Gene for transcription factor capable of altering characters of a plant and use thereof

Abstract

A gene encoding DNA which is selected from a) or b): a) DNA having a nucleotide sequence from the 90th position to the 728th position of a nucleotide sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 1 of Sequence Listing; or b) DNA which hybridizes to DNA of a) under stringent conditions, and encodes a transcription factor capable of altering characters of a plant.

1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule having the nucleotide sequence from the 90th position to the 728th position of the nucleotide sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 1 of the Sequence Listing. 
     
     
       2. A method for producing a transgenic plant, comprising the steps of:
 introducing the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  into a plant cell; and  
 regenerating the plant cell into a transgenic plant.  
 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledon. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the plant is a member of the Solanaceae family. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the plant is a member of the Petunia genus. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is incorporated into a plant expression vector. 
     
     
       7. A transgenic plant produced by the method of  claim 2 . 
     
     
       8. A method for altering characters of a plant, comprising steps of:
 introducing the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  into a plant cell;  
 regenerating the plant cell into a transgenic plant; and  
 evaluating the change of the characters by comparing the characters of a plant obtained by introducing the nucleic acid molecule with the characters of a plant before introducing the nucleic acid molecule,  
 wherein the characters of a plant are selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, the decreased size of a plant, and the an increased number of branches.  
 
     
     
       9. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a transcription factor having the amino acid sequence from the 1st position to the 213th position of the amino acid sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said transcription factor has the functional activity of the amino acid sequence represented in SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
       10. A method for producing a transgenic plant, comprising the steps of:
 introducing the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 9  into a plant cell; and  
 regenerating the plant cell into a transgenic plant.  
 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledon. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the plant is a member of the Solanaceae family. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the plant is a member of the Petunia genus. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is incorporated into a plant expression vector. 
     
     
       15. A transgenic plant produced by the method of  claim 10 . 
     
     
       16. A method for altering characters of a plant, comprising steps of:
 introducing the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 9  into a plant cell;  
 regenerating the plant cell into a transgenic plant; and  
 evaluating the change of the characters by comparing the characters of a plant obtained by introducing the nucleic acid molecule with the characters of a plant before introducing the nucleic acid molecule,  
 wherein the characters of a plant are selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, the decreased size of a plant, and the an increased number of branches.  
 
     
     
       17. An isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a transcription factor, wherein the transcription factor comprises
   a TFIIIA zinc finger motif, and        a C terminal hydrophobic region,        wherein the transcription factor comprises SEQ ID NO: 2  or has  10  or fewer amino acid substitutions, deletions or additions of SEQ ID NO: 2 , and        wherein the transcription factor alters a character of a plant, wherein the character of the plant is selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, decreased size of the plant, and an increased number of branches.     
     
     
       18. The isolated DNA molecule of  claim 17 , wherein the zinc finger motif comprises SEQ ID NO: 14 . 
     
     
       19. The isolated DNA molecule of  claim 17 , wherein the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises SEQ ID NO: 19 . 
     
     
       20. The isolated DNA molecule of  claim 17 , wherein the zinc finger motif comprises SEQ ID NO: 14  and the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises SEQ ID NO: 19 . 
     
     
       21. The isolated DNA molecule of  claim 17 , wherein the transcription factor comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 . 
     
     
       22. A method of producing a transgenic plant, the method comprising,
   introducing into a plant cell a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a transcription factor, wherein the transcription factor comprises      a TFIIIA zinc finger motif, and        a C terminal hydrophobic region,          wherein the transcription factor comprises SEQ ID NO: 2  or has  10  or fewer amino acid substitutions, deletions or additions of SEQ ID NO: 2 ;        regenerating a plant from the plant cell; and        selecting a plant with an altered character compared to a non - transgenic plant, wherein the character is selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, decreased size of the plant, and an increased number of branches.     
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledon. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the plant is a member of the Solanaceae family. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the plant is a member of the Petunia genus. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the DNA molecule is a plant expression vector. 
     
     
       27. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the TFIIIA zinc finger motif comprises SEQ ID NO: 14 . 
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises SEQ ID NO: 19 . 
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the zinc finger motif comprises SEQ ID NO: 14  and the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises SEQ ID NO: 19 . 
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the transcription factor comprises SEQ ID NO: 2 . 
     
     
       31. A transgenic plant produced by the method of  claim 22 . 
     
     
       32. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide sequence that encodes a transcription factor, wherein the transcription factor comprises a TFIIIA zinc finger motif and a C terminal hydrophobic region, and alters a character of a plant, wherein the character of the plant is selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, decreased size of the plant, and an increased number of branches, wherein the TFIIIA zinc finger motif comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 , the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 , and the polynucleotide sequence has at least  90 %  sequence identity to the  90 th position to the  728 th position of SEQ ID NO: 1 .   
     
     
       33. A method for producing a transgenic plant, comprising:
   introducing into a plant cell a nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide sequence that encodes a transcription factor, wherein the transcription factor comprises a TFIIIA zinc finger motif and a C terminal hydrophobic region, wherein the TFIIIA zinc finger motif comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 , the C terminal hydrophobic region comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19 , and the polynucleotide sequence has at least  90   %  sequence identity to the  90 th position to the  728 th position of SEQ ID NO: 1 ;        regenerating a plant from the plant cell; and        selecting a plant with an altered character compared to a non - transgenic plant, wherein the character of the plant is selected from the group consisting of the morphology of a flower, the color of a flower, decreased size of the plant, and an increased number of branches.     
     
     
       34. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledon. 
     
     
       35. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the plant is a member of the Solanaceae family. 
     
     
       36. A method according to  claim 35 , wherein the plant is a member of the Petunia genus. 
     
     
       37. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the nucleic acid is a plant expression vector. 
     
     
       38. A transgenic plant produced by the method of  claim 33 .