NZ526378A - Nucleic acid fragments encoding floral development proteins in plants and seeds - Google Patents

Abstract

An isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding floral development proteins, more specifically a FT homolog. Also disclosed is the construction of a recombinant DNA construct encoding all or a portion of the floral development proteins, In sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the recombinant DNA construct results in production of altered levels of FT in an isolated transformed host cell.

Description

WO 02/44390 PCT/USO1/43750 TITLE FLORAL DEVELOPMENT GENES This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/253,415, filed November 28, 2000, the entire contents of which are hereby 5 incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of plant molecular biology. More specifically, this invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding floral development proteins in plants and seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Flowering in plants is a consequence of the transition of the shoot apex from vegetative to reproductive growth in response to environmental and internal signals. Currently, there is little information about how plants coordinate the activities of the ceils that give rise to reproductive plant tissues, however, research has focused on 15 identifying the genes that control this developmental process. Floral homeotic genes that control the specification of meristem and organ identity in developing flowers have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and Antirrhinum majus. Most of these genes belong to a large family of regulatory genes that possess a characteristic DNA binding domain known as the MADS-box. Members of this gene 20 family display primarily floral-specific expression and are homologous to transcription factors found in several animal and fungal species. Molecular evolutionary analysis reveal that there are appreciable differences in the substitution rates between different domains of these plant MADS-box genes. Phylogenetic analysis also demonstrate that members of the plant MADS-box gene family are 25 organized into several distinct gene groups: the AGAMOUS, APETALA3 (Ap3) /PISTILLATA and APETALA1/AGL9 groups. Several genes that belong to the APETALA3 (Ap3) group have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana (Jack et al., (1992) Cell. 68:683-697). Genes of this group have been shown to play a role in the control of organ identity of petals and stamens during floral development (Bowman 30 et al., (1989) Plant Cell 1:37-52 and Bowman et al., (1991) Development 172:1-20; Weigel and Meyerowitz (1994) Cell 78:203-209; Coen and Meyerowitz (1991) Nature 353:31-37; WO S3/21322). Thus, the shared evolutionary history of members of a gene group appear to reflect the distinct functional roles these MAD-box genes play in flower development.

The flowering locus T gene (FT) encodes a protein that appears to be involved in the regulating plant growth by controling the rate at which maturation occurs. For example, an increase in FT function has been shown to produce early 1 flowering (Kardailsky et al., (1999) Science 286:1962-1965). Thus the FT gene may be useful to accelerate flowering in various crops.

The deduced sequence of the FT protein is similar to the sequence of TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) and shares sequence similarity with membrane-5 associated mammalian proteins (Kardailsky et al., (1999) Science 286:1962-1965). TFL1 in Arabidopsis, and the homologous Antirrhinum gene CENTRORADIALIS (CEN) play a key role in determining inflorescence architecture (Bradley et al. (1997) Science 275:80-83; WO 97/10339; WO 99/53070).

There is a great deal of interest in identifying the genes that encode proteins 10 involved in cellular differentiation in plants. These genes may be used in plant cells to control development. Accordingly, the availability of nucleic acid sequences encoding all or a portion of an Ap3 or FT or TFL1 gene homolog would facilitate studies to better understanding development in plants and provide genetic tools to enhance or otherwise alter plant developmental processes. Nucleic acid fragments 15 encoding Ap3 homologs may be useful for engineering plant sterility/fertility, and flower development and morphology. Nucleic acid fragments encoding FT or TFL1 homologs may be useful for engineering flowering time, plant growth rate, inflorescence architecture, and tissue culture morphology and rate of cell division to enhance transformation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of: SEQ ID NO:8, 10, 12,14,16, 18 or 54 have at least 80% sequence identity; SEQ ID 25 NO:22 has at least 85% sequence identity; and SEQ ID N0:20 has at least 95% sequence identity. Also disclosed are isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT or Ap3 homolog activity wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 20 34, 36, 38, 40, 42,44, 46, 48, 50, 56, 58, or 60 have at least 80% sequence identity.

It is preferred that the identity be at least 85%, it is preferable if the identity is at least 90%, it is more preferred that the identity be at least 95%. The present invention also relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence contain the same 35 number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary. More specifically, the present invention concerns isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, 10, 12, 14,16,18, 20, 22, or 54 or nucleotide sequences comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, 9,11, 13,15,17,19, 21 or 53.

Also disclosed are isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6,24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 56, 58, or 60 or nucleotide sequences comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1,3, 5, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39, 41,43,45,47, 49, 55, 57, or 59. 2 (followed by page 2a) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z.

