# Patent

## Title
Plant with reduced protein productivity in seeds, and method for producing same

## Abstract

According to the present invention, a gene having a novel function that can cause an increase or decrease in seed protein content is searched for. A chimeric protein obtained by fusing a transcription factor consisting of a protein comprising an amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 76 and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor or a transcription factor consisting of a protein comprising an amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 77 to 84 is expressed in a plant.

## Background
CROSS REFERENCE TOP RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2010/059495 filed Jun. 4, 2010, claiming priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-135195, filed Jun. 4, 2009, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to change the amount of protein in seeds, the following have been conventionally used: (1) an improved cultivation method; (2) a method for processing harvested seeds, and particularly grains such as rice grains, with an acid or bacterium; (3) molecular breeding using markers; (4) mutant screening; (5) gene recombination; and other methods.
Problems relating to the above methods and the object achieved by the present invention are described below.
According to the method (1) above, it is possible to change the protein amount, although it is only possible to increase or decrease the amount to a slight extent. In addition, although the method (2) above is effective to a certain extent for reducing the protein amount, processing of harvested seeds is labor- and time-consuming. Further, advantageous results such as an increase in protein amount cannot be obtained according to the method (2) above. According to the method (3) above, the protein amount is determined to be a quantitative trait. In order to modify such trait by a conventional breeding method, it is necessary to identify a plurality of gene loci that contribute highly to trait expression by QTL analysis, to specify the causative gene at each gene locus, and to introduce each causative gene into a desired variety by crossing. Therefore, the method (3) above is also labor- and time-consuming. With the method (4) above, a low-glutelin rice line such as LGC-1 is bred. However, the amount of remaining gulutelin accounts for 30% to 50% of that in the original variety. In addition, there are problematic points common to low-glutelin rice lines. In fact, the amount of glutelin, which is an easily digestible protein, decreases to significantly below the level found in the original variety. However, this in turn causes a significant increase in the amount of prolamin, which is an indigestible protein. Therefore, the method (4) above cannot be evaluated as a method for reducing total seed protein content. In the case of the method (5) above, it has been reported that the total expression level of the prolamin multigene group was remarkably reduced, resulting in reduction of the protein content in rice seeds (Patent Document 1:WO2004/056993). However, in this case, the decrease in the total protein content is 15% at maximum, although the amount of prolamin itself decreases to 50% or less of the original amount. In addition, regarding the method (5) above, it has been reported that transcription factors specified by AT1G04550, AT1G66390, AT5G13330, and At2g30420 were overexpressed in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds, which resulted in, respectively, 25%, 14%, 39%, and 17% increases in protein content. Also, it has been reported that overexpression of a transcription factor specified by At2g47460 resulted in a decrease in the seed storage protein content of 13% (Patent Document 2: WO 01/35727).
In spite of the development of the above molecular breeding methods for the improvement of a variety of traits, there are still no practically available techniques to increase or decrease seed protein content.
As reasons for the above, it is considered that truly excellent genes remain undiscovered, and that new recombinant varieties that have been confirmed to have desirable effects in the test phase cannot exhibit expected effects upon practical use in differerent environments. In addition, a number of genes are involved in the expression of quantitative traits such as seed protein content in different steps in the control system, the metabolizing system, and other systems. Thus, it has been difficult to discover or develop truly excellent genes capable of improving quantitative traits. In order to solve such problems, an object of the present invention is to find a novel gene exhibiting remarkably high effects. Another object of the present invention is to develop a gene capable of exerting effects in a pracitcal environment to an extent comparable to the effects exereted in the test phase.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature


    Patent Document 1: WO2004/056993
    Patent Document 2: WO 01/35727


SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for searching for a gene having a novel function that can cause an increase or decrease in seed protein content so as to improve such feature of a plant.
Solution to Problem
As a result of intensive studies to achive the above objects, the present inventors found that it is possible to improve various quantitative traits and particularly to increase or decrease seed protein content via induction of expression of a chimeric protein obtained by fusing a particular transcription factor and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “repressor domain”), introduction of a particular gene encoding a particular transcription factor, or modification of an expression control region of an endogenous gene corresponding to the gene. This has led to the completion of the present invention.
The plant of the present invention is obtained by inducing expression of a chimeric protein in a plant, such chimeric protein obtained by fusing a transcription factor consisting of any one of the following proteins (a) to (c) and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor, introduicng a gene encoding a transcription factor consisting of any one of the following proteins (d) to (f) into a plant, or modifying an expression control region of an endogenous gene corresponding to the gene in a plant.

    (a) A protein comprising an amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 76
    (b) A protein having transactivation activity and comprising an amino acid sequence that has a deletion, a substitution, an addition, or an insertion of one or a plurality of amino acids with respect to an amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 76.
    (c) A protein having transactivation activity encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a nucleotide sequence shown in any of the odd-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 76.
    (d) A protein comprising an amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ SEQ ID NOS: 77 to 84.
    (e) A protein having transactivation activity and comprising an amino acid sequence that has a deletion, a substitution, an addition, or an insertion of one or a plurality of amino acids with respect to the amino acid sequence shown in any of the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 77 to 84.
    (f) A protein having transactivation activity encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a nucleotide sequence shown in any of the odd-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 77 to 84.


Preferably, the fusion of a functional peptide with a predetermined transcription factor causes repression of transcriptional regulatory activity, and particularly, transactivation activity, of the transcription factor in the plant of the present invention. Examples of the above functional peptide used herein include peptides expressed by the following formulae (1) to (8).
(1) X1-Leu-Asp-Leu-X2-Leu-X3 (SEQ ID NO: 392 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus)
(where X1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, X2 denotes Asn or Glu, and X3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues.)
(2) Y1-Phe-Asp-Leu-Asn-Y2-Y3 (SEQ ID NO: 393 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus)
(where Y1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, Y2 denotes Phe or Ile, and Y3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues.)
(3) Z1-Asp-Leu-Z2-Leu-Arg-Leu-Z3 (SEQ ID NO: 394 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the C-terminus and deletion of 0-2 residues from the N-terminus)
(where Z1 denotes Leu, Asp-Leu, or Leu-Asp-Leu, Z2 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp, and Z3 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues.)
(4) Asp-Leu-Z4-Leu-Arg-Leu (residues 4-9 of SEQ ID NO: 394)
(where Z4 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp.)
(5) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ1-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 395)
(6) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ2-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 396)
(7) α1-Leu-β2-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 397)
(8) α2-Leu-β1-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 398)
(where α1 denotes Asp, Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser, α2 denotes Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser, β1 denotes Asp, Gln, Asn, Arg, Glu, Thr, Ser, or His, β2 denotes Asn, Arg, Thr, Ser, or His, γ1 denotes Arg, Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp, and γ2 denotes Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp in formulae (5) to (8).)
In addition, the plant of the present invention provides significant improvement or reduction of productivity of a protein contained in seeds. Here, the expression “significant improvement or reduction” indicates that the plant of the present invention allows an increase or decrease in the seed protein content associated with a statistically significant difference when compared in terms of material productivity with a plant in which the above chimeric protein is not expressed.
Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the above chimeric protein, the gene encoding the chimeric protein, an expression vector comprising the gene, and a transformant comprising the gene can be provided.
This description includes part or all of the contents as disclosed in the description and/or drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-135195, which is a priority document of the present application.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
The seed protein content is improved or reduced in the plant of the present invention. Therefore, the use of the plant of the present invention enables mass production of a desired protein in seeds of the plant. Alternatively, seeds that exhibit a significant reduction in the content of a protein contained as an impurity or an allergen can be produced.


DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be described in detail as follows.
The plant of the present invention is a plant in which a chimeric protein obtained by fusing a predetermined transcription factor and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor is expressed, a plant in which a gene encoding a predetermined transcription factor is present as a result of gene introduction, or a plant in which an expression control region of an endogenous gene corresponding to the gene is modified. The plant of the present invention is found to exhibit significant improvement or reduction of the productivity of seed protein when compared with a wild-type plant. Specifically, the plant of the present invention is produced by causing a transcription factor to be expressed in the form of a chimeric protein with the functional peptide in a desired plant, introducing a gene encoding a predetermined transcription factor into a desired plant, or modifying an expression control region of an endogenous gene corresponding to the gene in a desired plant so as to significantly improve or reduce the protein content in seeds of the desired plant. Here, the expression level of the gene can be significantly increased compared with that in a wild-type plant by exogenously introducing a predetermined transcription factor into a plant or modifying an expression control region of an endogenous gene corresponding to the gene in a plant. The plant according to the present invention may be produced by causing the expression of the predetermined transcription factor in all plant tissues, or at least in some plant tissues. Here, the term “plant tissue(s)” is meant to include plant organ(s) such as leaves, stems, seeds, roots, and flowers.
Also, the term “expression control region” refers to a promoter region to which RNA polymerase binds and a region to which another transcription factor binds. A transcriptional regulatory region is preferably modified by substituting a promoter region, for example, among endogenous transcriptional regulatory regions with a promoter region that enables a higher expression level. In addition, when replacing, for example, a promoter region with a promoter region that enables a higher expression level, it becomes possible to cause overexpression of the predetermined transcription factor. Further, the term “overexpression” used herein also indicates a case in which a gene encoding a predetermined transcription factor present in a plant as a result of gene introduction is transcribed and thus is expressed at a level at which the gene can be confirmed as a transcription product.
In particular, preferably, the transactivation activity of a transcription factor is repressed in the plant of the present invention by fusing the factor with the above functional peptide. In other words, when a chimeric protein obtained by fusing a transcription factor with the functional peptide is expressed in the plant of the present invention, this preferably results in expression of transcription repression effects originally imparted to the functional peptide as a dominant trait.
A protein contained in a plant used herein may be any protein originally accumulated in seeds and any protein encoded by a gene exogenously introduced into the plant. In addition, genes to be exogenously introduced are introduced under control of, for example, a publicly known seed-specific expression promoter, thereby allowing efficient expression of the genes in seeds.
In particular, if the seed protein content increases, purification cost or transport cost can be reduced. Thus, such plant is highly industrially applicable. Meanwhile, a protein contained in seeds might become an impurity or allergen, depending on the usage of seeds. Therefore, if the productivity of a protein contained in seeds decreases, the impurity content or the allergen content also decreases. In such case, the seeds are highly industrially applicable.
Plants used herein are not particularly limited, and thus any plant can be used as a target plant. Examples of an available target plant include soybean, sesame, olive oil, coconut, rice, cotton, sunflower, corn, sugarcane, Jatropha, palm, tobacco, safflower, and rapeseed. Also, Arabidopsis thaliana, which has been widely used as an biological model for plant gene analysis and for which gene expression analysis methods have been established, can be used as a target plant.
In addition, transcription repression activity of a chimeric protein comprising a transcription factor is activity of recognizing a cis sequence that is recognized by the transcription factor or a cis sequence of a different transcription factor that is analogous to such a cis sequence so as to actively repress the expression of downstream genes. Thus, such chimeric protein can also be called a “transcriptional repressor.” A method for causing a chimeric protein comprising a transcription factor to have transcription repression activity is not particularly limited. However, the most preferable method may be a method for constructing a chimeric protein (fusion protein) by adding a repressor domain sequence or an SRDX sequence thereto.
In the above method, as a repressor domain sequence, a variety of amino acid sequences discovered by the present inventors, each of which constitutes a peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor, can be used. For example, the following can be referred to for a method using a repressor domain sequence: JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-269177 A; JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-269178 A; JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-292776 A; JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-292777 A; JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-269176 A; JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-269179 A; WO03/055903; Ohta, M., Matsui, K., Hiratsu, K., Shinshi, H. and Ohme-Takagi, M., The Plant Cell, Vol. 13, 1959-1968, August, 2001; and Hiratsu, K., Ohta, M., Matsui, K., or Ohme-Takagi, M., FEBS Letters 514(2002) 351-354. A repressor domain sequence can be excised from a Class II ERF (Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Factor) protein or a plant zinc finger protein (zinc finger protein such as Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN protein). The sequence has a very simple structure.
Examples of a transcription factor constituting a chimeric protein to be expressed include transcription factors specified by AGI codes for Arabidopsis thaliana listed in tables 1 and 2. In addition, any transcription factor listed in table 1 causes a significant increase in seed protein content when a chimeric protein comprising the transcription factor and a repressor domain is expressed in a plant. Meanwhile, any transcription factor listed in table 2 causes a significant decrease in seed protein content when a chimeric protein comprising the transcription factor and a repressor domain is expressed in a plant.











