Patent ID: 7288397

Claim:
An isolated protein comprising: (a) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4; (b) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence which comprises a DNA sequence that is amplifiable from Gramineae plant cDNA by polymerase chain reaction with the primers of SEQ ID NOs:5 and 6 repeating a cycle of incubation at 94° C. for 40 seconds, followed by 40° C. for 1 minute, and followed by 72° C. for 2 minutes, 25 times, and then repeating a cycle of incubation at 94° C. for 40 seconds, followed by 45° C. for 1 minute, and followed by 72° C. for 2 minutes, 25 times, wherein said amino acid sequence has nicotianamine aminotransferase activity; or (c) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence from barley, wherein said nucleotide sequence hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3 when incubated in a solution of 5× Denhart's solution, 5×SSPE and 0.1% SDS at 65° C. for 12 hours, washed once with 6×SSPE at 65° C. for 10 minutes and washed twice with 2×SSPE, 0.1% SDS at 42° C. for 10 minutes, and wherein said amino acid sequence has nicotianamine aminotransferase activity.