I 0 MAY 2006 More specifically: In a first aspect the invention provides an isolated polynucleotide comprising: (a) a first nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10, 12,14,16,18, or 54, have at least 80% sequence identity , or (b) a second nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22, have at least 85% sequence identity or (c) a third nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20, has at least 95% sequence identity , or (d) the complement of the first, second or third nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary.

In a further aspect the invention provides an isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence, wherein the first nucleotide sequence contains at least 30 nucleotides, and wherein the first nucleotide sequence is comprised by another polynucleotide, wherein the other polynucleotide includes: (a) a second nucleotide sequence, wherein the second nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16,18, or 54, having at least 80% sequence identity , or 1 1 IN I tLLtU 1 urn- 2a (followed by page 2b) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 7 APR 2007 received (b) a third nucleotide sequence, wherein the third nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22, having at least 85% sequence identity ., or (c) a fourth nucleotide sequence, wherein the fifth nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20 has at least 95% sequence identity lf or (d) the complement of the second, third or fourth nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the second, third or fourth nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary.

In a further aspect the invention provides an isolated polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino add sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16,18, or 54, have at least 80% identity.

In a first embodiment, the present invention concerns an isolated polynucleotide comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide 2b (followed by page 3) tntellectual^ROPER^ OFFICE OF NX 2 7 APR 2007 RECEIVER comprising at least 50,100,150,160,170, 175, or 200, amino acids, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of: SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12, 14,16,18 or 54 have at least 80%; SEQ ID NO:22 has at least 85%; and SEQ ID N0:20 has at least 95% identity wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary. The polypeptide preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8,10,12,14, 16,18, 20, 22 or 54. The nucleotide sequence preferably comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, 9,11, 13,15,17, 19, 21 or 53. The polypeptide preferably is a FT homolog.

Also disclosed is an isolated polynucleotide comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising at least 50,100,150,160,170,175, or 200, amino acids, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of Of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46,48, 50, 56,58, or 60 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, or (b) the complement of the nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary. The polypeptide may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44,46, 48, 50, 56, 58 or 60. The nucleotide sequence may comprise the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5,23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45,47, 49, 55, 57 or 59. The polypeptide may be a FT or Ap3 homolog.

In a second embodiment, the present invention relates to a recombinant DNA construct comprising any of the isolated polynucleotides of the present invention operably linked to a regulatory sequence, and a cell, a plant, and a seed comprising the recombinant DNA construct.

In a third embodiment, the present invention relates to a vector comprising any of the isolated polynucleotides of the present invention.

In a fourth embodiment, the present invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence comprised by any of the polynucleotides of the first embodiment, wherein the nucleotide sequence contains at least 30,40, 50,60,100,150,160,170,175, or 200 nucleotides.

In a fifth embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for transforming a cell comprising transforming a cell with any of the isolated polynucleotides of the present invention, and the cell transformed by this method. Advantageously, the cell is eukaryotic, e.g., a yeast or plant cell, or prokaryotic, e.g., a bacterium. , or (b) the complement of the nucleotide sequence, 3 (followed by page 3a) In a sixth embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for producing a transgenic plant comprising transforming a plant cell with any of the isolated polynucleotides of the present invention and regenerating a plant from the transformed plant cell. The invention also concerns the transgenic plant produced by this method, and the seed obtained from this transgenic plant.

In a seventh embodiment, the present invention concerns an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence comprising at least 50,100,150, 160,170, 175, or 200, amino acids, wherein the amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of: SEQ ID NO:8, 10, 12,14, 16,18 or 54 have at least 80%; SEQ ID NO:22 has at least 85%; and SEQ ID N0:20 has at least 3a (followed by page 4) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 0 MAY 2006 RICEIVED 95% identity. The amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:: 8, ,12, 14, 16, 18,20,22, or 54.

The polypeptide preferably is a FT homolog.

Also disclosed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence comprising at least 50,100, 150, 160,170,175, or 200, amino acids, wherein the amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2,4,6, 24, 26, 28, ,32, 34, 36, 38,40,42,44,46,48, 50, 56,58, or 60 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method. The amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42,44, 46, 48, 50, 56, 58, or 60. The polypeptide maybe. a FT or Ap3 homolog.

In an eight embodiment, the invention concerns a method for isolating a polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide of the present invention comprising isolating the polypeptide from a cell containing a recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory sequence, with the proviso that the cell does not form part of a human being.