TABLE 1








Nucleotide
Amino acid



AGI code
sequence
sequence









AT2G23760
SEQ ID NO: 1
SEQ ID NO: 2



AT1G18330
SEQ ID NO: 3
SEQ ID NO: 4



AT2G02070
SEQ ID NO: 5
SEQ ID NO: 6



AT1G12980
SEQ ID NO: 7
SEQ ID NO: 8



AT5G62380
SEQ ID NO: 9
SEQ ID NO: 10



AT4G23750
SEQ ID NO: 11
SEQ ID NO: 12



AT4G32800
SEQ ID NO: 13
SEQ ID NO: 14



AT1G24590
SEQ ID NO: 15
SEQ ID NO: 16



AT5G07690
SEQ ID NO: 17
SEQ ID NO: 18



AT1G71692
SEQ ID NO: 19
SEQ ID NO: 20



AT1G52150
SEQ ID NO: 21
SEQ ID NO: 22



AT3G25890
SEQ ID NO: 23
SEQ ID NO: 24



AT1G09540
SEQ ID NO: 25
SEQ ID NO: 26



AT5G22380
SEQ ID NO: 27
SEQ ID NO: 28



AT2G44940
SEQ ID NO: 29
SEQ ID NO: 30



AT5G41030
SEQ ID NO: 31
SEQ ID NO: 32



AT5G60970
SEQ ID NO: 33
SEQ ID NO: 34



AT5G35550
SEQ ID NO: 35
SEQ ID NO: 36



AT1G60240
SEQ ID NO: 37
SEQ ID NO: 38



AT2G23290
SEQ ID NO: 39
SEQ ID NO: 40



AT5G14000
SEQ ID NO: 41
SEQ ID NO: 42



AT1G19490
SEQ ID NO: 43
SEQ ID NO: 44





















TABLE 2








Nucleotide
Amino acid



AGI code
sequence
sequence









AT1G32770
SEQ ID NO: 45
SEQ ID NO: 46



AT5G47220
SEQ ID NO: 47
SEQ ID NO: 48



AT1G56650
SEQ ID NO: 49
SEQ ID NO: 50



AT1G63910
SEQ ID NO: 51
SEQ ID NO: 52



AT3G15510
SEQ ID NO: 53
SEQ ID NO: 54



AT2G45680
SEQ ID NO: 55
SEQ ID NO: 56



AT2G31230
SEQ ID NO: 57
SEQ ID NO: 58



AT1G12260
SEQ ID NO: 59
SEQ ID NO: 60



AT3G61910
SEQ ID NO: 61
SEQ ID NO: 62



AT5G07310
SEQ ID NO: 63
SEQ ID NO: 64



AT3G14230
SEQ ID NO: 65
SEQ ID NO: 66



AT1G28160
SEQ ID NO: 67
SEQ ID NO: 68



AT1G69120
SEQ ID NO: 69
SEQ ID NO: 70



AT3G10490
SEQ ID NO: 71
SEQ ID NO: 72



AT5G61600
SEQ ID NO: 73
SEQ ID NO: 74



AT1G43160
SEQ ID NO: 75
SEQ ID NO: 76










Moreover, examples of a transcription factor that is introduced into a plant or in which a transcriptional regulatory region is modified include transcription factors specified by AGI codes for Arabidopsis thaliana listed in tables 3 and 4. In addition, any transcription factor listed in table 3 causes a significant increase in seed protein content when it is introduced into a plant or a transcriptional regulatory region thereof is modified. Any transcription factor listed in table 4 causes a significant decrease in seed protein content when it is introduced into a plant or a transcriptional regulatory region thereof is modified.











