Abstract:
The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising a nucleotide sequence, which encodes a polypeptide with chalcone 3-hydroxylase activity, wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO. 1 or has at least a 60% identity with SEQ ID NO. 1 or is able to hybridize with a molecule comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide, which comprises the motif FASRPLSX 1 X 2 G(X 3 ) m (GSAGGD) n  (SEQ ID NO. 3), wherein X 1  is threonine or serine, X 2  is alanine or glycine, X 3  is any amino acid, m is an integer between 50 and 200, and n is 0 or 1.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide with chalcone 3-hydroxylase activity. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The flower color is one of the most striking characteristics of ornamental plants and is therefore a significant factor for their market value. Beside traditional growing, genetic approaches for the creation of new species increasingly gain significance. Examples for that are the generation of blue carnations as well as that of the so-called blue rose, which is already commercially available in a great many countries worldwide. 
         [0005]    The development of the flower colors is mainly based on the presence of two different pigment groups, the carotenoids and the flavonoids. The flavonoid class of anthocyanins is mainly responsible for the formation of the red, blue and purple flower colors, while the yellow flower color in most of the cases results from the accumulation of carotenoids. In some plant species, however, the yellow plant color is formed by yellow flavonoids and their biosynthetically related anthochlor pigments (chalcones and aurones). Therefore, a modification of the chalcone or flavonoid metabolism, respectively, may decisively contribute to the alteration of the flower colors. Beside growing plants with blue flowers, the introduction of the yellow flower color in ornamental plants, of which no or only occasional yellow varieties are available, is of particular interest. Often only small modifications in the pigment structure result in drastic color changes. This above all applies to the number of the hydroxyl groups in the basic structures. 
         [0006]    Although many flavonoids in their chemically pure form have a pale yellow color, their presence in petals does not result in the development of the yellow flower color. Beside the common 5,7-hydroxylation pattern of the A-ring, the so-called “yellow flavonols” have an additional hydroxyl group at positions 6 or 8, which effects an absorption shift into the longer-wave region and thus an intensification of the yellow color. The presence of such higher hydroxylated compounds results in the development of the yellow flower color. Quercetagetin was first identified as the yellow pigment in various species of marigold and is also present in the flowers of  Rudbeckia hirta.    
         [0007]    Yellow flavones represent the main pigments in some flowers of Asteraceae. While the common prevalent flavones do not result in the development of yellow flower colors, the presence of an additional hydroxyl group at position 2′ of the B-ring of luteolin effects a yellow coloration of the pigment. Isoetin (2′-hydroxyluteolin) was identified as the yellow main pigment of  Heywoodiella oligocephala . The introduction of a hydroxylase, which catalyses the 2′-hydroxylation, could result in the formation of yellow-colored flavones in the flowers of transgenic plants, which generally only produce common flavones. 
         [0008]    Contrary to the yellow flavonols, for which the presence of an additional hydroxyl group results in the development of the yellow flower color, the loss of a hydroxyl group at position 3 of anthocyanins or anthocyanidins, respectively, is responsible for a shift of the absorption into the shorter-wave region and thus for the orange and yellow color of the so-called 3-deoxyanthocyanins. 3-deoxyanthocyanins are rare plant pigments, which as such exist in only a few plants like Gesneriaceae,  Zea mays  (maize) and in species of  Sorghum  (millet). Three representatives of this group could be identified, apigeninidin (3-deoxypelargonidin), luteolinidin (3-deoxycyanidin) and columnidin. Of these, however, only apigeninidin derivatives contribute to the yellow flower color. The others have an orange to light red coloration. The biochemical formation of the flavan-4-ols as precursors for the 3-deoxyanthocyanins is caused by the reduction of the carbonyl group of the flavanones at position 4. This reaction is catalysed by dihydroflavonol-4-reductase in a high number of cultivated and ornamental plants, however, commonly only takes place in plants, in which the FHT reaction is inhibited. 
         [0009]    The deep yellow anthochlor pigments (chalcones and aurones) have only a limited spread in nature, however, frequently exist in species of Asteraceae or Scrophulariaceae. In general, two types of chalcones can be synthesised in the flowers, the 6′-hydroxychalcones (phloroglucinol type) and the 6′-deoxychalcones (resorcinol type). The respective aurones are the 4-hydroxy- and the 4-deoxyaurones (identical position, different numbering of the rings). 6′-deoxychalcones are formed by chalcone synthase together with chalcone ketide reductase (CHKR, synonyms polyketide reductase, PKR, chalcone reductase) via a polyketide intermediate. 
