Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for disrupting a gene in a plant using a tobacco retrotransposon, comprising the steps of introducing the retrotransposon into the plant, and culturing and regenerating the plant, into which the retrotransposon is introduced, to produce a transformed plant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inferring a plant organ, in which a certain gene is to be expressed, using a part of a base sequence, a method for searching for a gene which is to be expressed at a desired site, and a composition, kit, system and program for carrying out these methods. The present invention also relates to a method for inferring a plant organ, in which a plant gene is to be expressed, based on information about the presence or absence of a base sequence which is highly similar to a transposable element in the vicinity of a protein coding region of a plant gene.

Abstract: A rice photosensitivity gene Hd1 is successfully isolated by linkage analysis. It is found out that the photosensitivity of a plant can be modified by transferring this gene or controlling the expression thereof. It is further found out that the photosensitivity of a plant can be evaluated by examining the presence/absence of this functional gene.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for inducing tissue-specific expression, which includes preparing an expression vector having a promoter. The promoter includes any one of the following DNAs (a) to (c): (a) a DNA, which includes the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a DNA, which includes the nucleotide sequence ranging from nucleotides 1344 to 2843 of SEQ ID NO: 1; and (c) a DNA, which is a DNA fragment that can hybridize under stringent conditions to a DNA fragment including a nucleotide sequence fully complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein (a), (b) or (c) can control the transcription of a coding sequence located downstream thereof; and wherein the stringent conditions are 5×SSC at 42° C.; The expression vector, also, includes a coding sequence located downstream of the promoter.

Abstract: cDNAs (RISBZ1, RISBZ4, and RISBZ5) encoding bZIP transcription factors were isolated from a cDNA library originating in rice plant seed. The cDNAs encode novel proteins and have binding activity to the GCN4 motif. Among them, RISBZ1 activated transcription mediated by the GCN4 motif by 100-fold or more. Since the expression of RISBZ1 precedes the expression of a seed storage protein gene and is expressed only in maturing seeds, it is suggested that RISBZ1 controls the expression of rice seed storage proteins. In addition, by linking the recognition sequence of the transcription factor, the GCN4 motif, in tandem and introducing it into the promoter for a gene encoding seed storage protein to facilitate its binding to the transcription factor RISBZ1, expression of a foreign gene under the control of the modified promoters is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: By linkage analysis, the Hd3a gene was successfully isolated. It was discovered that the flowering time of plant could be modified either by introducing the Hd3a gene or by controlling its expression.

Abstract: Peptides are provided having an excellent safety, stability due to relatively low molecular weights thereof, and cell growth promotion, which are different from cell growth factors produced by abnormal cells such as tumor cells. Peptide compositions which are excellent in promoting cell growth containing partial peptides of one or more peptide chains selected from peptide chains forming noncrystalline portions constituting silk protein. The partial peptides have specific amino acid sequences formed of four to forty amino acid residues. This invention has succeeded in providing novel peptides excellent for cell growth by separating and fractionating peptides, having specific amino acid sequences of molecular weights not higher than 10,000, preferably ranging from 4,000 to 400, from the noncrystalline portions of silk protein as well as by synthesizing peptides similar to such peptides.

Abstract: A material and a system are provided that efficiently inactivate a molting hormone by means of a protein having ecdysteroid 22-oxidase activity.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide promoters having seed-specific promoter activity, and methods of expressing foreign proteins in seeds. The present inventors isolated the promoters of a number of genes that are expressed in rice seeds, constructed binary vectors in which each promoter is inserted upstream of the GUS reporter gene, and transformed rice using the Agrobacterium method. In particular a seed-specific promoter from the rice glutelin GluB-1 gene is disclosed. GUS expression level was used as an index to examine the site of expression, the expression pattern during seed maturation, and the level of expression in seeds for each promoter. Promoters with activity specific to a particular site in seeds, and with higher activity than constitutive promoters and known seed-specific promoters were discovered.

Abstract: The objective is to isolate and identify a gene relating to the regeneration ability of a plant, and to provide the gene and methods of use thereof. Isogenic lines to which culture characteristics of Konansou was introduced were produced by backcrossing. Culture cells were induced from this isogenic line and its parent variety. After confirming the regeneration ability of culture cells cultured for 3 to 6 months, isolation of a gene expressed in culture cells derived from Konansou and an isogenic line having a high regeneration ability, but not expressed in culture cells derived from Sasanishiki and Koshihikari was conducted using the differential display method. As a result, a regeneration-related gene was successfully cloned.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated genes encoding polypeptides that interact with calreticulin (CRT), plants and plant cells transformed with the CRT genes for resistance against cold stress, and methods of producing the transformed plants and cells.