TABLE 3








Nucleotide
Amino acid



AGI code
sequence
sequence









AT3G04070
SEQ ID NO: 77
SEQ ID NO: 78



AT2G46770
SEQ ID NO: 79
SEQ ID NO: 80



AT5G35550
SEQ ID NO: 81
SEQ ID NO: 82





















TABLE 4








Nucleotide
Amino acid



AGI code
sequence
sequence









AT1G10200
SEQ ID NO: 83
SEQ ID NO: 84










In addition, examples of a transcription factor constituting a chimeric protein or a transcription factor subjected to gene introduction or modification of an expression control region are not limited to amino acid sequences (shown in the even-numbered SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 84) listed in tables 1 to 4. Also, it is possible to use a transcription factor having transactivation activity and comprising an amino acid sequence that has a deletion, a substitution, an addition, or an insertion of one or a plurality of amino acid sequences with respect to any of the amino acid sequences. Here, the term “a plurality of amino acids” refers to 1 to 20, preferably 1 to 10, more preferably 1 to 7, further preferably 1 to 5, and particularly preferably 1 to 3 amino acids, for example. In addition, amino acid deletion, substitution, or addition can be performed by modifying a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the above transcription factors by a technique known in the art. Mutation can be introduced into a nucleotide sequence by a known technique such as the Kunkel method or the Gapped duplex method or a method based thereon. For example, mutation is introduced with a mutagenesis kit using site-directed mutagenesis (e.g., Mutant-K or Mutant-G (both are trade names of Takara Bio)) or the like, or a LA PCR in vitro Mutagenesis series kit (trade name, Takara Bio). Also, a mutagenesis method may be: a method using a chemical mutation agent represented by EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate), 5-bromouracil, 2-aminopurine, hydroxylamine, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N nitrosoguanidine, or other carcinogenic compounds; or a method that involves radiation treatment or ultraviolet [UV] treatment typically using X-rays, alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, an ion beam, or the like.
Further, examples of a transcription factor constituting a chimeric protein or a transcription factor subjected to gene introduction or modification of an expression control region are not limited to Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factors listed in tables 1 to 4. Examples of such transcription factor can include transcription factors that function in a similar manner in non-Arabidopsis thaliana plants (e.g., the aforementioned plants) (hereinafter referred to as homologous transcription factors). These homologous transcription factors can be searched for using the genomic information of a search target plant based on amino acid sequences listed in tables 1 to 4 or the nucleotide sequences of individual genes if the plant genomic information has been elucidated. Homologous transcription factors can be identified by searching for amino acid sequences having, for example, 70% or higer, preferably 80% or higher, more preferably 90% or higher, and most preferably 95% or higher homology to the amino acid sequences listed in tables 1 to 4. Here, the value of homology refers to a value that can be found based on default setting using a computer equipped with a BLAST algorithm and a database containing gene sequence information.
In addition, a homologous gene can be identified by, when the plant genome information remains unclarified, extracting the genome from a target plant or constructing a cDNA library for a target plant and then isolating a genomic region or cDNA hybridizing under stringent conditions to at least some portions of the gene encoding any one of the transcription factors listed in tables 1 to 4. Here, the term “stringent conditions” refers to conditions under which namely a specific hybrid is formed, but a non-specific hybrid is never formed. For example, such conditions comprise hybridization at 45° C. with 6 x SSC (sodium chloride/sodium citrate), followed by washing at 50° C. to 65° C. with 0.2-1 x SSC and 0.1% SDS. Alternatively, such conditions comprise hybridization at 65° C. to 70° C. with 1 x SSC, followed by washing at 65° C. to 70° C. with 0.3 x SSC. Hybridization can be performed by a conventionally known method such as a method described in J. Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1989).
A feature of causing the seed protein content to vary significantly (to be improved or reduced significantly) is imparted to the plant of the present invention by causing expression of the aforementioned chimeric protein comprising a transcription factor and a functional peptide in a plant, introducing the aforementioned gene encoding a transcription factor into a plant, or altering an expression control region of such gene in a plant.
In particular, a feature of causing the seed protein content to vary significantly (to be improved or reduced significantly) is imparted to the plant of the present invention by causing expression of a chimeric protein comprising a transcription factor of interest having repressed transactivation activity, further causing expression of transcription repression activity through recognition of a cis sequence homologous to a cis sequence recognized by the transcription factor of interest, and altering the specific affinity of the transcription factor of interest to that of another factor, nucleic acid, lipid, or carbohydrate. In the plant of the present invention, it is possible to create a chimeric protein comprising an endogenous transcription factor by modifying the endogenous transcription factor. Alternatively, it is also possible to introduce a gene encoding a chimeric protein into the plant so as to cause the gene to be expressed therein. For instance, it is preferable to use a method wherein a gene encoding a chimeric protein (fusion protein) obtained by fusing the aforementioned transcription factor and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor is introduced into a target plant to cause the chimeric protein (fusion protein) to be expressed in the plant.
The expression “transcription factor having repressed transactivation activity” used herein is not particularly limited. Such transcription factor has significantly lower transactivation activity than the original transcription factor. In addition, a “functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor” (sometimes referred to as a “transcription repressor converting peptide”) is defined as a peptide having the function of causing an arbitrary transcription factor to have significantly reduced transactivation activity in comparison with the original transcription factor when the peptide is fused with the transcription factor to create a chimeric protein. Such “functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor” is not particularly limited. However, it is particularly preferable for the functional peptide to consist of an amino acid sequence known as a repressor domain sequence or an SRDX sequence. Examples of such transcription repressor converting peptide are described in detail in JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-204657 A. Any example disclosed in such document can be used.
For example, a transcription repressor converting peptide consists of an amino acid sequence expressed by any one of the following formula (1) to (8).
(1) X1-Leu-Asp-Leu-X2-Leu-X3 (SEQ ID NO: 392 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus)
(where X1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, X2 denotes Asn or Glu, and X3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues.)
(2) Y1-Phe-Asp-Leu-Asn-Y2-Y3 (SEQ ID NO: 393 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus)
(where Y1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, Y2 denotes Phe or Ile, and Y3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues.)
(3) Z1-Asp-Leu-Z2-Leu-Arg-Leu-Z3 (SEQ ID NO: 394 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the C-terminus and deletion of 0-2 residues from the N-terminus)
(where Z1 denotes Leu, Asp-Leu, or Leu-Asp-Leu, Z2 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp, and Z3 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues.)
(4) Asp-Leu-Z4-Leu-Arg-Leu (residues 4-9 of SEQ ID NO: 394)
(where Z4 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp.)
(5) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ1-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 395)
(6) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ2-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 396)
(7) α1-Leu-β2-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 397)
(8) α2-Leu-β1-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 398)
(where α1 denotes Asp, Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser, α2 denotes Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser, β1 denotes Asp, Gln, Asn, Arg, Glu, Thr, Ser, or His, β2 denotes Asn, Arg, Thr, Ser, or His, γ1 denotes Arg, Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp, and γ2 denotes Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp in formulae (5) to (8).)
Transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1)
The number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by “X1” may be 0 to 10 for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1). In addition, types of specific amino acids corresponding to amino acid residues in the set denoted by X1 are not particularly limited. Any amino acid can be used. In view of ease of synthesis of the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1), it is preferable to minimize the length of the set of amino acid residues denoted by X1. Specifically, the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by X1 is preferably not more than 5.
Similarly, the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by X3 may be at least 6 for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1). In addition, types of specific amino acids corresponding to amino acid residues in the set denoted by X3 are not particularly limited, and thus any amino acid may be used.
Transcription Repressor Converting Peptide of Formula (2)
As in the case of Xl for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1), the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by Y1 for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (2) may be 0 to 10. In addition, types of specific amino acids corresponding to amino acid residues in the set denoted by Y1 are not particularly limited, and thus any amino acid may be used. The number of specific amino acid residues in the set denoted by Y1 is preferably not more than 5.
Similarly, as in the case of X3 for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (1), the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by Y3 for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (2) may be at least 6. In addition, types of specific amino acids corresponding to amino acid residues in the set denoted by Y3 are not particularly limited, and thus any amino acid may be used.
Transcription Repressor Converting Peptide of Formula (3)
For the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (3), the set of amino acid residues denoted by Z1 contains 1 to 3 “Leu” amio acids. When it contains a single amino acid, Z1 denotes Leu. When it contains two amino acids, Z1 denotes Asp-Leu. When it contains 3 amino acids, Z1 denotes Leu-Asp-Leu.
Meanwhile, for the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (3), the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by Z3 may be 0 to 10. In addition, types of specific amino acids corresponding to amino acid residues in the set denoted by Z3 are not particularly limited, and thus any amino acid may be used. Specifically, the number of amino acid residues in the set denoted by Z3 is preferably not more than 5. Specific examples of an amino acid residue in the set denoted by Z3 include, but are not limited to, Gly, Gly-Phe-Phe, Gly-Phe-Ala, Gly-Tyr-Tyr, and Ala-Ala-Ala.
In addition, the number of amino acid residues consisting of a transcription repressor converting peptide as a whole of formula (3) is not particularly limited. However, in view of ease of synthesis, it is preferably not more than 20 amino acids.
Transcription Repressor Converting Peptide of Formula (4)
The transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (4) is a hexamer (6mer) consisting of 6 amino acid residues. In addition, if the amino acid residue denoted by Z4 in the transcription repressor converting peptide of formula (4) is Glu, the amino acid sequence of the peptide corresponds to a region rangnig from position 196 to position 201 of the amino acid sequence of the Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN protein (SUP protein).
A chimeric protein (fusion protein) is created through fusion of any of the different transcription repressor converting peptides described above and any of the transcription factors described above so as to modify characteristics of the transcription factor. Specifically, a chimeric protein (fusion protein) is created through fusion of the transcription factor and the transcription repressor converting peptide, making it possible to modify the transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor or a negative transcriptional coactivator. In addition, it is possible to further convert a non-dominant transcriptional repressor into a dominant transcriptional repressor.
In addition, a chimeric protein (fusion protein) can be produced by obtaining a fusion gene of a polynucleotide encoding any transcription repressor converting peptide described above and a gene encoding a transcription factor. Specifically, a fusion gene is constructed by linking a polynucleotide encoding the transcription repressor converting peptide (hereinafter referred to as a “transcription repressor converting polynucleotide”) and the gene encoding a transcription factor. The fusion gene is introduced into plant cells, thereby allowing production of a chimeric protein (fusion protein). The specific nucleotide sequence of the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide is not particularly limited. It is only necessary for the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide to comprise a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the transcription repressor converting peptide in accordance with the genetic code of the peptide. In addition, if necessary, the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide may have a nucleotide sequence that serves as a linking site via which the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide is linked to a transcription factor gene. Further, if the amino acid reading frame of the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide does not match the reading frame of the transcription factor gene, the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide can comprise an additional nucleotide sequence that allows matching of both reading frames. Furthermore, the transcription repressor converting polynucleotide may comprise a variety of additional polypeptides such as a polypeptide having a linker function to link a transcription factor and a transcription repressor converting peptide and a polypeptide such as His, Myc, or Flag used for epitope labeling of a chimeric protein (fusion protein). Moreover, if necessary, the chimeric protein (fusion protein) may have a construct such as a sugar chain, an isoprenoid group, or the like as well as such polypeptide.
In addition, a conventionally known expression vector or the like can be used when the above gene encoding a transcription factor is introduced into plants.
A method for producing a plant is not particularly limited as long as it comprises a step of producing the above chimeric protein comprising a transcription factor and a transcription repressor converting peptide in a plant or a step of introducing the above gene encoding a transcription factor into a plant or modifying an expression control region of the gene. However, for example, a production method comprising steps such as an expression vector construction step, a transformation step, and a selection step can be used. Each step is specifically described below.
Expression Vector Construction Step
The expression vector construction step is not particularly limited as long as it includes a step of constructing a recombinant expression vector containing the gene encoding a transcription factor, a transcription repressor converting polynucleotide, and a promoter. Also, the expression vector construction step is not particularly limited as long as it is a step of constructing a recombinant expression vector containing the gene encoding a transcription factor to be introduced and a promoter. As a vector serving as a mother body for a recombinant expression vector, various conventionally known vectors can be used. For example, plasmids, phages, cosmids, or the like can be used and such vector can be appropriately selected depending on plant cells into which it is introduced and introduction methods. Specific examples of such vector include pBR322, pBR325, pUC19, pUC119, pBluescript, pBluescriptSK, and pBI vectors. Particularly, when a method for introduction of a vector into a plant uses Agrobacterium, a pBI binary vector is preferably used. Specific examples of such pBI binary vector include pBIG, pBIN19, pBI101, pBI121, and pBI221.