         [0010]    Chalcones are secondary plant metabolites and biochemical precursors for all flavonoid classes. Therefore, and due to their physiological functions in plants, like e.g. the influence on the flower color, they play an important role in the plant physiology. Beside the common 6′-hydroxychalcones, which represent intermediates of the biosynthesis of the widespread 5-hydroxyflavonoids, the more rare 6′-deoxychalcones are often accumulated in the flowers of Asteraceae species, since chemically they cannot be converted into the respective 5-deoxyflavanones and are also not accepted as substrates by the chalcone isomerases (CHIs) of most plants. The accumulation of 6′-deoxychalcones results in the development of the yellow flower color. 6′-hydroxychalcones, on the other hand, are accumulated in the plant tissue in rare cases only, since they can be easily converted into flavanones enzymatically or chemically. Therefore, in a few cases only, they are responsible for the yellow coloration of flowers, as in the yellow flowers of carnations ( Dianthus caryophyllus ), snapdragon ( Antirrhinum majus ) and everlasting flowers ( Helichrysum bracteatum ), since beside the CHI, these mutants are lacking at least one more enzymatic activity of the flavonoid metabolism. 
         [0011]    Like flavonoids, chalcones, too, can have further hydroxyl groups beside the hydroxyl group at position 4 (corresponding to position 4′ in flavonoids) in the B-ring, namely at positions 3 or 3 and 5 (corresponding to positions 3′ or 3′ and 5′ in flavonoids). Contrary to the very well investigated hydroxylation of flavonoids at positions 3′ and 3′, 5′, which are catalysed by the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases flavonoid-3′-hydroxylase (F3′H) or flavonoid-3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′, 5′H), respectively, for a long time there has been uncertainty about which enzyme is responsible for the introduction of additional hydroxyl groups in the B-ring of chalcones. It could be demonstrated that the introduction of a hydroxyl group at position 3 of 6′-deoxychalcones is catalysed by a cytochrome-P450-dependent monooxygenase. Investigations with recombinant F3′Hs of various plants, which accumulate chalcones in their petals, as well as of such ones, which do not accumulate chalcones, demonstrated, however, that these F3′Hs are not able to catalyse the hydroxylation of chalcones. 
         [0012]    As mentioned already, the F3′Hs are membrane-bound cytochrome (cyt) P450-dependent monooxygenases. The super family of cyt P450 enzymes is a group of very different enzymes, which catalyses many different and complex oxygenation reactions with a high number of substrates in the presence of NADPH or NADH. They include a haem group and exist in prokaryotes as well as in eukaryotes. In plants, an extraordinarily high number of cyt P450 genes can be found. In  Arabidopsis  for example, 272 cyt P450 genes could be detected. The sequence identities of the cyt P450 enzymes are often very low. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Object of the present invention is the provision of nucleic acids encoding polypeptides, which are able to hydroxylate chalcones in the B-ring in order to, for example, influence the coloring in plants. 
         [0014]    The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising a nucleotide sequence, which encodes a polypeptide with chalcone 3-hydroxylase activity, wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO. 1 or has at least a 60% identity with SEQ ID NO. 1 or is able to hybridize with a molecule comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1, wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide, which comprises the motif FASRPLSX 1 X 2 G(X 3 ) m (GSAGGD) n  (SEQ ID NO. 3), wherein X 1  is threonine or serine, X 2  is alanine or glycine, X 3  is any amino acid, m is an integer between 50 and 200, and n is 0 or 1. 
         [0015]    According to the invention it was found out that polypeptides, in particular hydroxylases, as for example flavonoid 3′-hydroxylases, which have a certain motif (as defined above), are able to hydroxylate chalcones at position 3. The knowledge of such hydroxylases enables the modulation of the expression of these hydroxylases in order to, for example, overexpress or inhibit these in vivo. In particular, the knowledge of these enzymes enables the modulation of the quantity of hydroxylated chalcones in a plant or plant cell, respectively, in order to thus change the color composition in the latter. Thus, plants, which comprise the nucleic acid molecules according to the invention, have, for example, flowers with an intensive yellow coloration. 
         [0016]    The nucleic acid molecule according to the invention catalyses the hydroxylation of various chalcones (this, for example, also includes 6′-deoxychalcones and dihydrochalcones) at position 3. In case of the 6′-hydroxychalcones and 4-deoxyaurones, this results in an intensification of the yellow coloration due to the enrichment of chalcones with a 3,4-hydroxy pattern, and also in an increased formation of aurones, since such chalcones also represent the preferred precursors for aurone-forming enzymes. In case of the dihydrochalcones, the formation of 3-hydroxychalcone derivatives is promoted, which are involved in the pathogen defence or due to their antioxidant properties have beneficial effects for health, respectively. 
         [0017]    The nucleic acid molecule according to the invention can have SEQ ID NO. 1 as the nucleotide sequence or an at least 60%, preferably at least 65%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 75%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 85%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, preferably at least 97%, preferably at least 98%, preferably at least 99%, in particular 100% identity with SEQ ID NO. 1. 
