Abstract: The present invention relates to the finding that the accumulation of flavodoxin within chloroplasts of plant cells provides enhanced resistance to sources of environmental stress, including ultraviolet AB radiation, extreme temperatures, infection and/or high doses of irradiation. Nucleic acids encoding flavodoxin fused to a chloroplast targeting peptide, cells, plants and methods pertaining thereto are described.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for screening for the occurrence of gene silencing (e.g., post transcriptional gene silencing) in an organism. Also provided are methods for isolating silencing agents so identified.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated Rar1 nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering Rar1 concentration and/or composition of plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants.

Abstract: The EARLY SHORT DAYS 4 gene ESD4 of Arabidopsis thaliana, and homologues from other species, and manipulation and use thereof in plants to influence timing of flowering of the plants.

Abstract: A method of producing vanillin comprising the steps of: (1) providing trans-ferulic acid or a salt thereof; and (2) providing trans-ferulate: CoASH ligase activity (enzyme activity I), trans-feruloyl ScoA hydratase activity (enzyme activity II), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-&bgr;-hydroxy-propionyl SCoA (HMPHP SCoA) cleavage activity (enzyme activity III). Conveniently the enzymes are provided by Pseudomonas fluorescens Fe3 or a mutant or derivative thereof. Polypeptides with enzymes activities II and III and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. Use of the polypeptides or the polynucleotides in a method for producing vanillin is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to materials and methods which may be used in the detection and manipulation of Pre-Harvest Sprouting (PHS) and other dormancy-related phenotypes in plants. Specifically disclosed are oat and wheat VP1 homologues (afVP1 and taVP1 respectively) plus also variants, particularly alleles of these. The sequence and mapping data provided can be used in plant breeding and/or in molecular-biology based methods to improve e.g. wheat varieties. Also disclosed are primers which are specific for orthologues, alleles or wheat-genomes plus methods of using these. Vectors, cells and transgenic plants are also provided, as are related products and methods of use.

Abstract: The invention presents DNA constructs comprising a promoter operably linked to DNA which can be transcribed in a plant cell to an RNA transcript, wherein the RNA transcript comprises plant virus sequence from an RNA virus which confers on the RNA transcript the ability to replicate in the cytoplasm of the plant cell, wherein the transcript lacks all or part of the viral genome not required for replication in the cytoplasm, and further comprises at least one targeting sequence which is foreign to the plant virus sequence and causes post-transcriptional gene silencing of one or more target genes. The invention also presents methods to use the DNA construct to cause post-transcriptional gene silencing of a target gene in a plant.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated Rar1 nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering Rar1 concentration and/or composition of plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants.

Abstract: PAD4 compositions from Arabidopsis, including genomic and cDNA nucleic acid sequences, and methods for using said compositions in plants are provided. PAD4 from Arabidopsis is demonstrated to be regulatory and is required upstream from salicylic acid in the signal transduction pathway leading from infection to activation of defense responses.

Abstract: The cen gene of Antirrhinum has been cloned, also homologues from Arabidopsis (tfl1) and rice. Flowering characteristics of transgenic plants, especially switching of apical meristem to a floral fate and the ting of flowering, may be manipulated by regulating gene expression. The promoter of the cen gene may be used to drive tissue-specific expression, specifically in the apical meristem of plants.

Abstract: The cen gene of Antirrhinum has been cloned also homologues from Arabidopsis (tfl1) and rice. Flowering characteristics of transgenic plants, especially switching of apical meristem to a floral fate and the timing of flowering, may be manipulated by regulating gene expression. The promoter of the cen gene may be used to drive tissue-specific expression, specifically in the apical meristem of plants.

Abstract: The GAI gene of Arabidopsis thaliana has been cloned, along with mutant and homologue gene sequences. Expression of such genes in plants affects characteristics of the plants including growth. GAI expression inhibits growth of plants, which inhibition is antagonised by gibberellin (GA). Expression of gai mutants confers a dwarf phenotype which is GA-insensitive. Manipulation of expression of GAI and gai genes in plants results in tall or dwarfed plants. Dwarf plants are useful in particular for reduction in crop losses resulting from lodging.

Abstract: The CONSTANS (CO) gene of Arabidopsis thalina and homologues from Brassica napus are provided and are useful for influencing flowering characteristics in transgenic plants, especially the timing of flowering.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for silencing a target nucleotide sequence (preferably representing one or more endogenous genes, preferably in a systemic fashion) which is present in a first part of the plant, which method comprises transiently introducing into the cytoplasm of a cell in a second part of the plant, which cell comprises a nucleic acid encoding the target sequence and which is remote from said first part of the plant, a nucleic acid construct.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated nucleic acids obtainable from potato which encode isoamylases, a type of starch branching enzyme, particularly SEQ ID NOS:1-3 or variants encoding SEQ ID NOS:4-6; vectors comprising the nucleic acids; plant cells and plants transformed therewith; and methods for making plants which produce starches with modified branching characteristics.

Abstract: The GAI gene of Arabidopsis thaliana has been cloned, along with mutant and homologue gene sequences. Expression of such genes a plants affects characteristics of the plants including growth. GAI expression inhibits growth of plants, which inhibition is antagonized by gibberllin (GA). Expression of gai mutants confers a dwarf phenotype which is GA-insensitive. Manipulation of expression of GAI and gai genes in plants results in tall or dwarfed plants. Dwarf plants are useful in particular for reduction in crop losses resulting from lodging.

Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid vectors which comprise: (a) a transfer nucleotide sequence comprising (i) a plant active promoter, operably linked to (ii) a recombinant tobacco rattle virus (TRV) cDNA (preferably derived from TRV RNA2) which includes at least cis acting elements permitting replication of the cDNA; a subgenomic promoter operably linked to a sequence encoding a TRV coat protein; and a heterologous nucleotide sequence which is foreign to the virus;(b) border sequences which permit the transfer of the transfer nucleotide sequence into a plant genome. Such vectors may be used as expression vectors or for achieving viral induced gene silencing (VIGS) of a target gene, wherein the heterologous nucleotide sequence is a targeting sequence which corresponding to that gene. Example vectors include pTV00 and vectors which are derived from PTV00 and have the characteristics thereof. Also disclosed are associated processes, methods, viruses or viral particle, kits, host cells and plant tissues.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing Brassica oleracea with elevated anticarcinogenic glucosinolate derivatives. The elevated levels are obtained by crossing wild Brassica oleracea species with Brassica oleracea breeding lines, and subsequently selecting hybrids with levels of 4 -methylsulfinylbutyl and/or 3-methylsulfinylpropyl glucosinolates elevated above that initially found in Brassica oleracea breeding lines. The invention also relates to edible Brassica plants, such as broccoli plants, with elevated levels of 4-methylaulfinylbutyl glucosinolate and/or 3 -methylsulfinylpropyl glucosinolates, and to seeds of such plants.

Abstract: This invention relates to the genetic control of growth and/or development of plants and the cloning and expression of genes involved therein. More particularly, the invention relates to the cloning and expression of the GAI gene of Arabidopsis thaliana, and use of the gene in plants.

Abstract: The tomato Cf-2 gene has been cloned and its sequence provided, along with the encoded amino acid sequence. DNA encoding the polypeptide, and alleles, mutants and derivatives thereof, may be introduced into plant cells and the encoded polypeptide expressed, conferring pathogen resistance on plants comprising such cells and descendants thereof. The Cf-2 sequence comprises leucine rich repeats and the presence of such repeats enables identification of other plant pathogen resistance genes. Homologies to Cf-9 reveal motifs useful in the identification of other plant pathogen resistance genes.