Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for the expression of a gene of interest, or a chimeric or modified gene allowing the localization of a protein, protein fusion, peptide or fragment of interest within the extracellular domain of a floral cell. This method comprises preparing a construct comprising a promoter sequence capable of expressing a gene encoding the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest, within the floral cell; a translated sequence of the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest, which is localized within the extracellular domain of a floral cell; a gene that encodes the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest; and a terminator sequence, and transforming a plant. Plants transformed with such a construct are characterized as having a protein, fragment thereof, or peptide of interest on the surface of a floral cell.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for the expression of a gene of interest, or a chimeric or modified gene allowing the localization of a protein, protein fusion, peptide or fragment of interest within the extracellular domain of a floral cell. This method comprises preparing a construct comprising a promoter sequence capable of expressing a gene encoding the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest, within the floral cell; a translated sequence of the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest, which is localized within the extracellular domain of a floral cell; a gene that encodes the protein, protein fusion, peptide, or fragment of interest; and a terminator sequence, and transforming a plant. Plants transformed with such a construct are characterized as having a protein, fragment thereof, or peptide of interest on the surface of a floral cell.

Abstract: A process is described for producing fertile hybrid seed or hybrid seed comprising fertile and sterile seed using male-sterile plants created by employing molecular techniques to manipulate genes that are capable of controlling the production of fertile pollen in plants. Hybrid seed production is simplified and improved by this approach, which can be extended to plant crop species for which commercially acceptable hybrid seed production methods have not been available.

Abstract: The initial steps in photosynthesis are the conversion of light energy into chemical energy. This conversion is performed by the multisubunit protein-pigment complexes of the thylakoid membranes. Oxygen-evolving photosystems contain photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII), which act in tandem. In PSII, the majority of light-adsorbing chlorophylls are attached to LHCII, the light harvesting complex associated with this photosystem. LHCII is the most abundant member of the family of chlorophyll a/b binding (CAB) proteins. A gene encoding a type I chlorophyll a/b binding protein of LHCII (ICABPSII) has been cloned from Brassica napus L. An anti-sense RNA of this gene has been used to reduce the amount of chlorophyll a/b binding protein and thus reduce the amount of chlorophyll in the resulting transgenic plants. By using "site" specific promoters the reduction of chlorophyll can be targeted to specific organelles in the transgenic plant and thus can be used to reduce the green color at these sites.

Abstract: A Brassica sp. genomic clone containing a polygalacturonase gene promoter was isolated. This promoter directs high levels of transcription in the pollen. When the promoter was fused with the GUS gene and introduced into B. napus by Agrobacterium mediated transformation, this promoter controlled GUS expression in microspores and pollen in transgenic B. napus plants. Expression occurred between the late uninucleate microspore stage and the mature pollen grain stage. GUS activity was also identified in tapetal tissue at the binucleate microspore stage. There was no GUS expression in other tissues such as root, stem, leaf, sepal, petal or pistil. This promoter will be useful for the temporal and spatial control of endogenous gene expression in plants.