         [0018]    Identity between at least two sequences can be achieved by overlapping, in which one nucleic acid or amino acid sequence is placed on top of at least one further respective sequence (“alignment”), for example according to the method of D. J. Lipman and W. R. Pearson (Science 227 (1985), 1435-1441) or F. Corpet (Nucl. Acids Res. 16 (1988), 10881-10890). Preferably, this takes place via algorithms, which are applied by commercially available computer programmes. This includes, for example, the programme Vector NTi″″Suite 7.0, available from the company InforMax, Inc., USA, preferably with the default standard parameters. A further software, using which sequence identity can be determined, is, e.g., “Sequence Analysis Software Package of the Genetics Computer Group, University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center, 1710 University Avenue, Madison, Wis. 53705”. This software overlaps similar sequences by allocation of degrees of homology. 
         [0019]    The nucleic acid molecule according to the invention is able to hybridize with a molecule comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1. 
         [0020]    Hybridization designates the binding of complementary strands of nucleic acids (i.e. sense:antisense strands) with one another by hydrogen bonds, similar to the bonds, which occur naturally in chromosomal DNA. In that, stringency levels are used, in order to hybridize a nucleic acid with a target nucleic acid. These conditions may be easily varied by a person skilled in the art. According to the invention, the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes under more or less stringent conditions. 
         [0021]    The term “stringent hybridization” is used here to designate conditions, under which nucleic acid hybrids are stable. As is known to the person skilled in the art, the stability of hybrids is reflected in the melting temperature (Tm) of the hybrids. In general, the stability of a hybrid is a function of the sodium concentration and the temperature. Typically, the hybridization reaction is performed under conditions of lower stringency, followed by washings of varying, but higher stringency. Reference to hybridization stringency relates to such washing conditions. 
         [0022]    As used herein, the term “moderately stringent hybridization” designates conditions, which allow a target nucleic acid to bind a complementary nucleic acid, which has about 60% identity, preferably about 75% identity, more preferred about 85% identity with the target DNA; wherein more than about 90% identity with the target DNA are particularly preferred. Preferably, moderately stringent conditions are conditions equivalent to hybridization in 50% formamide, 5× Denhardt&#39;s solution, 5×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 42° C. and subsequent washing in 0.2×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 65%. 
         [0023]    The term “hybridization with high stringency” designates conditions, which allow hybridization of only those nucleic acid sequences, which form stable hybrids in 0.018 M NaCl at 65° C. (i.e., if a hybrid is not stable in 0.018 M NaCl at 65° C., it will not be stable under high stringency conditions, as they are considered here). High stringency conditions may, for example, be provided by hybridization in 50% formamide, 5× Denhardt&#39;s solution, 5×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 42° C. and subsequent washing in 0.1×SSPE and 0.1% SDS at 65° C. 
         [0024]    The term “hybridization with low stringency” designates conditions equivalent to hybridization in 10% formamide, 5× Denhardt&#39;s solution, 6×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 42° C. and subsequent washing in 0.1×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 50° C. Denhardt&#39;s solution and SSPE (see e.g. Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989) are known to the person skilled in the art, as are other suitable hybridization buffers. 
         [0025]    According to the invention, SEQ ID NO. 1 has the following nucleotide sequence: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
           
               
                 ATGACTATTCTACCCCTACTACTCTACCCTTCCCTAACTGCCTTACTA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CTGTACGTACTTCTTAACCTGCGCCCCCGTCACCCTAACCGTCTCCCG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CCGGGACCAAGCCCATGGCCGATCGTCGGAAACCTACCGCACCTCGGC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GCGAGTCCGCATCAGTCGCTGGCGACGTTGGCCGCAAAGTACGGCCCG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 TTGATGTACCTCCGACTCGGGTTTGTTGACGTGGTGGTGGCGGCGTCT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GCTTCAGTCGCTGCACAGTTTTTAAAAGTTCATGATCTTAACTTCGCA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 AGCCGGCCGCTGAGCTCTGGCGGGAAGTATATCGCGTATAATTATCAG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GATATGGTGTTTGCACCGTACGGTCCGAGATGGCGGATGCTTAGGAAG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ATTTGCTCCGTGCATATGTTTTCTGCTAAAGCAATGGACGGATTTCGT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CATGTTCGGCAGGAGGAAGTAGCTATACTCACGCGCACTTTAGTAAGC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GCTGGAAAATCGCCGGTGAAGTTAGGTCAAATACTTAACGTGTGCACC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ACGAACGCATTAGCACGAGTGGTGTTAGGTCGGAGAGTATTCGCCGAC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GGAAGTGCAGGTGGTGATCCGAAGGCGGATGAGTTCAAGGATATGGTG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GTGGAGCTGATGGTGTTGGCCGGAGAATTTCACATCGGTGACTTTATC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CCGGCGCTTGACTGGCTGGACCTGCAAGGCATTAAAAACAAGATGAAG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 