A promoter used herein is not particularly limited as long as it can cause gene expression in plants. Any known promoter can be appropriately used. Examples of such promoter include a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV35S), various actin gene promoters, various ubiquitin gene promoters, a nopaline synthase gene promoter, a tobacco PR1a gene promoter, a tomato ribulose1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase·oxidase small subunit gene promoter, a napin gene promoter, and an oleosin gene promoter. Of these, a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, an actin gene promoter, or a ubiquitin gene promoter can be more preferably used. The use of each of the above promoters enables strong expression of any gene when it is introduced into plant cells. The structure of a recombinant expression vector itself is not particularly limited as long as the promoter is linked to a fusion gene obtained by linking a gene encoding a transcription factor and a transcription repressor converting polynucleotide so as to cause expression of the gene and introduced into the vector. Also, the structure of a recombinant expression vector itself is not particularly limited as long as the promoter is linked to a gene encoding a desired transcription factor for gene introduction so as to cause expression of the gene and introduced into the vector.
In addition, a recombinant expression vector may further contain other DNA segments, in addition to a promoter and the fusion gene or the gene encoding a transcription factor. Such other DNA segments are not particularly limited and examples thereof include a terminator, a selection marker, an enhancer, and a nucleotide sequence for enhancing translation efficiency. Also, the above recombinant expression vector may further have a T-DNA region. A T-DNA region can enhance efficiency for gene introduction particularly when the above recombinant expression vector is introduced into a plant using Agrobacterium. 
A transcription terminator is not particularly limited as long as it has functions as a transcription termination site and may be any known transcription terminator. For example, specifically, a transcription termination region (Nos terminator) of a nopaline synthase gene, a transcription termination region (CaMV35S terminator) of cauliflower mosaic virus 35S, or the like can be preferably used. Of them, the Nos terminator can be more preferably used. In the case of the above recombinant vector, a phenomenon such that an unnecessarily long transcript is synthesized and that a strong promoter decreases the number of copies of a plasmid after introduction into plant cells can be prevented by arranging a transcription terminator at an appropriate position.
As a transformant selection marker, a drug resistance gene can be used, for example. Specific examples of such drug resistance gene include drug resistance genes against hygromycin, bleomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and the like. Transformed plants can be easily selected by selecting plants that can grow in medium containing the above antibiotics.
An example of a nucleotide sequence for increasing translation efficiency is an omega sequence from tobacco mosaic virus. This omega sequence is arranged in an untranslated region (5′UTR) of a promoter, so that the translation efficiency of the fusion gene can be increased. As such, the recombinant expression vector can contain various DNA segments depending on purposes.
A method for constructing a recombinant expression vector is not particularly limited. To an appropriately selected vector serving as a mother body, the above promoter, a fusion gene consisting of a gene encoding a transcription factor and a transcription repressor converting polynucleotide or a gene encoding a desired transcription factor for gene introduction, and, if necessary, the above other DNA segments may be introduced in a predetermined order. For example, a gene encoding a transcription factor and a transcription repressor converting polynucleotide are linked to construct a fusion gene, and then the fusion gene and the promoter (e.g., a transcription terminator according to need) are then linked to construct an expression cassette and then the cassette may be introduced into a vector.
In construction of a chimeric gene (fusion gene) and an expression cassette, for example, cleavage sites of DNA segments are prepared to have protruding ends complementary to each other and then performing a reaction with a ligation enzyme, making it possible to specify the order of the DNA segments. In addition, when an expression cassette contains a terminator, DNA segments may be arranged in the following order from upstream: a promoter, the fusion gene or the gene encoding a transcription factor, and a terminator. Also, reagents for construction of an expression vector (that is, types of restriction enzymes, ligation enzymes, and the like) are also not particularly limited. Hence, commercially available reagents can be appropriately selected and used.
Also, a method for replicating (a method for producing) the above expression vector is not particularly limited and conventionally known replication methods can be used herein. In general, such expression vector may be replicated within Escherichia coli as a host. At this time, preferred types of Escherichia coli may be selected depending on the types of vector.
Transformation Step
The transformation step carried out in the present invention is a step of introducing the fusion gene or the gene encoding a transcription factor into plant cells using the above recombinant expression vector so as to cause the expression of the gene. A method for introducing such gene into plant cells (transformation method) using a recombinant expression vector is not particularly limited. Conventionally known appropriate introduction methods can be used depending on plant cells. Specifically, a method using Agrobacterium or a method that involves direct introduction into plant cells can be used, for example. As a method using Agrobacterium, a method described in the following can be employed, for example: Bechtold, E., Ellis, J. and Pelletier, G. (1993), In Planta Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer by infiltration of adult Arabidopsis plants. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris Sci. Vie, 316, 1194-1199; or Zyprian E, Kado Cl, Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation by novel mini-T vectors in conjunction with a high-copy vir region helper plasmid, Plant Molecular Biology, 1990, 15(2), 245-256.
As a method for directly introducing DNA comprising a recombinant expression vector and a target gene into plant cells, microinjection, electroporation, a polyethylene glycol method, a particle gun method, protoplast fusion, a calcium phosphate method, or the like can be employed.
Also, when a method for directly introducing DNA into plant cells is employed, DNA that can be used herein contains transcriptional units required for the expression of a target gene, such as a promoter and a transcription terminator, and a target gene. Vector functions are not essential in such case. Moreover, a DNA that contains a protein coding region alone of a target gene having no transcriptional unit may be used herein, as long as it is integrated into a host's transcriptional unit and then the target gene can be expressed.
Examples of plant cells into which DNA comprising the above recombinant expression vector and a target gene or DNA containing no expression vector but a target gene DNA is introduced include cells of each tissue of plant organs such as flowers, leaves, and roots, calluses, and suspension-cultured cells. At this time, according to the plant production method of the present invention, an appropriate expression vector may be constructed as the above recombinant expression vector according to the type of plant to be produced or a versatile expression vector may be constructed in advance and then introduced into plant cells. That is to say, the plant production method of the present invention may or may not comprise a step of constructing a DNA for transformation using the recombinant expression vector.
Other Steps and Methods
The plant production method of the present invention needs to comprise at least the transformation step, and the method may further comprise a step of constructing the DNA for transformation using the recombinant expression vector. The method may further comprise other steps. Specifically, for example, a step of selecting an appropriate transformant from among transformed plants can be employed.
A selection method is not particularly limited. For example, selection may be carried based on drug resistance such as hygromycin resistance. Alternatively, selection may be carried out based on the protein content in plant seeds collected from cultivated transformants. For example, a method comprising collecting plant seeds, determining the protein content in the seeds according to a standard method, and comparing the protein content with the protein content in non-transformed plant seeds can be employed in a case in which selection is carried out based on protein content (see the Examples described below) .
According to the plant production method of the present invention, the fusion gene or the gene encoding a transcription factor is introduced into a plant. This makes it possible to obtain an offspring plant having a significantly improved or reduced protein content in comparison with the plant via sexual reproduction or asexual reproduction. Also, plant cells or reproductive materials, such as seeds, fruits, stocks, calluses, tubers, cut ears, or lumps, may be obtained from the plant or an offspring plant thereof. The plant can be mass-produced therefrom based on such materials. Therefore, the plant production method of the present invention may comprise a reproduction step (mass production step) for reproducing a selected plant.
In addition, the plant of the present invention may include a matter comprising at least any one of an adult plant, plant cells, plant tissue, callus, and seeds. That is, according to the present invention, any matter in a state that allows it to eventually grow to become a plant can be regarded as a plant. In addition, plant cells include plant cells in various forms. Examples of such plant cells include suspension-cultured cells, protoplasts, and leaf sections. As a result of proliferation/differentiation of such plant cells, a plant can be obtained. In addition, a plant can be reproduced from plant cells by a conventionally known method depending on the types of plant cells. Therefore, the plant production method of the present invention may comprise a regeneration step of regenerating a plant from plant cells or the like.
In addition, the plant production method of the present invention is not limited to a method of transformation using a recombinant expression vector. A different method may be used. Specifically, for example, the chimeric protein (fusion protein) itself or a transcription factor (protein) can be administered to a plant. In this case, the chimeric protein (fusion protein) or a transcription factor (protein) can be administered to a young plant such that the seed protein content can be improved. In addition, a method of administration of a chimeric protein (fusion protein) or a transcription factor (protein) is not particularly limited, and a different known method can be used.
As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a plant for which the seed protein content has been caused to vary significantly (to be improved or reduced significantly) relative to the protein content in a wild-type plant by inducing expression of a chimeric protein comprising a predetermined transcription factor and any functional peptide described above or a predetermined transcription factor. When the chimeric protein is expressed in a plant, it might cause repression of transactivation activity of a target transcription factor or it might cause exhibition of transcription repression effects upon a sequence homologous to a cis sequence recognized by a target transcription factor. Further, in some cases, such chimeric protein functions to change the specific affinity of another factor, DNA, RNA, lipid, or carbohydrate having affinity to a target transcription factor or transcriptional coactivator. Alternatively, in some cases, it functions to cause a substance having no affinity to a target transcription factor to have improved affinity thereto. The following factors can be expressed in a similar manner in the plant of the present invention: a transcription factor that constitutes a chimeric protein; a transcription factor capable of recognizing a cis sequence homologous to a cis sequence recognized by the transcription factor; a transcription factor homologous to a transcription factor that constitutes a chimeric protein; other factors each having affinity to a transcription factor that constitutes a chimeric protein; and the like. However, the above effects of a chimeric protein allow suppression of gene expression to be controlled in a dominant-negative manner. Accordingly, the expression levels of gene groups involved in plant growth and the expression levels of gene groups involved in protein production in seeds and/or gene groups involved in decomposition of a produced protein would vary in the plant of the present invention. This is thought to cause significant variation in seed protein content.
Here, significant variation in the seed protein content exists in a case in which the plant of the present invention exhibits an improvement of the protein amount over a wild-type plant while the single seed mass remains stable, a case in which the plant of the present invention is found to exhibit improvement of protein content with a significantly higher or lower level of single seed mass than that of a wild-type plant, or a case in which the plant of the present invention is found to exhibit improvement or reduction of seed protein content when compared with a wild-type plant. In any case, it corresponds to a variation in the amount of a protein produced by a single individual plant.
More specifically, if a chimeric protein comprising any transcription factor listed in table 1 is expressed in a plant, the protein content in seeds of the plant would be improved by approximately 20% or more compared with a wild-type plant. In addition, if a gene encoding any transcription factor listed in table 3 is introduced into a plant, the protein content in seeds of the plant would be improved by approximately 20% or more compared with a wild-type plant. Among the plants of the present invention, a plant confirmed to have increased protein content can be used for a method for producing a plant-derived protein. For example, a protein can be produced by cultivating the plant of the present invention, taking seeds therefrom, and collecting protein components from the obtained seeds. In particular, it can be said that the protein production method using the plant of the present invention is a method whereby high protein content in seeds can be achieved, resulting in excellent productivity. In other words, assuming that the number of cultivated plant individuals per unit area of cultivated acreage is stable and thus the amount of collected seeds is stable, the amount of protein produced per unit area of cultivated acreage can be remarkably improved with the use of the plant of the present invention. Therefore, production cost necessary for protein production can be significantly reduced with the use of the plant of the present invention.
EXAMPLES
The present invention is hereafter described in greater detail with reference to the following examples, although the technical scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.
Example 1
Transcription Factor Gene Amplification
Each of the following transcription factors was subjected to PCR amplification of a coding region DNA fragment including or excluding a termination codon using the Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA library and primers described below: At2g23760, At1g18330, At2g02070, At1g12980, At5g62380, At4g23750, At4g32800, At1g24590, At5g07690, At1g71692, At1g52150, At3g25890, At1g09540, At5g22380, At2g44940, At5g41030, At5g60970, At5g35550, At1g60240, At2g23290, At5g14000, At1g19490, At5g58900, At5g07580, At3g04070, At2g42830, At2g22200, At5g25190, At5g54230, At5g67300, At4g28140, At5g23260, At1g69490, At4g18390, At1g15360, At1g27370, At1g78080, At5g25390, At3g04060, At1g44830, At3g49850, At5g06100, At1g74840, At3g04070, At2g46770, At5g35550, At1g71030, At2g44840, At3g23220, At1g18570, At3g01530, At5g51190, At4g34410, At5g22290, At3g04420, At3g45150, At3g29035, At3g02150, At2g41710, At1g49120, At1g64380, At3g23230, At1g01010, At5g53290, At1g36060, At5g66300, At2g46310, At5g47390, At1g71030, At1g17520, At3g23220, At2g18060, At5g08070, At1g80580, At1g34190, At2g47520, At5g67000, At4g27950, At5g47230, At3g28910, At3g11280, At5g07680, At1g25470, At1g28520, At1g77450, At5g24590, At5g08790, At1g67260, At4g28530, At5g13910, At5g64530, At2g33710, At1g53230, At1g56010, At5g18560, At5g67580, At5g24520, At4g18390, At1g69690, At5g13330, At5g60970, At3g23220, At1g62700, At5g13330, At1g22985, At5g09330, At1g10200, At1g61110, At1g30210, At5g40330, At5g13180, At1g52880, At4g18450, At5g07580, At1g74930, At4g36160, At3g18550, At5g64750, At2g02450, At2g42400, At5g67300, At1g68800, At1g14510, At1g25580, At5g18270, At2g44840, At3g15500, At4g35580, At4g01550, At4g37750, At1g52890, At2g17040, At2g33480, At5g39610, At1g32770, At5g47220, At1g56650, At1g63910, At3g15510, At2g45680, At2g31230, At1g12260, At3g61910, At5g07310, At3g14230, At1g28160, At1g69120, At3g10490, At5g61600, At1g43160, At3g15210, At4g08150, and At1g10200. Note that a coding region DNA fragment including a termination codon was amplified for each of At3g04070, At2g46770, At5g35550, At1g71030, At2g44840, At4g18390, At1g69690, At5g13330, At5g60970, At3g23220, At3g15210, At4g08150, and At1g10200. PCR was carried out under conditions of 94° C. for 1 minute, 47° C. for 2 minutes, and elongation reaction at 74° C. for 1 minute for 25 cycles. Next, each PCR product was isolated by agarose gel electrophoresis and collected.