Also disclosed is a method for isolating a polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide disclosed comprising isolating the polypeptide from a cell containing a recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory sequence.

Also disclosed is a virus, preferably a baculovirus, comprising any of the isolated polynucleotides disclosed or any of the recombinant DNA constructs disclosed.

Also disclosed is a method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a gene encoding a FT or Ap3 homolog protein or activity in a host cell, preferably a plant cell, the method comprising the steps ot (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention or an isolated recombinant DNA construct of the present invention; (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide or the isolated recombinant DNA construct into a host cell; (c) measuring the level of the FT or Ap3 homolog protein or activity in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide; and (d) comparing the level of the FT or Ap3 homolog protein or activity in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide with the level of the FT or Ap3 homolog protein or activity in the host cell that does not contain the isolated polynucleotide.

Also disclosed is a method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a substantial portion of a FT or Ap3 homolog protein, preferably a plant FT or Ap3 homolog protein comprising the steps of: synthesizing an oligonucleotide primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 (preferably at least 40, most preferably at least 60) contiguous nucleotides (pram property QFHCbl 4 (followed by page 4a) OF N.Z. 2 J JUN 2007 RECEIVED derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 7, 9,11,13,15, 17,19,21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33,37, 39, 41, 43,45, 47, 49, 53, 55, 57, or 59, and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; and I amplifying a nucleic acid fragment (preferably a cDNA inserted in a cloning vector) | using the oligonucleotide primer. The amplified nucleic acid fragment preferably will | encode a substantial portion of a FT or Ap3 homolog amino acid sequence.

Also disclosed is a method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequence encoding a FT or Ap3 homolog protein comprising the steps of: probing a cDNA or genomic library with an isolated polynucleotide disclosed i; 4a (followed by page 5) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. \ o MAY 2006 RECEIVED identifying a DNA clone that hybridizes with an isolated polynucleotide disclosedi; isolating the identified DNA clone; and sequencing the cDNA or genomic fragment that comprises the isolated DNA clone.

\ Also disclosed is a method for positive selection of a transformed cell comprising: (a) transforming a host cell with the recombinant DNA construct disclosed or an expression cassette disclosed; and (b) growing the transformed host cell, prererably a plant cell, such as a monocot or a dicot, under conditions which allow expression of the FT or Ap3 homolog polynucleotide in an amount sufficient to complement a null 10 mutant, or a conditional null mutant, to provide a positive selection means.

Also disclosed is a method of altering the level of expression of a FT or Ap3 homolog protein in a host cell comprising: (a) transforming a host cell with a recombinant DNA construct disclosed; and (b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are 15 suitable for expression of the recombinant DNA construct wherein expression of the recombinant DNA construct results in production of altered levels of the FT or Ap3 homolog protein in the transformed host cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND SEQUENCE LISTINGS 20 The invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings and Sequence Listing which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 depicts an alignment of amino acid sequences of FT homologs encoded by nucleotide sequences derived from a contig assembled from balsam 25 pear clones fds.pk0003.h2, fds.pk0026.d10, and fds1n.pk001 .p18 (SEQ ID NO:4), garden balsam clone ids.pk0031.a5 (SEQ ID NO:6), contig assembled from corn clones cbn10.pk0052.f5, cbn2.pk0035.f12, cco1n.pk0010.h3, p0095.cwsas14f, p0119.cmtmg45rb, and p0128.cpicl42r (SEQ ID NO:8), com clone cc71se~ b.pk0003.h10 (SEQ ID N0:10), com clone cco1n.pk0037.d10 (SEQ ID NO:12), 30 contig assembled from corn clones cen3n.pk0004.e9, cen3n.pk0047.h7, cen3n.pk0093.f1, cen3n.pk0165.f1, and p0120.cdeae63r(SEQ ID NO:14), corn clone p0014.ctush42r (SEQ ID NO:16), corn clone p0081.chcad07r (SEQ ID NO:18), corn clone p0104.cabak14rb (SEQ ID N0:20), corn clone p0118.chsaq04rb (SEQ ID NO:22), rice clone r!s24.pk0017.c7 (SEQ ID N0:30), rice clone 35 rr1 .pk0043.f9 (SEQ ID N0:32), contig assembled from soybean clones se3.pk0036.g4 and se6.pk0039.h6 (SEQ ID N0:36), soybean clone srr2c.pk002.o7 (SEQ ID N0:38), contig assembled from soybean clone ss!.pk0007.a9 and a PCR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 0 MAY 2006 RECEIVED fragment sequence (SEQ ID N0:40), wheat clone wdk2c.pk012.o17 (SEQ ID NO:42), and wheat clone wdk9n1 .pk001 .o20 (SEQ ID NO:44) and Oryza sativa (NCBI Gl No. 5360178; SEQ ID NO:51). Amino acids which are conserved among all and at least two sequences with an amino acid at that position are indicated with 5 an asterisk (*). Dashes are used by the program to maximize alignment of the sequences.