AAACTTCACGCTCGATTCGATTCGTTCCTTCACGGGATCCTTGAAGAG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CATAAGTCCGGCAAGTTTGGCGCGCCGAGTCATGGTGATTTGTTGAGC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ACATTGATCTCGTTGAAGGATGATGCCGATGGTGAAGGCGGGAAGCTT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 TCAGATGTTGAAATCAAAGCTTTGCTTCTGAACTTATTTGTCGCCGGA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ACAGACACATCATCAAGTACAGTGGAATGGGCAATAGCCGAGCTAATT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CGACATCCAAAGCTACTAAAACAAGCCCAAAAAGAAATGGACAATGTA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GTTGGTCGAGACCGGCTTGTAACTGAATTAGACTTAAACGAGTTAAAT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 TTTCTACAAGCCATTGTAAAAGAGACCTTTAGGCTTCACCCTTCAACA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CCACTCTCGTTACCAAGAATTGCATCAGAGAGTTGTGAAGTTGACGGA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 TATTACATTCCCAAGGGATCCACGCTCCTTGTTAATGTGTGGGCCATT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GCTCGTGACCCGAATGTGTGGGCTGACCCACTTGAATTCCGGCCCATG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CGGTTCTTGCCTGGAGGCGAAAAGCCTAATGTTGATGTTCAAGGAAAC 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 AACTTTGAAGTTATACCGTTTGGGGCTGGGCGAAGGATTTGTGTGGGT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ATTAGTCTAGGGTTGAGAATGGTCCAGCTACTTGTTGCAACATTGGTT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CAAACCTTTGATTGGGAATTGGCTAATGGGTTAAACCCGGAGAAGCTA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 AACATGGATGAAGCCTTTGGGTTAACCCTTCAGAAGGCTGAGCCCTTG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ATGGTGCACCCAATGCCGAGACTAGCTCCACACGTGTATGGAAGTCAT 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 TAA 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0026]    According to the invention, the polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO. 1 has the following amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO. 2): 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
           
               
                 MTILPLLLYPSLTALLLYVLLNLRPRHPNRLPPGPSPWPIVGNLPHLG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 ASPHQSLATLAAKYGPLMYLRLGFVDVVVAASASVAAQFLKVHDLNFA 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 SRPLSSGGKYIAYNYQDMVFAPYGPRWRMLRKICSVHMFSAKAMDGFR 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 HVRQEEVAILTRTLVSAGKSPVKLGQILNVCTTNALARVVLGRRVFAD 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GSAGGDPKADEFKDMVVELMVLAGEFHIGDFIPALDWLDLQGIKNKMK 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 KLHARFDSFLHGILEEHKSGKFGAPSHGDLLSTLISLKDDADGEGGKL 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 SDVEIKALLLNLFVAGTDTSSSTVEWAIAELIRHPKLLKQAQKEMDNV 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 VGRDRLVTELDLNELNFLQAIVKETFRLHPSTPLSLPRIASESCEVDG 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 YYIPKGSTLLVNVWAIARDPNVWADPLEFRPMRFLPGGEKPNVDVQGN 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 NFEVIPFGAGRRICVGISLGLRMVQLLVATLVQTFDWELANGLNPEKL 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 NMDEAFGLTLQKAEPLMVHPMPRLAPHVYGSH 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0027]    According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motif is FASRPLSTAG(X 3 ) m (GSAGGD) n  (SEQ ID NO. 4) or FASRPLSSGG(X 3 ) m (GSAGGD) n  (SEQ ID NO. 5). 
         [0028]    Polypeptides having this motif are particularly well suited to be used according to the invention. 
         [0029]    A further aspect of the present invention relates to a vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to the present invention. 
         [0030]    The nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be introduced into a vector. Using this vector, the nucleic acid molecules may be introduced into cells of plants or microorganisms. The vectors used may be used for cloning or for expressing respective products. Therefore, the vectors are provided with respective elements like promoters, origins of replication, etc. The vectors used according to the invention may contain a plant cell-effective promoter, as for example the CaMV 35S promoter, the nopaline synthase promoter or the sucrose synthase promoter. 
         [0031]    If the vectors are used to introduce the nucleic acid molecule according to the invention into the genome of a target cell, respective elements may be provided at the vector, which enable a recombination of the nucleic acid into the genome. 
         [0032]    Vectors, which may be used according to the invention, are sufficiently known to the person skilled in the art and may be introduced into a cell in most different ways. Thus, the vector according to the present invention may be introduced into the target cell by electroporation, microprojectile bombardment, transfer using  Agrobacterium  or by RNA or DNA viruses, respectively. 
         [0033]    A still further aspect of the present invention relates to a cell, in particular a plant cell, comprising a nucleic acid molecule or a vector according to the present invention. Self-evidently, it is also possible to make the nucleic acid molecule or the vector, respectively, according to the present invention available in other cells, as for example yeasts,  E. coli , filamentous fungi and the like. 