TABLE 5







Nucleotide

Nucleotide


AGI code
Fowerd primer
sequence
Reverse primer
sequence







At2g23760
GATGGGTTTAGCTACTACAACTTCTTCTAT
SEQ ID NO: 85
AAAATCTCCAAAGTCTCTAACGGAGAAAGA
SEQ ID NO: 86


 


At1g18330
GATGGCCGCTGAGGATCGAAGTGAGGAACT
SEQ ID NO: 87
GCATATACGTGCTCTTTGGCTTTTCTTTTC
SEQ ID NO: 88


 


At2g02070
GATGGCTGCTTCTTCATCCTCCGCTGCTTC
SEQ ID NO: 89
GAAACTCGCATGATGGATTCCATAAGGTGG
SEQ ID NO: 90


 


At1g12980
AATGGAAAAAGCCTTGAGAAACTTC
SEQ ID NO: 91
TCCCCACGATCTTCGGCAAGTACA
SEQ ID NO: 92


 


At5g62380
GATGGAAAGTCTCGCACACATTCCTCCCGG
SEQ ID NO: 93
CGTGTGTGTATTTTGAGCCCAAGAGTAGAA
SEQ ID NO: 94


 


At4g23750
ATGGAAGCGGAGAAGAAAATGG
SEQ ID NO: 95
AACAGCTAAAAGAGGATCCGAC
SEQ ID NO: 96


 


At4g32800
ATGGCGGATTCGTCTTCCGAC
SEQ ID NO: 97
GGGAAAATGTTTCCAAGATTCG
SEQ ID NO: 98


 


At1g24590
ATGGAAGAAGCAATCATGAGAC
SEQ ID NO: 99
ATAATCATCATGAAAGCAATACTG
SEQ ID NO: 100


 


At5g07690
GATGTCAAGAAAGCCATGTTGTGTGGGAGA
SEQ ID NO: 101
TATGAAGTTCTTGTCGTCGTAATCTTGGCT
SEQ ID NO: 102


 


At1g71692
GATGGCTCGTGGAAAGATTCAGCTTAAGAG
SEQ ID NO: 103
GAACTGAAATATTTCACTTGGCATTGTTAG
SEQ ID NO: 104


 


At1g52150
GATGGCAATGTCTTGCAAGGATGGTAAGTT
SEQ ID NO: 105
CACAAAGGACCAATTGATGAACACAAAGCA
SEQ ID NO: 106


 


At3g25890
ATGGCTGAACGAAAGAAACGC
SEQ ID NO: 107
TGGGCACGCGATATTAAGAGG
SEQ ID NO: 108


 


At1g09540
GATGGGGAGACATTCTTGCTGTTACAAACA
SEQ ID NO: 109
AAGGGACTGACCAAAAGAGACGGCCATTCT
SEQ ID NO: 110


 


At5g22380
GATGGCCGATGAGGTCACAATCGGGTTTCG
SEQ ID NO: 111
AGGCCAAGTCAGCTGTTCCCAGTCCCACAT
SEQ ID NO: 112


 


At2g44940
ATGGCAAGACAAATCAACATAGAG
SEQ ID NO: 113
TTCAGATAGAAAAAACGGCTCTTC
SEQ ID NO: 114


 


At5g41030
ATGGTCATGGAGCCCAAGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 115
TGAACCATTTTCCTCTGCACTC
SEQ ID NO: 116


 


At5g60970
ATGAGATCAGGAGAATGTGATG
SEQ ID NO: 117
AGAATCTGATTCATTATCGCTAC
SEQ ID NO: 118


 


At5g35550
GATGGGAAAGAGAGCAACTACTAGTGTGAG
SEQ ID NO: 119
ACAAGTGAAGTCTCGGAGCCAATCTTCATC
SEQ ID NO: 120


 


At1g60240
GATGAAGTCAAGACGTGAACAATCAATCGA
SEQ ID NO: 121
TTTATAGTAACCTCGAATGTGCTGGGCCAA
SEQ ID NO: 122


 


At2g23290
GATGTCTGGTTCGACCCGGAAAGAAATGGA
SEQ ID NO: 123
CTCGATCCTACCTAATCCAATAAACTCTCT
SEQ ID NO: 124


 


At5g14000
GATGGAGGTGGAGAAGAGGATTGTAG
SEQ ID NO: 125
CTCATCAGCTGAGGTAGGAGGAG
SEQ ID NO: 126


 


At1g19490
GATGGAGTTGGAGCCTATATCATCGAGTTG
SEQ ID NO: 127
TCCGACCTGCATCCGACATTGACGGCCATG
SEQ ID NO: 128


 


At5g58900
GATGGAGGTTATGAGACCGTCGACGTCACA
SEQ ID NO: 129
TAGTTGAAACATTGTGTTTTGGGCGTCATA
SEQ ID NO: 130


 


At5g07580
ATGGCGAGTTTTGAGGAAAGC
SEQ ID NO: 131
AAATGCATCACAGGAAGATGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 132


 


At3g04070
GATGATAAGCAAGGATCCAAGATCGAGTTT
SEQ ID NO: 133
GCCTTGATATTGAAGGTGAGAACTCATCAT
SEQ ID NO: 134


 


At2g42830
GATGGAGGGTGGTGCGAGTAATGAAGTAGC
SEQ ID NO: 135
AACAAGTTGCAGAGGTGGTTGGTCTTGGTT
SEQ ID NO: 136


 


At2g22200
ATGGAAACTGCTTCTCTTTCTTTC
SEQ ID NO: 137
AGAATTGGCCAGTTTACTAATTGC
SEQ ID NO: 138


 


At5g25190
ATGGCACGACCACAACAACGC
SEQ ID NO: 139
CAGCGTCTGAGTTGGTAAAACAG
SEQ ID NO: 140


 


At5g54230
GATGGGAAAATCTTCAAGCTCGGAGGAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 141
TGATAGATTCAAAGCATTATTATTATGATC
SEQ ID NO: 142


 


At5g67300
GATGGCTGATAGGATCAAAGGTCCATGGAG
SEQ ID NO: 143
CTCGATTCTCCCAACTCCAATTTGACTCAT
SEQ ID NO: 144


 


At4g28140
ATGGACTTTGACGAGGAGCTAAATC
SEQ ID NO: 145
AAAGAAAGGCCTCATAGGACAAG
SEQ ID NO: 146


 


At5g23260
GATGGGTAGAGGGAAGATAGAGATAAAGAA
SEQ ID NO: 147
ATCATTCTGGGCCGTTGGATCGTTTTGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 148


 


At1g69490
GATGGAAGTAACTTCCCAATCTACCCTCCC
SEQ ID NO: 149
AAACTTAAACATCGCTTGACGATGATGGTT
SEQ ID NO: 150


 


At4g18390
ATGATTGGAGATCTAATGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 151
GTTCTTGCCTTTACCCTTATG
SEQ ID NO: 152


 


At1g15360
ATGGTACAGACGAAGAAGTTCAG
SEQ ID NO: 153
GTTTGTATTGAGAAGCTCCTCTATC
SEQ ID NO: 154


 


At1g27370
GATGGACTGCAACATGGTATCTTCGTTCCC
SEQ ID NO: 155
GATGAAATGACTAGGGAAAGTGCCAAATAT
SEQ ID NO: 156


 


At1g78080
GATGGCAGCTGCTATGAATTTGTAC
SEQ ID NO: 157
AGCTAGAATCGAATCCCAATCG
SEQ ID NO: 158


 


At5g25390
ATGGTACATTCGAAGAAGTTCCG
SEQ ID NO: 159
GACCTGTGCAATGGATCCAG
SEQ ID NO: 160


 


At3g04060
GATGGTGGAAGAAGGCGGCGTAG
SEQ ID NO: 161
GCTAGTATATAAATCTTCCCAGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 162


 


At1g44830
ATGGTGAAAACACTTCAAAAGACAC
SEQ ID NO: 163
GCAGAAGTTCCATAATCTGATATC
SEQ ID NO: 164


 


At3g49850
GATGGGAGCTCCAAAGCTGAAGTGGACACC
SEQ ID NO: 165
CCGAGTTTGGCTATGCATTCTATACTTCAC
SEQ ID NO: 166


 


At5g06100
GATGAGTTACACGAGCACTGACAGTGACCA
SEQ ID NO: 167
ACAAACTATTTCAAGTGATGGTAAGGTGAA
SEQ ID NO: 168


 


At1g74840
GATGGCCGACGGTAGTACTAGTTCTTCGGA
SEQ ID NO: 169
AGCGACTCCAATCGTGTTGAATGCTGGATG
SEQ ID NO: 170


 


At3g04070
GATGATAAGCAAGGATCCAAGATCGAGTTT
SEQ ID NO: 171
CTAGCCTTGATATTGAAGGTGAGAACTCAT
SEQ ID NO: 172


 


At2g46770
GATGATGTCAAAATCTATGAGCATATC
SEQ ID NO: 173
TTATCCACTACCATTCGACACGTGACAAAA
SEQ ID NO: 174


 


At5g35550
GGGATGGGAAAGAGAGCAACTACTAGTGTG
SEQ ID NO: 175
TCAACAAGTGAAGTCTCGGAGCCAATCTTC
SEQ ID NO: 176



AGG





 


At1g71030
GATGAACAAAACCCGCCTTCGTGCTCTCTC
SEQ ID NO: 177
TCATCGGAATAGAAGAAGCGTTTCTTGACC
SEQ ID NO: 178


 


At2g44840
ATGAGCTCATCTGATTCCGTTAATAAC
SEQ ID NO: 179
TTATATCCGATTATCAGAATAAGAAC
SEQ ID NO: 180


 


At3g23220
ATGAAATACAGAGGCGTACGAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 181
GCGGTTTGCGTCGTTACAATTG
SEQ ID NO: 182


 


At1g18570
GATGGTGCGGACACCGTGTTGCAAAGCTGA
SEQ ID NO: 183
TCCAAAATAGTTATCAATTTCGTCAAACAA
SEQ ID NO: 184


 


At3g01530
GATGGAGACGACGATGAAGAAGAAAGGGAG
SEQ ID NO: 185
AATCACATGGTGGTCACCATTAAGCAAGTG
SEQ ID NO: 186


 


At5g51190
ATGGCTTCTTCACATCAACAACAG
SEQ ID NO: 187
AGTAACTACGAGTTGAGAGTGTC
SEQ ID NO: 188


 


At4g34410
ATGCATTATCCTAACAACAGAACC
SEQ ID NO: 189
CTGGAACATATCAGCAATTGTATTTC
SEQ ID NO: 190


 


At5g22290
GATGGACACGAAGGCGGTTGGAGTTTC
SEQ ID NO: 191
TTCTAGATAAAACAACATTGCTATC
SEQ ID NO: 192


 


At3g04420
GATGGAGAATCCGGTGGGTTTAAG
SEQ ID NO: 193
TGTTCTTGAGATAGAAGAACATTGG
SEQ ID NO: 194


 


At3g45150
ATGGATTCGAAAAATGGAATTAAC
SEQ ID NO: 195
AACTGTGGTTGTGGCTGTTGTTG
SEQ ID NO: 196


 


