Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility and method of using same

Abstract

Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method of impacting fertility of a plant comprising inactivating in a plant a first nucleotide sequence, operably linking a second nucleotide sequence to an inducible promoter and introducing said second sequence into the plant such that the plant is constitutively male sterile and fertility is induced by inducing the promoter, wherein the first and second nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO: 2, or 4;    (b) the nucleotide sequences of any of SEQ. ID NO: 1, 3, or 7;    (c) a sequence which hybridizes to any of said sequences of (a) or (b) under conditions of a wash in 0.1 SSC, 1% (w/v) SDS at 65° C.;    (d) a sequence having at least 90% identity to any of said sequences of (a) or (b); and    (e) a fragment of any of the foregoing sequences which fragment is a sequence critical to male fertility in a plant.    
     
     
         19 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A method of reproducing a plant produced according to the method of  claim 18 , further comprising planting seed of the plant to provide growing male sterile plants; inducing conversion of the growing plants to male fertile form under conditions which induce the promoter to express the second DNA molecule; and open-pollinating the growing plants in isolation to produce seed; and harvesting the seed.  
     
     
         26 . A controllably male sterile plant produced according to the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         27 - 58 . (canceled)