         [0034]    A still further aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the nucleic acid molecules or proteins according to the invention in the generation of chalcone derivatives with a 3,4-hydroxylation pattern, as e.g. 3-hydroxyphloretin derivatives, butein and eriodictyol chalcone. 
         [0035]    The nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be introduced into plant cells and thus into plants in order to produce transgenic plants, which are able to express the polypeptide according to the invention. Therefore, a further aspect of the present invention also relates to a transgenic plant comprising a nucleic acid molecule or a vector according to the present invention. The nucleic acid molecule according to the invention or the vector according to the invention, respectively, may be introduced into plant cells and plants using methods sufficiently known to the person skilled in the art. 
         [0036]    Preferably, the plant is selected from the group consisting of ornamental plants, like for example African violets, azaleas, rhododendrons, pelargoniums, fuchsias, cyclamens, poinsettias,  Antirrhinum, Aster  (Asteraceae),  Begonia  (Begoniaceae),  Callistephus  (Asteraceae),  Campanula  (Campanulaceae),  Catharanthus  (Apocynaceae),  Chrysanthemum  (Asteraceae),  Cineraria  (Asteraceae),  Dedanthremum  (Asteraceae),  Dianthus  (Caryophyllaceae),  Dahlia  (Asteraceae),  Euphorbia  (Euphorbiaceae),  Gerbera  (Asteraceae),  Hydrangea  (Hydrangeaceae),  Lilium  (Liliaceae),  Lisianthus  (= Eustoma  (Gentianaceae)),  Myosotis  (Boraginaceae),  Nierembergia  (Solanaceae), Orchidaceae,  Osteospermum  (Asteraceae),  Petunia  (Solanaceae),  Rosa  (Rosaceae),  Saintpaulia  (Gesneriaceae),  Scaevola  (Goodeniaceae),  Sinningia  (Gesneriaceae),  Streptocarpus  (Gesneriaceae),  Torenia  (Linderniaceae),  Tulipa  (Liliaceae),  Verbena  (Verbenaceae),  Veronica  (Plantaginaceae),  Viola  (Violaceae) and  Malus  sp. Due to the presence of the nucleic acid molecule according to the invention, genetic engineering approaches based on polyketide reductase or aurone synthase are also substantially enhanced. If a purely yellow coloring is to be achieved, preferably white or cream-colored plants are used, wherein chalcone isomerase mutants or plants having a polyketide reductase are preferred. When using pink- or red-blooming plants, orange-colored or salmon-colored flowers are formed. 
         [0037]    Additionally, it was demonstrated that plants expressing, in particular overexpressing, the polypeptide according to the invention—encoded by the nucleic acid molecule according to the invention—have an increased resistance against pathogens, in particular against fungi, viruses, viroids, bacteria and nematodes. In particular, such plants show resistances against  Puccinia/Ustilago, Phytophora, Blumeria /Peronosporacea, barley yellow dwarf virus, sugarcane mosaic virus, plum pox,  Xanthomonas campestric  pv.  Citri, Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Meloidogyne incognita  and  Heterodera schachtii.    
         [0038]    A further aspect of the present invention relates to a cut flower or seed of a transgenic plant according to the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0039]    The present invention is further illustrated in more detail on the basis of the following figures and examples, without, however, being limited to these. 
           [0040]      FIG. 1  shows a paired alignment of the  Cosmos  CH3H and F3′H amino acid sequences (SEQ ID NO. 2 and SEQ ID NO. 36). 
           [0041]      FIG. 2  depicts alignments of regions of various F3′Hs amino acid sequences. 
           [0042]      FIG. 3  shows the substrate specificities of  Cosmos  F3′H and M2 in percent relative to naringenin (100%). 
           [0043]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic representation of the construction of chimeric and mutated genes of CH3H or F3′H, respectively, of  Cosmos sulphureus  and turnover rates of the resulting recombinant enzymes (0-5%: −, 6-30%: +, 31-60%: ++, 61-100%: +++). 
           [0044]      FIG. 5  shows the primers used for the construction of the chimeric genes. 
           [0045]      FIG. 6  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 73. 
           [0046]      FIG. 7  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 74. 
           [0047]      FIG. 8  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 75. 
           [0048]      FIG. 9  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 76. 
           [0049]      FIG. 10  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 77. 
           [0050]      FIG. 11  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 78. 
           [0051]      FIG. 12  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 79. 
           [0052]      FIG. 13  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 80. 
           [0053]      FIG. 14  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 81. 
           [0054]      FIG. 15  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 82. 
           [0055]      FIG. 16  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 83. 
