Genes encoding protein participating in cytokinin synthesis

Abstract

A gene is provided that encodes an amino acid sequence indicated in SEQ ID NO. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 originating in, for example, Arabidopsis thaliana.

1 . A gene encoding a protein having cytokinin synthesis activity and an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14.  
     
     
         2 . A gene encoding a protein having cytokinin synthesis activity and which has a modified amino acid sequence resulting from the addition and/or deletion of one or a plurality of amino acids and/or substitution by other amino acids in SEQ ID NO. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14.  
     
     
         3 . A gene encoding a protein having cytokinin synthesis activity and which hybridizes with a nucleic acid or portion thereof having a nucleotide sequence described in SEQ ID NO. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 under stringent conditions.  
     
     
         4 . A protein encoded by a gene according to any of claims  1  through  3 .  
     
     
         5 . A vector comprising a gene according to any of claims  1  through  3 .  
     
     
         6 . A host transformed by a vector according to  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . A host according to  claim 6 , wherein the transformed host is a plant or plant cells.  
     
     
         8 . A production method of cytokinin synthase comprising: culturing or growing the host according to  claim 6  or  7 , and harvesting the cytokinin synthase from said host.  
     
     
         9 . A plant or plant cells into which the gene according to any of claims  1  through  3  has been inserted.  
     
     
         10 . A method for regulating the growth of a plant or plant cells by inserting a gene according to any of claims  1  through  3  into a plant or plant cells and expressing said gene.  
     
     
         11 . A method for inducing adventitious bud formation by a plant or plant cells by inserting a gene according to any of claims  1  through  3  into a plant or plant cells, and expressing said gene.  
     
     
         12 . A method for searching for a plant gene that encodes an isopentenyl group transferase based on homology with the amino acid sequence GxTxxGK[ST]xxxxx[VLI]xxxxxxx[VLI][VLI]xxDxxQx[57,60][VLI] [VLI]xGG[ST] (where, x indicates an arbitrary amino acid residue, amino acid residues enclosed in brackets [ ] indicate which one of the amino acid residues contained therein, and [a,b] indicates the number of arbitrary types of amino acid residues greater than or equal to a but less than or equal to b).  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the plant gene that encodes an isopentenyl group transferase is a gene originating in  Arabidopsis thaliana.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12  or  claim 13 , wherein the plant gene that encodes an isopentenyl group transferase is a gene that encodes cytokinin synthase.