Patent ID: 8241910

Claim:
A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of a galactinol synthase protein or enzyme activity in a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) constructing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide comprising a fragment of SEQ ID NO:3 encoding at least 200 amino acids of SEQ ID NO:4, wherein the fragment encodes less than the entire coding region of SEQ ID NO:3; (b) introducing the recombinant DNA construct into a plant cell; (c) measuring the level of galactinol synthase protein or enzyme activity in the plant cell containing the recombinant DNA construct; (d) comparing the level of galactinol synthase protein or enzyme activity in the plant cell containing the recombinant DNA construct with the level of galactinol synthase polypeptide in a plant cell that does not contain the recombinant DNA construct; and (e) selecting for the isolated polynucleotide that reduces the level of expression of the galactinol synthase protein or enzyme activity in the plant cell.