Production of enzymes in seeds and their use

Abstract

A method of catalyzing in vitro reactions using seeds containing enhanced amounts of enzymes is disclosed. The method involves adding transgenic, non-wild type seeds, preferably in a ground form, to a reaction mixture, especially a bakery process and allowing the enzymes in the seeds to increase the rate of reaction. By directly adding the seeds to the reaction mixture the mehtod provides a solution to the expensive and problematic process of extracting and purifying the enzyme. Methods of treatment are also provided whereby a subject lacking a sufficient supply of an enzyme is administered the enzyme in the form of seeds containing enhanced amounts of the enzyme.

1 . A method to affect the conversion of substrates to products in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction which method comprises adding to a dough containing said substrates the seeds of a transgenic plant, wherein said plant has been modified to contain an expression system for the production of a lipoxygenase, and wherein said enzyme is heterologous to the seed.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the seeds are in milled form.  
     
     
         3 . (canceled)  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the lipoxygenase is lox-3 coded by a nucleotide sequence derived from soybean.  
     
     
         5 - 12 . (canceled)