Figure 2 depicts an alignment of amino acid sequences of Ap3 homologs encoded by nucleotide sequences derived from corn clone cta1n.pk0050.f8 (SEQ ID NO:46), corn clone ctn1c.pk002.j23 (SEQ ID N0:48), soybean clone 10 sfl1n.pk001.M6 (SEQ ID N0:50), and Oryza sativa (NCBI Gl No. 5295980; SEQ ID NO:52). Amino acids which are conserved among all and at least two sequences with an amino acid at that position are indicated with an asterisk (*). Dashes are used by the program to maximize alignment of the sequences.

Table 1 lists the polypeptides that are described herein, the designation of 15 the cDNA clones that comprise the nucleic acid fragments encoding polypeptides representing all or a substantial portion of these polypeptides, and the corresponding identifier (SEQ ID NO:) as used in the attached Sequence Listing. The sequence descriptions and Sequence Listing attached hereto comply with the rules governing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures in patent 20 applications as set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.821-1.825.

TABLE 1 Floral Development Proteins SEQ ID NO: Protein (Plant Source) Clone Designation FT Homolog (Peruvian Lily) eal1c.pk006.e6 1 2 FT Homolog (Balsam Pear) Contig of fds.pk0003.h2 fds.pk0026.d10 fds1n.pk001.p18 3 4 FT Homolog (Garden ids.pk0031.a5 6 Balsam) FT Homolog (Corn) Contig of Cbn10.pk0052.f5 Cbn2.pk0035.f12 cco1n.pk0010.h3 p0095.cwsas14f p0119.cmtmg45rb p0128.cpicI42r 7 8 6 PCT/USO1/43750 SEQ ID NO: Protein (Plant Source) Clone Designation (Nucleotide) (Amino Acid) FT Homolog (Corn) cc71se-b.pk0003.h10 9 FT Homolog (Corn) cco1n.pk0037.d10 11 12 FT Homolog (Corn) Contig of cen3n.pk0004.e9 cen3n.pk0047.h7 cen3n.pk0093.f1 cen3n.pk0165.f1 p0120.cdeae63r 13 14 FT Homolog (Corn) p0014.ctush42r 16 FT Homolog (Corn) p0081.chcad07r 17 18 FT Homolog (Corn) p0104.cabak14rb 19 FT Homolog (Corn) p0118.chsaq04rb 21 22 FT Homolog (Rice) rbm1c.pk001.a6 23 24 FT Homolog (Rice) Contig of rl0n.pk0022.h10 rl0n.pk0022.h11 26 FT Homolog (Rice) rlr48.pk0001.b1 27 28 FT Homolog (Rice) rls24.pk0017.c7 29 FT Homolog (Rice) rr1 .pk0043.f9 31 32 FT Homolog (Rice) rsr9n.pk001.d1 33 34 FT Homolog (Soybean) Contig of se3.pk0036.g4 se6.pk0039.h6 36 FT Homolog (Soybean) srr2c.pk002.o7 37 38 FT Homolog (Soybean) Contig of ssl.pk0007.a9 PCR fragment sequence 39 40 FT Homolog (Wheat) wdk2c.pk012.o17 41 42 FT Homolog (Wheat) wdk9n1.pk001.o20 43 44 Ap3 Homolog (Corn) cta1n.pk0050.f8 45 46 Ap3 Homolog (Corn) ctn1c.pk002.j23 47 48 Ap3 Homolog (Soybean) sfl1n.pk001.l16 49 50 FT Homolog (Com) Cta1n.pk0058.d11b 53 54 FT Homolog (Rice) rbm1c.pk001.a6:fis 55 56 FT Homolog (Rice) rl0n.pk0022.h10:fis 57 58 FT Homolog (Rice) rsr9n.pk001.d1:fis 59 60 The Sequence Listing contains the one letter code for nucleotide sequence characters and the three letter codes for amino acids as defined in conformity with the IUPAC-IUBMB standards described in Nucleic Acids Res. 73:3021-3030 (1985) and in the Biochemical J. 219 (No. 2):345-373 (1984) which are herein incorporated 5 by reference. The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the context of this disclosure, a number of terms shall be utilized. The terms "polynucleotide", "polynucleotide sequence", "nucleic acid sequence", and 10 "nucleic acid fragment7"isolated nucleic acid fragment" are used interchangeably herein. These terms encompass nucleotide sequences and the like. A polynucleotide may be a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, that optionally contains synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. A polynucleotide in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more 15 segments of cDNA, genomic DNA, synthetic DNA, or mixtures thereof. An isolated polynucleotide of the present invention may include at least 30 contiguous nucleotides, preferably at least 40 contiguous nucleotides, most preferably at least 60 contiguous nucleotides derived from SEQ ID NO: 7, 9,11, 13, 15,17, 19, 21, 53, or the complement of such sequences.