At3g29035
GATGGATTACAAGGTATCAAGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 197
GAATTTCCAAACGCAATCAAGATTC
SEQ ID NO: 198


 


At3g02150
ATGAATATCGTCTCTTGGAAAGATG
SEQ ID NO: 199
TCACATATGGTGATCACTTCCTCTACTTG
SEQ ID NO: 200


 


At2g41710
GATGGCGTCGGTGTCGTCGTC
SEQ ID NO: 201
TTTCTCTTGTGGGAGGTAGCTG
SEQ ID NO: 202


 


At1g49120
ATGATCAGTTTCAGAGAAGAGAAC
SEQ ID NO: 203
TAAAAACTTATCGATCCAATCAGTAG
SEQ ID NO: 204


 


At1g64380
ATGGAAGAAAGCAATGATATTTTTC
SEQ ID NO: 205
ATTGGCAAGAACTTCCCAAATCAG
SEQ ID NO: 206


 


At3g23230
ATGGAGAGCTCAAACAGGAGC
SEQ ID NO: 207
TCTCTTCCTTTCTTCTGAATCAAG
SEQ ID NO: 208


 


At1g01010
GATGGAGGATCAAGTTGGGTTTGGG
SEQ ID NO: 209
ACCAACAAGAATGATCCAACTAATG
SEQ ID NO: 210


 


At5g53290
ATGGACGAATATATTGATTTCCGAC
SEQ ID NO: 211
AGCAACTAATAGATCTGATATCAATG
SEQ ID NO: 212


 


At1g36060
ATGGCGGATCTCTTCGGTGG
SEQ ID NO: 213
CGATAAAATTGAAGCCCAATCTATC
SEQ ID NO: 214


 


At5g66300
GATGATGAAGGTTGATCAAGATTATTCGTG
SEQ ID NO: 215
GTCTTCTCCACTCATCAAAAATTGAGACGC
SEQ ID NO: 216


 


At2g46310
ATGAAAAGCCGAGTGAGAAAATC
SEQ ID NO: 217
TTACTTATCCAACAAATGATCTTGG
SEQ ID NO: 218


 


At5g47390
GATGACTCGTCGATGTTCTCACTGCAATCA
SEQ ID NO: 219
TAAAGCGTGTATCACGCTTTTGATGTCTGA
SEQ ID NO: 220


 


At1g71030
GATGAACAAAACCCGCCTTCGTGCTCTCTC
SEQ ID NO: 221
TCGGAATAGAAGAAGCGTTTCTTGACCTGT
SEQ ID NO: 222


 


At1g17520
GATGGGAAATCAGAAGCTCAAATGGACGGC
SEQ ID NO: 223
ATTCAAGTACATAATCTTTCCCTGACTACA
SEQ ID NO: 224


 


At3g23220
GATGGATCCATTTTTAATTCAGTCCCCATT
SEQ ID NO: 225
CCAAGTCCCACTATTTTCAGAAGACCCCAA
SEQ ID NO: 226


 


At2g18060
GATGGAGCCAATGGAATCTTGTAGCGTTCC
SEQ ID NO: 227
ATTATCAAATACGCAAATCCCAATATCATA
SEQ ID NO: 228


 


At5g08070
ATGGGAATAAAAAAAGAAGATCAG
SEQ ID NO: 229
CTCGATATGGTCTGGTTGTGAG
SEQ ID NO: 230


 


At1g80580
ATGGAAAACAGCTACACCGTTG
SEQ ID NO: 231
CTTCCTAGACAACAACCCTAAAC
SEQ ID NO: 232


 


At1g34190
GATGGCGGATTCTTCACCCGATTCG
SEQ ID NO: 233
GTCTTTCAAGAGAAGACTTCTACC
SEQ ID NO: 234


 


At2g47520
ATGTGTGGGGGAGCTATCATTTC
SEQ ID NO: 235
ATTGGAGTCTTGATAGCTCC
SEQ ID NO: 236


 


At5g67000
ATGGATAATTCAGAAAATGTTC
SEQ ID NO: 237
TCTCCACCGCCGTTTAATTC
SEQ ID NO: 238


 


At4g27950
ATGATGATGGATGAGTTTATGGATC
SEQ ID NO: 239
CACAAGTAAGAGATCGGATATC
SEQ ID NO: 240


 


At5g47230
GGGGATGGCGACTCCTAACGAAGT
SEQ ID NO: 241
AACAACGGTCAACTGGGAATAACCAAACG
SEQ ID NO: 242


 


At3g28910
GATGGTGAGGCCTCCTTGTTGTGACAAAGG
SEQ ID NO: 243
GAAGAAATTAGTGTTTTCATCCAATAGAAT
SEQ ID NO: 244


 


At3g11280
GATGGAGACTCTGCATCCATTCTCTCACCT
SEQ ID NO: 245
AGCTCCGGCACTGAAGACATTTTCTCCGGC
SEQ ID NO: 246


 


At5g07680
GATGGATTTGCCTCCTGGTTTTAG
SEQ ID NO: 247
GTAATTCCAGAAAGGTTCAAGATC
SEQ ID NO: 248


 


At1g25470
ATGTCGGCTGTGTCTGAATCG
SEQ ID NO: 249
AACCAAACCGAGAGGCGGTG
SEQ ID NO: 250


 


At1g28520
GATGACGGGGAAGCGATCAAAGAC
SEQ ID NO: 251
GGGGATATAATAGTCGCTTAGATTTC
SEQ ID NO: 252


 


At1g77450
GATGATGAAATCTGGGGCTGATTTGC
SEQ ID NO: 253
GAAAGTTCCCTGCCTAACCACAAGTGG
SEQ ID NO: 254


 


At5g24590
GATGAAAGAAGACATGGAAGTACTATC
SEQ ID NO: 255
TGCGACTAGACTGCAGACCGACATC
SEQ ID NO: 256


 


At5g08790
GATGAAGTCGGAGCTAAATTTACCAGCTGG
SEQ ID NO: 257
COCCTGTGGAGCAAAACTCCAATTCAAGAA
SEQ ID NO: 258


 


At1g67260
ATGTCGTCTTCCACCAATGAC
SEQ ID NO: 259
GTTTACAAAAGAGTCTTGAATCC
SEQ ID NO: 260


 


At4g28530
GATGGGTTTGAAAGATATTGGGTCC
SEQ ID NO: 261
TTGGAAAGCGAGGATATTTTCGGTC
SEQ ID NO: 262


 


At5g13910
ATGAACACAACATCATCAAAGAGC
SEQ ID NO: 263
GGAGCCAAAGTAGTTGAAACCTTG
SEQ ID NO: 264


 


At5g64530
GATGAATCTACCACCGGGATTTAGG
SEQ ID NO: 265
CGGTAAGCTTACTTCGTCAAGATC
SEQ ID NO: 266


 


At2g33710
ATGCATAGCGGGAAGAGACCTC
SEQ ID NO: 267
TTTTCGTCGTTTGTGGATACTAATG
SEQ ID NO: 268


 


At1g53230
GATGAAGAGAGATCATCATCATCATCATCA
SEQ ID NO: 269
ATGGCGAGAATCGGATGAAGC
SEQ ID NO: 270


 


At1g56010
GATGGAGACGGAAGAAGAGATGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 271
GCAATTCCAAACAGTGCTTGGAATAC
SEQ ID NO: 272


 


At5g18560
ATGGGTTTTGCTCTGATCCACC
SEQ ID NO: 273
AAAGACTGAGTAGAAGCCTGTAG
SEQ ID NO: 274


 


At5g67580
GATGGGTGCACCAAAGCAGAAGTGGACACC
SEQ ID NO: 275
CCAAGGATGATTACGGATCCTGAACTTCAA
SEQ ID NO: 276


 


At5g24520
GATGGATAATTCAGCTCCAGATTCGTTATC
SEQ ID NO: 277
AACTCTAAGGAGCTGCATTTTGTTAGCAAA
SEQ ID NO: 278


 


At4g18390
ATGATTGGAGATCTAATGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 279
GAGACTGATAACCGGACACG
SEQ ID NO: 280


 


At1g69690
GATGAAGAGAGATCATCATCATCATCATCA
SEQ ID NO: 281
TCAGGAATGATGACTGGTGCTTCC
SEQ ID NO: 282


 


At5g13330
ATGGTCTCCGCTCTCAGCCG
SEQ ID NO: 283
TTATTCTCTTGGGTAGTTATAATAATTG
SEQ ID NO: 284


 


At5g60970
ATGAGATCAGGAGAATGTGATG
SEQ ID NO: 285
AGAATCTGATTCATTATCGCTAC
SEQ ID NO: 286


 


At3g23220
GGGGATGTACGGACAGTGCAATATAG
SEQ ID NO: 287
GGGTATGAAACCAATAACTCATCAACACG
SEQ ID NO: 288


 


At1g62700
GATGAATTCGTTTTCACAAGTACCTCCTGG
SEQ ID NO: 289
GAGATCAATCTGACAACTTGAAGAAGTAGA
SEQ ID NO: 290


 


At5g13330
ATGGTCTCCGCTCTCAGCCG
SEQ ID NO: 291
TTCTCTTGGGTAGTTATAATAATTG
SEQ ID NO: 292


 


At1g22985
ATGAAACGAATTGTTCGAATTTCATTC
SEQ ID NO: 293
AACAACTTCTTCAGAAGCACCAC
SEQ ID NO: 294


 


At5g09330
GATGGGGAAAACTCAACTCGCTCCTGGATT
SEQ ID NO: 295
CATTTTTGGTCTATGTCTCATGGAAGCAGA
SEQ ID NO: 296


 


At1g10200
GGGATGGCGTTCGCAGGAACAACCCAGAAA
SEQ ID NO: 297
AGCAGCGACGACTTTGTCCTTGGCG
SEQ ID NO: 298



TG





 


At1g61110
GATGGAAAACATGGGGGATTCGAGCATAG
SEQ ID NO: 299
TGAGTGCCAGTTCATGTTAGGAAGCTG
SEQ ID NO: 300


 


At1g30210
ATGGAGGTTGACGAAGACATTG
SEQ ID NO: 301
TCTCCTTTCCTTTGCCTTGTC
SEQ ID NO: 302


 


At5g40330
ATGAGAATGACAAGAGATGGAAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 303
AAGGCAATACCCATTAGTAAAATCCATCA
SEQ ID NO: 304





TAG



 


At5g13180
GATGGATAATGTCAAACTTGTTAAGAATGG
SEQ ID NO: 305
TCTGAAACTATTGCAACTACTGGTCTCTTC
SEQ ID NO: 306


 


At1g52880
GATGGAGAGTACAGATTCTTCCGGTGGTCC
SEQ ID NO: 307
AGAATACCAATTCAAACCAGGCAATTGGTA
SEQ ID NO: 308


 


At4g18450
ATGGCTTTTGGCAATATCCAAG
SEQ ID NO: 309
AAAAGAAGATAATAACGTCTCC
SEQ ID NO: 310


 


