Patent ID: 7893324

Claim:
A transformed plant comprising in its genome: (a) a first recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising at least one regulatory sequence operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (i) a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15; (ii) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16; (iii) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in (i) or (ii), wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having gammatocopherol methyltransferase activity; and (b) a second recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising at least one regulatory sequence operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (iv) a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; (v) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; (vi) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in (iv) or (v), wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having homogentisate geranylgeranyl transferase activity; and (c) a third recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising at least one regulatory sequence operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (vii) a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:53; (viii) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:54; (ix) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in (vii) or (viii), wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having 2-methyl-6-phytylbenzoquinol methyltransferase activity; and (x) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having 2-methyl-6-phytylbenzoquinol methyltransferase activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide has at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:54; wherein the first recombinant nucleic acid molecule, the second recombinant nucleic acid molecule and the third recombinant nucleic acid molecule are stably incorporated into the genome of the transformed plant; and further wherein said transformed plant produces a seed with an increased level of alpha-tocotrienol, beta-tocotrienol, or both, relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said first recombinant nucleic acid molecule, said second recombinant nucleic acid molecule and said third recombinant nucleic acid molecule.