Identification of novel e2f target genes and use thereof

• Main Authors: INZE DIRK, VLIEGHE KOBE, VEYLDER LIEVEN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.01.2006
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; DERIVATIVES THEREOF; ENZYMOLOGY; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NEW PLANTS OR PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; NUCLEIC ACIDS; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SPIRITS; SUGARS; TRAPPING; VINEGAR; WINE

The present invention concerns a method for altering characteristics of a plant. The invention describes the identification of genes that are upregulated or downregulated in transgenic plants overexpressing E2Fa/DPa and the use of such sequences to alter plant characteristics. A preferred way for altering characteristics of a plant comprises modifying expression of one or more nucleic acid sequences and or modifying level and/or activity of one or more proteins, which nucleic acids and/or proteins are essentially similar to any one or more of SEQ ID NO 1 to 2755. Some of the genes identified in the present invention have an E2Fa target consensus sequence in their 5' upstream region. The identified genes play a role in a variety of biological processes, such as DNA replication, cell wall biosynthesis, nitrogen and/or carbon metabolism, transcription factors etc.