At5g07580
ATGGCGAGTTTTGAGGAAAGC
SEQ ID NO: 311
AAATGCATCACAGGAAGATGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 312


 


At1g74930
ATGGTGAAGCAAGCGATGAAGG
SEQ ID NO: 313
AAAATCCCAAAGAATCAAAGATTC
SEQ ID NO: 314


 


At4g36160
GATGGAATCGGTGGATCAATCATGTAGTGT
SEQ ID NO: 315
AACATGTAAATCCCTATATAAGTCATAGTC
SEQ ID NO: 316


 


At3g18550
ATGAACAACAACATTTTCAGTACTAC
SEQ ID NO: 317
ACTGTGTATAGCTTTAGATAAAACC
SEQ ID NO: 318


 


At5g64750
ATGTGTGTCTTAAAAGTGGCAAATC
SEQ ID NO: 319
GGAGGATGGACTATTATTGTAG
SEQ ID NO: 320


 


At2g02450
GATGGCGGCGATAGGAGAGAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 321
CTTAAAAGGAATATTAGTATAGTG
SEQ ID NO: 322


 


At2g42400
GATGAAGAGAACACATTTGGCAAGTTTTAG
SEQ ID NO: 323
GAGGTAGCCTAGTCGAAGCTCCAAATCAAG
SEQ ID NO: 324


 


At5g67300
GATGGCTGATAGGATCAAAGGTCCATGGAG
SEQ ID NO: 325
CTCGATTCTCCCAACTCCAATTTGACTCAT
SEQ ID NO: 326


 


At1g68800
ATGTTTCCTTCTTTCATTACTCAC
SEQ ID NO: 327
ATTAGGGTTTTTAGTTAACACATTG
SEQ ID NO: 328


 


At1g14510
ATGGAAGGAATTCAGCATCC
SEQ ID NO: 329
GGCTTTCATTTTCTTGCTGG
SEQ ID NO: 330


 


At1g25580
GATGGCTGGGCGATCATGGCTGATC
SEQ ID NO: 331
CAGCAGCGTGGCAGTGTGTTGCC
SEQ ID NO: 332


 


At5g18270
GATGGCGGTTGTGGTTGAAGAAGG
SEQ ID NO: 333
GAAGTCCCACAAGTCCCCCCTC
SEQ ID NO: 334


 


At2g44840
ATGAGCTCATCTGATTCCGTTAATAAC
SEQ ID NO: 335
TATCCGATTATCAGAATAAGAACATTC
SEQ ID NO: 336


 


At3g15500
GATGGGTCTCCAAGAGCTTGACCCGTTAGC
SEQ ID NO: 337
AATAAACCCGAACCCACTAGATTGTTGACC
SEQ ID NO: 338


 


At4g35580
GATGCTGCAGTCTGCAGCACCAGAG
SEQ ID NO: 339
TGAACTCACCAGTGTCCTCCATATAC
SEQ ID NO: 340


 


At4g01550
GATGGTGAAAGATCTGGTTGGG
SEQ ID NO: 341
TCTCTCGCGATCAAACTTCATCGC
SEQ ID NO: 342


 


At4g37750
ATGAAGTCTTTTTGTGATAATGATG
SEQ ID NO: 343
AGAATCAGCCCAAGCAGCGAAAACCGG
SEQ ID NO: 344


 


At1g52890
GATGGGTATCCAAGAAACTGACCCGTTAAC
SEQ ID NO: 345
CATAAACCCAAACCCACCAACTTGCCCCGA
SEQ ID NO: 346


 


At2g17040
GATGGTTTACGGTAAGAGATCGAG
SEQ ID NO: 347
CCAATATATGTTAACTATTGGTG
SEQ ID NO: 348


 


At2g33480
GATGGAGAAGAGGAGCTCTATTAAAAACAG
SEQ ID NO: 349
TAGAAACAAACAAAACTTATTTTCCCGATA
SEQ ID NO: 350


 


At5g39610
GATGGATTACGAGGCATCAAGAATC
SEQ ID NO: 351
GAAATTCCAAACGCAATCCAATTC
SEQ ID NO: 352


 


At1g32770
GATGGCTGATAATAAGGTCAATCTTTCGAT
SEQ ID NO: 353
TACAGATAAATGAAGAAGTGGGTCTAAAGA
SEQ ID NO: 354


 


At5g47220
GAIGTACGGACAGTGCAATATAGAATCCG
SEQ ID NO: 355
TGAAACCAATAACTCATCAACACGTGT
SEQ ID NO: 356


 


At1g56650
GGGATGGAGGGTTCGTCCAAAGGGCTUGCGA
SEQ ID NO: 357
ATCAAATTTCACAGTCTCTCCATCGAAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 358



AAAGG

ACTCC



 


At1g63910
GATGGGTCATCACTCATGCTGCAACCAGCA
SEQ ID NO: 359
AAACGAAGAAGGGAAAGAAGAAGATAAGGC
SEQ ID NO: 360


 


At3g15510
GATGGAGAGCACCGATTCTTCCGGTGGTCC
SEQ ID NO: 361
AGAAGAGTACCAATTTAAACCGGGTAATTG
SEQ ID NO: 362


 


At2g45680
ATGGCGACAATTCAGAAGCTTG
SEQ ID NO: 363
GTGGTTCGATGACCGTGCTG
SEQ ID NO: 364


 


At2g31230
ATGTATTCATCTCCAAGTTCTTGG
SEQ ID NO: 365
ACATGAGCTCATAAGAAGTTGTTC
SEQ ID NO: 366


 


At1g12260
GATGAATTCATTTTCCCACGTCCCTCCGGG
SEQ ID NO: 367
CTTCCATAGATCAATCTGACAACTCGAAGA
SEQ ID NO: 368


 


At3g61910
GATGAACATATCAGTAAACGGACAGTCACA
SEQ ID NO: 369
TCCACTACCGTTCAACAAGTGGCATGTCGT
SEQ ID NO: 370


 


At5g07310
ATGGCGAATTCAGGAAATTATGG
SEQ ID NO: 371
AAAACCAGAATTAGGAGGTGAAG
SEQ ID NO: 372


 


At3g14230
ATGTGTGGAGGAGCTATAATCTC
SEQ ID NO: 373
AAAGTCTCCTTCCAGCATGAAATTG
SEQ ID NO: 374


 


At1g28160
ATGGAGTTCAATGGTAATTTGAATG
SEQ ID NO: 375
TTGGTAGAAGAATGTGGAGGG
SEQ ID NO: 376


 


At1g69120
GATGGGAAGGGGTAGGGTTCAATTGAAGAG
SEQ ID NO: 377
TGCGGCGAAGCAGCCAAGGTTGCAGTTGTA
SEQ ID NO: 378


 


At3g10490
GATGGGTCGCGAATCTGTGGCTGTTG
SEQ ID NO: 379
TTGTCCATTAGCATTGTTCTTCTTG
SEQ ID NO: 380


 


At5g61600
ATGGCAACTAAACAAGAAGCTTTAG
SEQ ID NO: 381
AGTGACGGAGATAACGGAAAAG
SEQ ID NO: 382


 


At1g43160
ATGGTGTCTATGCTGACTAATG
SEQ ID NO: 383
ACCAAAAGAGGAGTAATTGTATTG
SEQ ID NO: 384


 


At3g15210
GGGGATGGCCAAGATGGGCTTGAAAC
SEQ ID NO: 385
TCAGGCCTGTTCCGATGGAGGAGGC
SEQ ID NO: 386


 


At4g08150
ATGGAAGAATACCAGCATGACAAC
SEQ ID NO: 387
TCATGGACCGAGACGATAAGGTCC
SEQ ID NO: 388


 


At1g10200
GGGATGGCGTTCGCAGGAACAACCCAGAAA
SEQ ID NO: 389
TTAAGCAGCGACGACTTTGTCC
SEQ ID NO: 390



TG









Production of Improved Transcription Factors

In order to add a repressor domain sequence to the 3′ terminal of a transcription factor gene encoded by a coding region DNA fragment excluding a termination codon, p35SSXG, which is a vector having an SmaI site and a repressor domain sequence (amino acid sequence: GLDLDLELRLGFA (SEQ ID NO: 391)) downstream of a CaMV35S promoter, was used. In order to link a transcription factor gene sequence and a repressor domain sequence, p35SSXG was cleaved with SmaI. Each PCR amplification fragment encoding the relevant transcription factor obtained above was separately inserted at the cleavage site. Thus, vectors (each denoted by p35SSXG(TFs)) were produced. Here, each vector is denoted by p35SSXG(TFs), provided that “TFs” represents the AGI code for each transcription factor. For example, a vector having the transcription factor specified by At2g23760 is denoted by p35SSXG(At2g23760). Also, in the descriptions below, “TFs” is used in a similar manner to denote vectors and the like.
Construction of Improved Transcription Factor Expression Vectors
pBCKH was used as a binary vector for gene introduction into plants with Agrobacterium. This vector was obtained by incorporating a casset of the Gateway vector conversion system (Invitrogen) into the HindIII site of pBIG(Hygr) (Nucleic Acids Res. 18,203 (1990)). In order to incorporate an improved transcription factor gene sequence into the vector, 181 types of p35SSXG(TFs) were each separately mixed with the vector, followed by a recombination reaction using GATEWAY LR clonase (Invitrogen). Thus, vectors (each denoted by pBCKH-p35SSXG(TFs)) were produced.
In addition, for each transcription factor encoded by the relevant coding region DNA fragment including a termination codon, the gene encoding the transcription factor was selected for introduction. Thus, vectors, in each of which the relevant DNA fragment was linked downstream of a 35S promoter in the manner described above, were produced.
Introduction of Improved Transcription Factor Gene Expression Vectors and Transcription Factor Expression Vectors into Plants
Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia (Col-0)) was used as a plant for introduction of a transcription factor or an improved transcription factor. Gene introduction was carried out in accordance with “Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana by vacuum infiltration” (www.bch.msu.edu/pamgreen/protocol.htm). Note that each plant was infected only by immersing it in an Agrobacterium bacterial liquid without conducting depressurization treatment. Specifically, a transcription factor expression vector or an improved transcription factor expression vector (pBCKH-p35SSXG(TFs)) was introduced into the soil bacterium (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) strain (GV3101 (C58C1Rifr) pMP90 (Gmr), Koncz and Schell 1986)) by electroporation. For each vector, gene-transfected bacterial cells were cultured in 1 liter of a YEP medium containing antibiotics (kanamycin (Km): 50 μg/ml; gentamicin (Gm): 25 μg/ml; and rifampicin (Rif): 50 μg/ml)) until OD600 became 1. Subsequently, bacterial cells were recovered from each culture solution and suspended in 1 liter of an infection medium (an infiltration medium containing 2.2 g of an MS salt, 1X B5 vitamins, 50 g of sucrose, 0.5 g of MES, 0.044 μM of benzylaminopurine, and 400μl of Silwet per litter (pH 5.7)).
Arabidopsis thaliana plants cultivated for 14 days were immersed in each solution for 1 minute for infection. Thereafter, the plants were continuously cultivated to result in seed setting. The collected seeds (T1 seeds) were sterilized in a solution containing 50% bleech and 0.02% Triton X-100 for 7 minutes, rinsed 3 times with sterilized water, and seeded on a sterilized hygromycin selection medium (containing a 4.3 g/l MS salt, 0.5% sucrose, 0.5 g/l MES (pH 5.7), 0.8% agar, 30 mg/l hygromycin, and 250 mg/l vancomycin). Five to ten lines of the transformed plants (T1 plants) growing on the hygromycin plate were selected for each improved transcription gene and transplanted into pots (each with a diameter of 50 mm) containing vermiculite mixed soil. Then, the plants were cultivated under conditions of 22° C. for 16 hours in the light and 8 hours in the dark at a light intensity ranging from about 60 to 80 μE/cm2. Thus, seeds (T2 seeds) were obtained.
Analysis of T2 Seeds
Forty seeds were weighed and put into a 1.5-ml PP microtest tube for each of the transformants and wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana, which had been transfected with the relevant improved transcription factor or transcription factor. Further, a Tungsten Carbide Bead (3 mm) (QIAGEN) was put into each tube, followed by disruption by shaking at a frequency of 1/30 for 1 minute using a Mixer Mill MM 300 (Qiagen). After disruption, 50 μl of extraction buffer (62.5 mM Tris-HCl, 2% SDS, 10% glycerol, and 5% 2-mercaptethanol) was added thereto, followed by another instance of disruption by shaking for 1 minute. After disruption, each tube was allowed to stand on ice for 10 minutes, followed by centrifugation at 15000 rpm for 10 minutes. Each obtained supernatant was subjected to quantitative protein determination.
Quantitative protein determination for the prepared extracts was carried out using RC DC Protein Assay Kits (Bio-Rad) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The protein concentration was determined based on a calibration curve derived from BSA (bovine serum albumin).
In addition, 34 individuals of the wild strain (Col-0) were cultivated and seeds were collected from each individual. The protein content was determined for each line by quantitative analysis. Then, the average protein content was obtained. Thereafter, the average protein content of each transgenic individual was compared with the average protein content of the wild strain. The protein content increase rate for each gene-transfected line and the t-test P value were determined. Each line was found to exhibit improvement or reduction of seed protein content by 20% or more when compared with a wild-type strain. However, the P value was found to be 5% or less for each comparison.
Table 6 lists the analysis results for each line that was found to exhibit improvement of seed protein content by 20% or more as a result of introduction of the relevant improved transcription factor when compared with the wild-type strain. Table 7 lists the analysis results for each line that were found to exhibit improvement of seed protein content by 20% or more as a result of introduction of the gene encoding the relevant transcription factor when compared with the wild-type strain.