           [0056]      FIG. 17  shows the nucleic acid sequence of a flavonoid hydroxylase having the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 84. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Examples 
     Example 1 
     Materials and Methods 
       [0057]    Plant Material 
         [0058]    The examinations were performed with petals of  Cosmos sulphureus  cv. “Sunny Goldgelb” (Austrosaat, Austria). The plant material was collected in summer 2006 and summer 2007, shock-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80° C. 
         [0059]    Chemicals 
         [0060]    [14C]isoliquiritigenin (ISO) was synthesised starting from 4-hydroxy[ring-U-14C]benzaldehyde (33.1 Mbq/mg) (Amersham International, UK) as described in Halbwirth et al. (2006) [Plant Science 170 (2006) 587-595]. The syntheses of [14C]naringenin (NAR), [14C]dihydrokaempferol (DHK), [14C]kaempferol (KAM) and [14C]apigenin (API) were performed according to Halbwirth and Stich (2008) [Phytochemistry 67 (2006) 1080-1987]: for the naringenin synthesis, [2-14C]malonyl-coenzyme A (55 mCi/mmol) (Amersham International, UK) and recombinant chalcone synthase were used, and the subsequent syntheses of DHK, KAM and API were respectively performed with recombinant flavanone 3-hydroxylase from  Malus domestica , recombinant flavonol synthase from  Rudbeckia hirta  and microsomal enzyme preparations with high flavone syntase II activity from  Dahlia variabilis.    
         [0061]    Cloning of  Cosmos sulphureus  CH3H 
         [0062]    For the cDNA synthesis, mRNA from the  Cosmos sulphureus  petals was extracted with the μMACS mRNA isolation kit (Miltenyi Biotec), and reverse transcription was performed with the RevertAid H Minus MuLV reverse transcriptase kit (Fermentas Life Science) and the Oligo(-dT) anchor primer GACCACGCGTATCGATGTCGAC(T)16V (SEQ ID NO. 6). A RT PCR was then performed with the degenerated primers TGGMGDATGCTKMGGAARATYTG (forward primer) (SEQ ID NO. 7) and GCCCATTCMAYNGTRCTAGATGA (reverse primer) (SEQ ID NO. 8), which were derived from the conserved regions of the following Asteraceae F3′H sequences from NCBI GenBank:  Rudbeckia hirta  (Acc. No.: FJ216431),  Echinops bannaticus  (Acc. No.: FJ753549),  Centaurea cyanus  (Acc. No.: FJ753550),  Gerbera hybrida  (Acc. No.: ABA64468),  Osteospermum hybrida  (Acc. No.: ABB29899),  Cichorium intibus  (Acc. No.: FJ753548) and  Callistephus chinensis  (Acc. No.: AF313488). The entire open reading frame (ORF) was then amplified with the specific primers ATGACTATTCTACCCCTACTACTC (forward primer) (SEQ ID NO. 9) and CCTTAATGACTTCCATACACGTG (reverse primer) (SEQ ID NO. 10), which were derived from the fragments obtained in the 5′- and 3′-RACE. 
         [0063]    Sequence Analyses and Construction of Chimeric Genes 
         [0064]    Paired and multiple sequence alignments were performed with the software tool ClustalW, in order to identify regions, which could influence the determination of substrate specificity. The following F3′H sequences, mainly from Asteraceae species, were used for multiple sequence alignments:  Cosmos sulphureus  (Acc. No.: FJ216426),  Dahlia variabilis  (Acc. No.: FJ216428),  Tagetes erecta  (Acc. No.: FJ216430),  Rudbeckia hirta  (Acc. No.: FJ216431),  Echinops bannaticus  (Acc. No.: FJ753549),  Centaurea cyanus  (Acc. No.: FJ753550),  Gerbera hybrida  (Acc. No.: ABA64468),  Osteospermum hybrida  (Acc. No.: ABB29899),  Cichorium intibus  (Acc. No.: FJ753548),  Antirrhinum majus  (Acc. No.: DQ272592) and  Arabidopsis thaliana  (Acc. No.: AF271651) (Schlangen et al. 2009). A paired sequence alignment was performed with the listed F3′H from  Cosmos sulphureus  (Acc. No.: FJ216426). Chimeric genes, consisting of cDNA fragments of the mentioned F3′H from  Cosmos sulphureus  as well as the cDNA fragments of the newly isolated sequence, were produced according to Seitz et al. (2007) [FEBS letters 581 (2007) 3429-3434]. For that, the fragments, which were to be fused, were amplified with a Pfu DNA polymerase (Promega, Germany) in separate PCR reactions and ligated for 10 minutes in an overall volume of 20 it with respectively approx. 50 ng cDNA of each fragment and a T4 DNA ligase (Promega, Germany). The diluted ligation was used as a template for the subsequent proofreading PCR, in which the entire chimeric gene was amplified with the Taq/Pwo polymerase system (Invitrogen, UK). 
