Patent ID: 8115059

Claim:
A system for modulating expression of a gene-of-interest in a host plant cell, comprising: an EcR gene expression cassette comprising a first polynucleotide encoding a first polypeptide including a DNA binding domain that recognizes a response element associated with the gene-of-interest, and a ligand binding domain from an EcR; an RXR gene expression cassette comprising a second polynucleotide encoding a second polypeptide including, a transactivation domain, and a ligand binding domain of a modified RXR, comprising a polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 with an amino acid mutation selected from the group consisting of T94A; T81H; A62S; A62S:T81H; and A62S:T81H:V123I, wherein the first and second polypeptides dimerize in the presence of a ligand; and a gene-of-interest expression cassette for expressing the gene-of-interest in the host plant cell comprising the response element to which the DNA binding domain binds, a promoter that is activated by the transactivation domain, and the gene of interest, wherein expression of the gene-of-interest in the host plant cell is affected by applying the ligand.