TABLE 6









Protein
Increase-




Reference
content
decrease



AGI code
number
(%)
rate (%)






















WT(Col-0)
16.3%
—


1
At2g23760
HR0530
25.7%
57.5%


2
At1g18330
CR711
25.2%
54.2%


3
At2g02070
HR0489
23.9%
46.3%


4
At1g12980
TP120
22.6%
38.7%


5
At5g62380
CR604
22.5%
38.2%


6
At4g23750
CR034
21.8%
33.7%


7
At4g32800
CR504
21.6%
32.1%


8
At1g24590
CR019
21.4%
31.3%


9
At5g07690
HR0040
21.2%
29.8%


10
At1g71692
CR412
21.0%
28.9%


11
At1g52150
HR0611
20.9%
27.9%


12
At3g25890
CR029
20.4%
24.9%


13
At1g09540
CR705
20.4%
24.8%


14
At5g22380
CR229
20.3%
24.5%


15
At2g44940
CR505
20.3%
24.1%


16
At5g41030
CR131
20.2%
23.6%


17
At5g60970
CR116
20.1%
23.1%


18
At5g35550
CR701
20.0%
22.4%


19
At1g60240
CR623
19.9%
22.2%


20
At2g23290
HR0018
19.9%
21.8%


21
At5g14000
CR223
19.7%
20.9%


22
At1g19490
HR0001
19.6%
20.2%




















TABLE 7








Protein
Increase-




Reference
content
decrease rate



AGI code
number
(%)
(%)





















WT(Col-0)
16.3%
—


1
At3g04070
CR312
22.1%
35.7%


2
At2g46770
CR308
21.0%
28.6%


3
At5g35550
CR903
21.0%
28.5%









Table 8 lists the analysis results for each line that was found to exhibit reduction of seed protein content by 20% or more as a result of introduction of the relevant improved transcription factor when compared with the wild-type strain. Table 9 lists the analysis results for each line that were found to exhibit reduction of seed protein content by 20% or more as a result of introduction of the gene encoding the relevant transcription factor when compared with a wild-type strain.












TABLE 8









Protein
Increase-




Reference
content
decrease rate



AGI code
number
(%)
(%)






















WT(Col-0)
16.3%
0.0%


1
At1g32770
CR250
12.8%
−21.6%


2
At5g47220
TP100
12.8%
−21.6%


3
At1g56650
TP107
12.7%
−22.2%


4
At1g63910
HR1722
12.5%
−23.5%


5
At3g15510
CR245
12.5%
−23.7%


6
At2g45680
CR121
12.4%
−24.3%


7
At2g31230
CR006
12.2%
−25.2%


8
At1g12260
CR232
12.1%
−25.6%


9
At3g61910
CR601
11.9%
−27.3%


10
At5g07310
CR008
11.9%
−27.3%


11
At3g14230
CR014
11.9%
−27.3%


12
At1g28160
CR020
11.8%
−27.4%


13
At1g69120
CR404
11.8%
−27.6%


14
At3g10490
CR220
11.8%
−27.7%


15
At5g61600
CR001
11.5%
−29.7%


16
At1g43160
CR015
10.9%
−33.1%





















TABLE 9









Protein
Increase-




Reference
content
decrease rate



AGI code
number
(%)
(%)






















WT(Col-0)
16.3%
0.0%


1
At1g10200
TP106
13.0%
−20.5%









In addition, T2 seeds of a line (HR0530) (into which the improved transcription factor (At2g23760) listed in FIG. 6 with the results demonstrating the largest increase in protein content had been introduced) were cultivated, followed by re-evaluation of the protein content. Table 10 lists the results. As shown in table 10, it was also possible to confirm an increase in protein content for T3 seeds. In particular, the protein content was found to be up to 43% higher than that of the wild-type line. In addition, it was confirmed that SDS-PAGE caused no changes in seed protein composition (not shown).













TABLE 10







In-



In



Protein
creas-

Increas-
Total 
creas-



concen-
ing
Protein
ing
protein
ing 



tration
rate
content
rate
amount 
rate



(mg/ml)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(mg)
(%)





















Average of WT
1.6

26.6

71.8



(10 individuals)








HR0530-23-4
2.4
46.3
36.9
38.5
90.7
26.3


HR0530-23-10
2.3
43.0
39.4
48.2
130.1
81.1


HR0530-23-8
2.3
39.6
39.0
46.7
103.9
44.7









As described above, the expression of SRDX-added chimeric proteins formed with 141 types of transcription factors was induced in this analysis. Results showed that the seed storage protein content increased by 20% or more as a result of expression of 22 types of chimeric proteins (accounting for 15.6% of the analyzed transcription factors), while the seed storage protein content decreased by 20% or more as a result of expression of 16 types of chimeric proteins (accounting for 11.3% of the analyzed transcription factors). That is to say, the seed storage protein content was found to have remarkably increased or decreased as a result of expression of approximately 27% of the chimeric proteins. In other words, it was found that approximately 73% of the transcription factors (e.g., At3g23220, At1g18570, At3g01530, At5g51190, At4g34410, At5g22290, and At3g04420) subjected to the experiments in the Examples do not cause remarkable changes in seed protein content even when a chimeric protein comprising such a transcription factor and a repressor domain is expressed or such a transcription factor is overexpressed.
As described above, the Examples revealed that the seed protein content can be significantly modified by causing expression of a particular transcription factor fused with a repressor domain, introducing a gene encoding a particular transcription factor, or modifying an expression control region of such gene.
In addition, in order to increase or decrease the seed protein content with the use of the above functionally improved transcription factors, it is expected that it will become possible to further modify the storage protein content to a remarkable extent with the simultaneous use of transcription factors and a known method for modifying a seed storage protein by modifying the nitrogen metabolic pathway, the fatty acid metabolic pathway, or transcription factors.
All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

## Claims

1. A method for reducing protein productivity in seeds, comprising expressing, in a plant, a chimeric protein obtained by fusing a transcription factor and a functional peptide capable of converting an arbitrary transcription factor into a transcriptional repressor,
wherein said transcription factor is a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 76, or a protein having transactivation activity and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 76 but in which 1-10 amino acids have been deleted, substituted, added, or inserted,
and wherein the functional peptide has an amino acid sequence expressed by any one of the following formulae (1) to (8):
(1) X1-Leu-Asp-Leu-X2-Leu-X3 (SEQ ID NO: 392 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus) (where X1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, X2 denotes Asn or Glu, and X3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues);
(2) Y1-Phe-Asp-Leu-Asn-Y2-Y3 (SEQ ID NO: 393 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the N-terminus (where Y1 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues, Y2 denotes Phe or Ile, and Y3 denotes a set of at least 6 amino acid residues);
(3) Z1-Asp-Leu-Z2-Leu-Arg-Leu-Z3 (SEQ ID NO: 394 with deletion of 0-10 residues from the C-terminus and deletion of 0-2 residues from the N-terminus) (where Z1 denotes Leu, Asp-Leu, or Leu-Asp-Leu, Z2 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp, and Z3 denotes a set of 0 to 10 amino acid residues);
(4) Asp-Leu-Z4-Leu-Arg-Leu (where Z4 denotes Glu, Gln, or Asp) (residues 4-9 of SEQ ID NO.: 394);
(5) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ1-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 395);
(6) α1-Leu-β1-Leu-γ2-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 396);
(7) α1-Leu-β2-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 397); and
(8) α2-Leu-β1-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 398)
(where α1 denotes Asp, Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser; α2 denotes Asn, Glu, Gln, Thr, or Ser; β1 denotes Asp, Gln, Asn, Arg, Glu, Thr, Ser, or His; β2 denotes Asn, Arg, Thr, Ser, or His; γ1 denotes Arg, Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp; and γ2 denotes Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, His, Lys, or Asp, in formulae (5) to (8)).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein transactivation activity of the transcription factor is repressed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chimeric protein has transcriptional repressor activity.

4. A plant produced by the method of claim 1, wherein said plant exhibits reduced protein productivity in seeds.