         [0065]    Insertions or Deletions of Amino Acid Residues 
         [0066]    Insertions of amino acid residues were introduced with primers having an excess of bases encoding the respective amino acid residues to be inserted. Deletions were introduced using amplification of two fragments of the respective F3′H cDNA lacking the bases encoding the amino acid residues to be deleted. The subsequent fusion of the two amplified fragments was performed as described for the construction of the chimeric genes. 
         [0067]    Targeted Mutagenesis 
         [0068]    Targeted mutageneses were performed using megaprimer PCR. This PCR was performed in two steps: in the first PCR, a megaprimer was amplified with Pfu DNA polymerase (Promega). For that, the plasmid with the inserted cDNA, which was to be mutated, was used as a template. As primers, on the one hand, an internal primer, which binds at the site, into which the desired mutation is to be inserted, and which has the modified base sequence required for that, as well as an expression primer were used. This amplified mutated fragment, on the other hand, was then used in a second PCR as a primer together with the corresponding expression primer, in order to amplify the entire ORF with the desired mutations with the Expand High Fidelity PCR System (Roche). 
         [0069]    Heterologous Expression in Yeast For the heterologous expression, the proofreading amplicons were ligated into the yeast expression vector pYES2.1/V5-His-TOPO® (Invitrogen, UK) and transformed into  E. coli  TOP10F′ (Invitrogen, UK). The identification of the sense constructs took place with a PCR, for which a gene-specific forward and a plasmid-specific reverse primer was used. Sense constructs were isolated and the correct sequence confirmed by sequencing. Desired plasmids were then transformed into the yeast strain INVSc 1 (Invitrogen, UK). The heterologous expression was performed according to methods known in science, and the prepared proteins were shock-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80° C. The determination of the amount of protein in the preparations was performed according to a modified Lowry method. 
         [0070]    Enzyme Assays and Identification of the Products 
         [0071]    In order to determine the substrate specificity of the heterologously expressed F3′Hs, the following enzyme tests were performed: 20 μg of the recombinant wild-type CH3H or 50 μg of the hybrid proteins, respectively, were incubated with 0.25 nmol [14C]-marked chalcone or flavonoid substrates in the presence of 10 mM NADPH and 0.1 M KH 2 PO 4 —K 2 HPO 4  (with 0.4% Na-ascorbate, pH: 7.5) buffer at 30° C. After 30 min., the enzymatic reactions were stopped with 10 μl of glacial acetic acid and the phenolic compounds extracted twice with EtOAc. The organic phases were applied onto cellulose plates and chromatographed in CAW (chloroform:glacial acetic acid:water, 10:9:1). Detection and quantification of radioactivity took place using TLC analysis. 
         [0072]    Kinetic Data 
         [0073]    Kinetic data (apparent Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum speed of reaction (Vmax)) were determined using Lineweaver Burk plots. 
         [0074]    Results 
         [0075]    Cloning and Sequence Analysis of  Cosmos sulphureus  CH3H cDNA 
         [0076]    In this example, the complete coding sequence of a cDNA from  Cosmos sulphureus  could be isolated using degenerated primers from various Asteraceae species (NCBI GenBank Acc. Nos.: FJ216431, FJ753549, FJ753550, ABA64468, ABB29899, FJ753548 and AF313488) and subsequent RACE techniques. The derived amino acid sequence of this clone has all the conserved motifs of membrane-bound cyt P450 proteins (like the N-terminal hydrophobic membrane anchor, the highly conserved haem domain, etc.). The sequence of this cDNA clone was entered into the EMBL/GenBank database under the following accession number: FJ216429. Alignments with F3′H sequences, mainly from Asteraceae species, which are not or only to a low extent able to hydroxylate chalcones, show that the derived amino acid sequence of the isolated cDNA from  Cosmos sulphureus  has high sequence identities with the aligned F3′Hs. The paired alignment with the already characterised F3′H from  Cosmos sulphureus  (Acc. No.: FJ216426) shows that these two sequences are not identical and have a sequence identity of 84% ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0077]    Enzyme Activities of Putative  Cosmos sulphureus  CH3H 
         [0078]    In enzymatic studies with the recombinant enzyme, which was obtained in the heterologous expression of the cDNA clone from  Cosmos sulphureus , high catalytic CH3H activities with the 6′-deoxychalcone isoliquiritigenin could be demonstrated. Kinetic studies showed that the highest Vmax/Km (18.01/s*kg) can be observed with Iso as the substrate (Table 1). 