Abstract: DNA having promoter activity for expressing an exogenous gene specifically in vegetative growth tissue (particularly, stems and/or leaves) is provided. The DNA is a rice OsGA3ox2 gene promoter which has a sequence indicated by SEQ ID NO. 1, or a portion of said sequence whose promoter activity is equivalent to that of said sequence indicated by SEQ ID No. 1. An expression vector containing an exogenous gene expressibly linked to the promoter is also provided. A plant cell transformed with the expression vector, a plant regenerated from the plant cell, a progeny of the plant, a propagator of the plant, and a seed obtained from the progeny are also provided. A method for introducing an exogenous gene into plants using an expression vector is also provided.

Abstract: A method for conferring resistance to a plant virus to plants by introducing into the plant a polynucleotide encoding a protein capable of binding to a movement protein of the plant virus is provided. Also provided are transgenic plants having resistance to a plant virus.

Abstract: To investigate the function of ZPT2-3, petunia transformants overexpressing the ZPT2-3 gene under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter were generated to investigate the presence or absence of tolerance against desiccation stress treatment. Surprisingly, petunia plants transformants showed significant tolerance against desiccation as compared to the wild type plants. In addition, neither growth abnormality nor morphological abnormality was observed in petunia transformants, and thus overexpression of the ZPT2-3 gene was revealed to have no adverse effects on plant growth or such.

Abstract: The present invention was conceived from the findings; that a specific higher-order structure can be formed in CrP-like viruses; that linkage of a gene reading frame downstream in the higher-order structure permits initiating the translation of a protein from various amino acids; and that a change in the combination of base pairs involved in the formation of the higher-order structure immediately upstream in the translation initiation site permits initiating the synthesis of any protein from any codon.

Abstract: The present inventors successfully produced rice dwarf mutant d61 and also isolated the OsBRI1 gene which corresponds to a region in the d61 locus. OsBRI1 is found to increase plant brassinosteroid sensitivity. Moreover, the present inventors showed that OsBRI1 functions in growth and development process of rice, such as, internode elongation by inducing internode cell elongation and the inclination of the lamina joint. By introducing antisense nucleotides or dominant negative of OsBRI1, the present inventors produced transgenic rice plants whose phenotype was modified.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to isolate and identify genes responsive to plant hormones, such as, brassinolide, and to provide these genes and their use. The present inventors found two novel genes (referred to as OsBLE1 gene and OsBLE2 gene) whose expressions are markedly increased by brassinolide and auxin, using DNA microarray techniques and Northern blotting. Transformed rice plants were produced using Agrobacterium EHA101 which comprise antisense polynucleotide against OsBLE1 and OsBLE2 under the control of the CaMV35S promoter in a binary vector pIG121-Hm. As a result, the transformed rice plants exhibited inhibition in stem and leaf growth as compared with controls which carried the vector alone.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel anther-specific genes, their promoters, and uses of the same. Rice seedlings were treated with gibberellin, and then genes and proteins with up-regulated expression were screened using DNA microarray analysis and proteome analysis. As a result, eight types of ?-tubulins were identified. Among them, OsTUB8 was expressed specifically in the anther. Thus OsTUB8 was suggested to be involved in male sterility in rice, and it was thought that regulating OsTUB8 expression in plants could alter plant fertility. In addition, OsTUB8 promoters were thought to comprise anther-specific activity. Thus, the present invention can be said to be highly valuable when used as a tool for anther-specific gene expression.

Abstract: A calcineurin activator, comprising the following protein (a) or (b) as an active ingredient and having the action of increasing intracellular calcium ion concentration through the influx of calcium ions into eukaryotic cells: (a) a killer protein (KLKP), being composed of 3 subunits consisting of amino acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and being produced by Kluyveromyces lactis killer yeast; or (b) a protein, being the same as protein (a) except for differing from protein (a) in that at least one of the 3 subunits consists of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2, 3, or 4 by deletion, substitution, or addition of 1 or several amino acids, and having Kluyveromyces lactis killer protein (KLKP) activity.

Abstract: Using crossbred segregating populations of two-rowed and six-rowed barley cultivars, the row type of individual plants was precisely determined. The results indicate that row type is controlled by a single gene. In addition, it was discovered that molecular markers linked with this gene could be used to identify whether a test barley or related Triticeae plant is two-rowed or six-rowed. Furthermore, molecular markers can be used to identify Fusarium head blight resistance, which is linked with the two-rowed or six-rowed gene.