Genetically modified sugarbeet

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for reducing glutamine metabolism in sugarbeet.

1 . An isolated nucleotide sequence for reducing or preventing the expression of a protein having the activity of a glutamine synthetase in the senescing leaves of a transgenic plant selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) the DNA sequence of SEQ ID Nos: 1 and 3;    b) a nucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence SEQ ID No: 2;    c) a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to the nucleotide sequence of a) or b), and    d) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes with a nucleotide sequence of a) to c).    
     
     
         2 . A vector comprising the nucleotide sequence as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . The vector as claimed in  claim 2 , where the vector is a plasmid or a viral vector.  
     
     
         4 . The vector as claimed in  claim 2 , where the nucleotide sequence is operatively linked to at least one regulatory nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         5 . The vector as claimed in  claim 4 , where a promoter controlling the expression of the nucleotide sequence is arranged 5′-wards of the nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         6 . The vector as claimed in  claim 4 , where a 3′-polyadenylation signal is arranged 3′-wards of the nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         7 . The vector as claimed in  claim 4 , where the regulatory sequence is inducible.  
     
     
         8 . The vector as claimed in  claim 4 , where the regulatory sequence confers tissue specificity and/or time specificity to the expression of the nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         9 . The vector as claimed in  claim 2 , where the nucleotide sequence has antisense orientation to the promoter.  
     
     
         10 . A transgenic bacterial or plant cell comprising the vector as claimed in  claim 2 .  
     
     
         11 . The cell as claimed in  claim 10 , which is a sugarbeet cell.  
     
     
         12 . A plant comprising at least one cell as claimed in  claim 10 .  
     
     
         13 . A seed of a plant, wherein said seed comprises at least one plant cell as claimed in  claim 10 .  
     
     
         14 . A method for altering gluatmine metabolism in a sugarbeet, where synthesis of glutamine synthetase in senescing leaves in the sugarbeet is prevented or reduced by transforming at least one plant cell with the vector as claimed in  claim 3 , and regenerating the sugarbeet.  
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a transgenic sugarbeet which shows altered glutamine metabolism, where the latter is based on a reduction of the content of glutamine synthetase in senescing leaves and where at least one sugarbeet plant cell is transformed with the vector as claimed in  claim 9 , and the plant cell is regenerated to an intact plant.