Leu Asp Lys Lys Ser Cys Asp Phe Thr Gly Thr Asp Tyr Ser Tyr 
        435                 440                 445 

Leu Pro Phe Gly Ser Gly Arg Arg Ile Cys Ala Gly Ile Ala Leu Ala 
    450                 455                 460 

Glu Arg Met Ile Leu Tyr Thr Leu Ala Thr Leu Leu His Ser Phe Asp 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Trp Thr Ile Pro Asp Gly His Val Leu Asp Leu Glu Glu Lys Phe Gly 
                485                 490                 495 

Ile Val Leu Lys Leu Thr Lys Pro Leu Val Ala Leu Pro Ile Pro Arg 
            500                 505                 510 

Leu Ser Asn Ser Asn Phe Tyr Phe 
        515                 520 

 
           
             5  
             25  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               degenerate primer  
             
           
            5 

gcg gat ccg art tym gnc cng arm g                                     25 

 
           
             6  
             8  
             PRT  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               synthesized conserved peptide sequence  
             
           
            6 

Glu Glu Phe Xaa Pro Glu Arg Phe 
 1               5 

 
           
             7  
             19  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            7 

tgactgatca tgagaagct                                                  19 

 
           
             8  
             19  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            8 

gtgctggaga tttgatggt                                                  19 

 
           
             9  
             20  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            9 

cacatccmtt cgattccgac                                                 20 

 
           
             10  
             20  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            10 

aggcttaaat ggtgggtggt                                                 20 

 
           
             11  
             20  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            11 

gaagcctcat cgataccgtc                                                 20 

 
           
             12  
             19  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            12 

ctaccactac catcatgtc                                                  19 

 
           
             13  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            13 

gggtaccatg ttgcaaatag ctttcag                                         27 

 
           
             14  
             28  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               primer  
             
           
            14 

gggagctctt acttcatata gtgctgga                                        28 

 
           
             15  
             10  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
           
            15 

Phe Gly Ser Gly Arg Arg Met Cys Ala Gly 
 1               5                  10 

 
           
             16  
             8  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
             
               VARIANT  
               1  
               Xaa = Proline or Inosine  
             
           
            16 

Xaa Pro Gly Pro Xaa Xaa Xaa Pro 
 1               5 

 
           
             17  
             8  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
           
            17 

Pro Pro Gly Pro Arg Gly Leu Pro 
 1               5 

 
           
             18  
             6  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
             
               VARIANT  
               1  
               Xaa = Alanine or Glycine  
             
           
            18 

Xaa Gly Xaa Xaa Thr Xaa 
 1               5 

 
           
             19  
             6  
             PRT  
             Gossypium arboreum  
           
            19 

Gly Gly Thr Asp Thr Thr 
 1               5