Metabolite transporters

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of plant genetics and biochemistry. More specifically, the invention relates to genes associated with nucleotide triphosphate transport. The present invention provides and includes nucleic acid molecules, proteins, and antibodies associated with the genes involved in nucleotide triphosphate transport. The present invention also provides methods for utilizing such agents, for example, in gene isolation, gene analysis, and the production of transgenic plants. Moreover, the present invention includes transgenic plants modified to express proteins associated with nucleotide triphosphate transport.

1 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A method of producing a transformed plant having seeds with an increased tocopherol level comprising: (A) transforming a plant with a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; 
 (b) a nucleic acid sequence comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof; (c) a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or the complement thereof under high stringency conditions of 0.2×SSC and 65° C.; and (d) a nucleic acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof; and (B) growing said transformed plant.    
     
     
         26 . The method of producing a plant according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa,  Arabidopsis , barley,  Brassica campestris, Brassica napus , broccoli, cabbage, canola, citrus, cotton, garlic, oat, onion, flax, an ornamental plant, peanut, pepper, potato, rice, rye, sorghum, strawberry, sugarcane, sugarbeet, tomato, wheat, poplar, pine, fir, eucalyptus, apple, lettuce, lentils, grape, banana, tea, turf grasses, sunflower, soybean, maize,  Phaseolus , crambe, mustard, castor bean, sesame, cottonseed, linseed, safflower, and oil palm.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of canola, maize,  Brassica campestris, Brassica napus , soybean, crambe, mustard, castor bean, peanut, sesame, cottonseed, linseed, safflower, oil palm, flax, and sunflower.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant is canola.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant is  Brassica napus.    
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant is soybean.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant produces seeds, wherein said tocopherol level is increased at least 10% relative to plants with similar genetic background but lacking said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant produces seeds, wherein said tocopherol level is increased at least 20% relative to plants with similar genetic background but lacking said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant produces seeds, wherein said tocopherol level is increased at least 30% relative to plants with similar genetic background but lacking said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said plant produces seeds, wherein said tocopherol level is increased at least 40% relative to plants with similar genetic background but lacking said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         35 . A seed derived from a transformed plant produced by the method of  claim 25  or a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule, wherein said seed comprises the nucleic acid molecule and has an increased tocopherol level relative to seeds from a plant having a similar genetic background but lacking said exogenous nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         36 . Oil derived from the seed of  claim 35 .  
     
     
         37 . The oil according to  claim 36 , wherein said oil is present in a blend.  
     
     
         38 . The oil according to  claim 36 , wherein greater than 50% (w/v) of said blend is said oil.  
     
     
         39 . Feedstock comprising a transformed plant or part thereof, wherein said transformed plant was produced by the method of  claim 25  or is a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         40 . The feedstock of  claim 39 , wherein said plant produces seeds with increased tocopherol levels relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said exogenous nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         41 . A meal comprising plant material manufactured from a transformed plant produced by the method of  claim 25  or from a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         42 . The meal according to  claim 41 , wherein said transformed plant produces seeds with increased tocopherol levels relative to a plant with a similar genetic background but lacking said exogenous nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         43 - 46 . (canceled)  
     
     
         47 . A method of producing oil comprising, obtaining a seed of a transformed plant produced by the method of  claim 25  or a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule, and obtaining oil from the seed.  
     
     
         48 . A method of producing feedstock comprising obtaining a transformed plant or a part thereof and producing the feedstock from the transformed plant or part, wherein the transformed plant is produced by the method of  claim 25  or is a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         49 . A method of producing meal comprising obtaining a transformed plant or a part thereof and producing the meal from the transformed plant or part, wherein the transformed plant is produced by the method of  claim 25  or is a transgenic progeny plant of said transformed plant comprising said nucleic acid molecule.