Angiogenin Expression in Plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to plant-produced angiogenins, to related plant cells, plant calli, plants, seeds and other plant parts and products derived therefrom and to uses of plant-produced angiogenins. The present invention also relates to expression of angiogenin genes in plants and to related nucleic acids, constructs and methods.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A plant cell, said plant cell containing (a) a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin, and/or (b) an angiogenin polypeptide, wherein the plant cell is optionally part of a plant callus, plant, seed or other plant part. 
     
     
         18 . The plant cell according to  claim 17 , wherein said cell contains
 (a) a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a functionally active fragment or variant of SEQ ID No. 2, and/or   (b) an angiogenin polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a functionally active fragment or variant of SEQ ID No. 2.   
     
     
         19 . A plant-produced angiogenin. 
     
     
         20 . A food, beverage, food supplement, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, feedstock, or veterinary product comprising a plant-produced angiogenin. 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing a transformed plant cell expressing an angiogenin sequence, said method comprising
 introducing a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin into a plant cell to produce a transformed plant cell; and   culturing the transformed plant cell to produce a transformed plant cell expressing the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin encodes a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 2, or a functionally active fragment or variant thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin is a sequence from which an N-terminal signal sequence has been removed. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin further encodes a plant signal peptide in place of the removed N-terminal signal sequence. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin encodes a polypeptide of Seq ID No. 2 from which the signal peptide sequence has been removed. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin further encodes a plant signal peptide in place of the removed N-terminal signal sequence. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the transformed plant cell is part of a plant callus, plant, seed or other plant part. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin is a variant of an animal angiogenin sequence modified to provide a plant codon bias. 
     
     
         29 . A method of producing an angiogenin in a plant, said method comprising
 introducing a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin into a plant cell to produce a transformed plant cell;   culturing the transformed plant cell to produce a transformed plant cell expressing the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin; and   isolating the angiogenin produced by the plant cell.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29  wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin encodes a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 2, or a functionally active fragment or variant thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to claim  14  wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin is a sequence from which an N-terminal signal peptide has been removed. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31  wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin further encodes a plant signal peptide in place of the removed N-terminal signal peptide. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin is a sequence from which an N-terminal signal peptide sequence has been removed. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin further encodes a plant signal peptide in place of the removed N-terminal signal sequence. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the transformed plant cell is part of a plant callus, plant, seed or other plant part 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin is a variant of an animal gene modified to provide a plant codon bias. 
     
     
         37 . An artificial construct comprising a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin and a promoter, operatively linked to the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin, wherein the promoter is effective for enabling expression of the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin in a plant cell. 
     
     
         38 . The artificial construct of  claim 37 , further comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a mediator or modulator of angiogenin activity. 
     
     
         39 . The artificial construct of  claim 37 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin comprises a sequence made from an animal angiogenin sequence by codon usage adaptation for expression in plants. 
     
     
         40 . A nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a sequence made from an animal angiogenin sequence by codon usage adaptation for plants to enable expression of said nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin in a plant cell. 
     
     
         41 . A method of enhancing expression, activity or isolation of angiogenin in plants, said method comprising co-expressing angiogenin with a mediator or modulator of angiogenin activity in a plant cell. 
     
     
         42 . A chimeric nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin and a plant signal peptide. 
     
     
         43 . The chimeric nucleic acid sequence of  claim 42 , wherein the nucleic acid encoding an angiogenin comprises a sequence made from an animal angiogenin sequence by codon usage adaptation for expression in plants.