GENETIC SEQUENCES HAVING METHYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY AND USES THEREFOR

• Main Authors: KOES, RONALD, BRUGLIERA, FILIPPA, TANAKA, YOSHIKAZU, DEMELIS, LINDA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 31.07.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; FISHING; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS; NEW PLANTS OR PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PHYSICS; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; SPIRITS; TESTING; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRAPPING; VINEGAR; WINE

The present invention relates generally to a genetic sequence encoding a polypeptide having methyltransferase activity and the use of the genetic sequence and/or the polypeptide to modify one or more phenotypic characteristics of a plant. More particularly, the methyltransferase of the present invention acts on flavonoids, preferably wherein the flavonoid is an anthocyanin. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a polypeptide having S-adenosyl-L-methionine: anthocyanin 3' -O-methyltransferase or S-adenosyl-L-methionine: anthocyanin 3', 5'-O-methyltransferase activity. The present invention still further provides a genetic sequence encoding a polypeptide having methyltransferase activity derived from Petunia, Torenia Fuchsia or Plumbago or botanically related plants. The instant invention further relates to antisense and sense molecules corresponding to all or part of the subject genetic sequence as well as genetically modified plants as well as cut flowers, parts, extracts and reproductive tissue from such plants. L'invention porte d'une manière générale sur une séquence génétique codant pour un polypeptide présentant l'activité de la méthyltransférase et sur l'utilisation de ladite séquence et/ou du polypeptide pour modifier une ou plusieurs des caractéristiques phénotypiques d'une plante. Plus particulièrement ladite méthyltransférase agit sur les flavonoïdes, spécialement du type anthocyanine. Encore plus particulièrement l'invention porte sur un polypeptide présentant l'activité de la S-adénosyl-L-méthionine: de l'anthocyanine 3' -O-méthyltransférase ou S-adénosyl-L-méthionine: anthocyanine 3', 5'-O-méthyltransférase. Plus particulièrement encore, l'invention porte sur une séquence génétique codant pour un polypeptide présentant l'activité de la méthyltransférase et dérivant du Pétunia, du Torénia, duFuchsia, du Plumbago, ou de variétés botaniques apparentées. L'invention porte en outre sur des molécules antisens et sens correspondant à tout ou partie des susdites séquences génétiques, ainsi que sur des plantes modifiées génétiquement, et sur des fleures coupées ou leurs parties, extraits et tissus reproducteurs.