         [0079]    Therefore, this protein from  Cosmos sulphureus  was called CH3H. As a comparison, the recombinant F3′H from  Cosmos sulphureus  (Accession No.: FJ216426) was tested with the same substrates. These tests confirmed the F3′H activity and the lacking CH3H activity of this enzyme. The turnover rates of the two recombinant proteins are listed in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0080]    Identification of Regions, which could Play a Role in the CH3H Reaction 
         [0081]    In order to identify regions, which could play a role in the CH3H activity in  C. sulphureus  CH3H, alignment studies were performed. For that, the already mentioned F3′H amino acid sequences were used, the recombinant enzymes of which are not able to hydroxylate chalcones (Schlangen et al. 2009, Plant Science 177 (2009) 97-102). In the analysis of the alignment it could be determined, that one region, which was described as a putative substrate detection region (SRS1) in cyt P450 enzymes by Gotoh (1992), in the CH3H sequence of  C. sulphureus  has striking differences compared to the respective SRS1 regions of the other F3′H amino acid sequences. Furthermore, a region D(192)GSAGGDP(199) can be detected in the  Cosmos sulphureus  CH3H sequence, which only exists in this amino acid sequence ( FIG. 2 ). In the paired alignment with the  C. sulphureus  F3′H it shows, that the CH3H has an insertion of four amino acid residues compared to the F3′H (SAGG region,  FIG. 1 ), and the adjacent residues of the inserted four amino acid residues are also different in CH3H (SAGG+N region,  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0082]    Construction of Chimeric Genes 
         [0083]    In order to be able to identify, whether the striking regions, which were found in the alignments, have influence on the CH3H activity, five chimeric genes were constructed, which contain  C. sulphureus  CH3H and  C. sulphureus  F3′H cDNA fragments (C1-C5,  FIGS. 4 and 5 ): C1: amino acid positions 1-196: F3′H and 201-512: CH3H; C2: amino acid positions 1-210: CH3H and 211-512: F3′H; C3: amino acid positions 1-119: CH3H and 124-512: F3′H; C4: amino acid positions 1-193: CH3H and 198-512: F3′H. The amino acid positions are based on the paired alignment of  C. sulphureus  F3′H and CH3H. All primers used for the generation of the chimeric genes are listed in  FIG. 5 , and a schematic representation of the chimeric genes is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0084]    Construction of Mutated cDDAs with Insertions and Deletions Targeted Mutagenesis 
         [0085]    Due to the particular properties of the amino acid proline (proline is a helix and sheet disrupter and is frequently found in loops or turns), P199 from the SAGG+N region in A199 was mutated according to the alanine, which can be found in the  Cosmos sulphureus  F3′H sequence at this position ( FIG. 1 ). The primers used for that and a schematic representation can be found in Table 3 and  FIG. 4 , respectively. 
         [0086]    Enzyme Activities of the Heterologously Expressed Chimeric and Mutated Enzymes 
         [0087]    In total, two native enzymes from  C. sulphureus  as well as five chimeric (C1-C5) and three mutated enzymes (M1, M2 and M3,  FIG. 4 ) were heterologously expressed in yeast. Studies with the recombinant enzymes in respect of their substrate acceptance showed that all the expressed enzymes except for M3 have F3′H activity ( FIG. 4 ). The hydroxylation of chalcones, however, could only be observed with the chimeric genes C1, C2 and C5 as well as with M1. With the recombinant enzyme C1, however, only a low CH3H activity could be observed, compared to the F3′H activity and the CH3H activity of the other recombinant enzymes. 
         [0088]    In order to determine kinetic data with various substrates, kinetic studies with the recombinant enzymes were performed. These kinetic data are listed in Table 1. 
       Example 2 
       [0089]    The creation of transgenic apple trees takes place by transformation of young apple tree leaves using  Agrobacterium , as described in the literature (Szankowski et al.; Plant Cell Rep 2003, 22 141-149). The plants are tested in the greenhouse as self-rooted plants or engrafted onto a conventional substrate under outdoor-light-like conditions. The leaves were examined for an increased 3-hydroxyphloretin content using HPLC, for example according to the method of Sato et al., 2001 (Plant Science 160, 229-336). A connection between pathogen defence and 3-hydroxyphloretin is known from the literature (Elstner, E. F., Ogwald, W., Schneider, I., 1996. Phytopathologie. Allgemeine and biochemische Grundlagen. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, Oxford.). An increased resistance against  Erwinia amylovora  of the transgenic apples, which overexpress the nucleotide according to the invention, can be tested as follows: the shoots are cut back to a height of 10 cm 3-4 weeks before testing. The bacteria are cultured on King&#39;s B agar plates for 24 hours and subsequently resuspended in phosphate buffer. The cell concentration is spectrophotometrically set to 10 7  cfu/ml. As the negative control, phosphate buffer is emptied onto empty King&#39;s B agar plates and decanted again. For inoculation, the leaf tips of the two youngest unfolded leaves are cut off with scissors, which were dipped into a culture solution with the pathogen beforehand. For each transgenic line, 10-20 individuals are tested and compared with the control. The degree of infection is calculated from the ratio of the length of the damaged shoot compared to the overall shoot length.