Also disclosed are isolated polynucleotides that may include at least 30 contiguous nucleotides, preferably at least 40 contiguous nucleotides, most preferably at least 60 contiguous nucleotides derived from SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39,41,43, 45, 47,49, 55, 57, or 59, or the 20 complement of such sequences.

The term "isolated" refers to materials, such as nucleic acid molecules and/or proteins, which are substantially free or otherwise removed from components that normally accompany or interact with the materials in a naturally occurring environment. Isolated polynucleotides may be purified from a host cell in which 25 they naturally occur. Conventional nucleic acid purification methods known to skilled artisans may be used to obtain isolated polynucleotides. The term also embraces recombinant polynucleotides and chemically synthesized polynucleotides.

The term "recombinant" means, for example, that a nucleic acid sequence is 30 made by an artificial combination of two otherwise separated segments of sequence, e.g., by chemipal synthesis or by the manipulation of isolated nucleic acids by genetic engineering techniques.

As used herein, "contig" refers to a nucleotide sequence that is assembled from two or more constituent nucleotide sequences that share common or 35 overlapping regions of sequence homology. For example, the nucleotide sequences of two or more nucleic acid fragments can be compared and aligned in order to identify common or overlapping sequences. Where co 8 cLLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. \ o MAY 2006 PCT/USO1/43750 overlapping sequences exist between two or more nucleic acid fragments, the sequences (and thus their corresponding nucleic acid fragments) can be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide sequence.

As used herein, "substantially similar" refers to nucleic acid fragments 5 wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases results in substitution of one or more amino acids, but do not affect the functional properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence. "Substantially similar" also refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases does not affect the ability of the nucleic acid fragment to mediate alteration of gene expression by 10 gene silencing through for example antisense or co-suppression technology.

"Substantially similar" also refers to modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention such as deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that do not substantially affect the functional properties of the resulting transcript vis-a-vis the ability to mediate gene silencing or alteration of the functional properties of the 15 resulting protein molecule. It is therefore understood that the invention encompasses more than the specific exemplary nucleotide or amino acid sequences and includes functional equivalents thereof. The terms "substantially similar" and "corresponding substantially" are used interchangeably herein.

Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may be selected by screening 20 nucleic acid fragments representing subfragments or modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention, wherein one or more nucleotides are substituted, deleted and/or inserted, for their ability to affect the level of the polypeptide encoded by the unmodified nucleic acid fragment in a plant or plant cell. For example, a substantially similar nucleic acid fragment representing at least 25 30 contiguous nucleotides, preferably at least 40 contiguous nucleotides, most preferably at least 60 contiguous nucleotides derived from the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed and introduced into a plant or plant cell. The level of the polypeptide encoded by the unmodified nucleic acid fragment present in a plant or plant cell exposed to the substantially similar nucleic fragment can then be 30 compared to the level of the polypeptide in a plant or plant cell that is not exposed to the substantially similar nucleic acid fragment.

For example, it is well known in the art that antisense suppression and co-suppression of gene expression may be accomplished using nucleic acid fragments representing less than the entire coding region of a gene, and by using nucleic acid 35 fragments that do not share 100% sequence identity with the gene to be suppressed. Moreover, alterations in a nucleic acid fragment which result in the production of a chemically equivalent amino acid at a given site, but do not effect 9 the functional properties of the encoded polypeptide, are well known in the art.

Thus, a codon for the amino acid alanine, a hydrophobic amino acid, may be substituted by a codon encoding another less hydrophobic residue, such as glycine, or a more hydrophobic residue, such as valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Similarly, 5 changes which result in substitution of one negatively charged residue for another, such as aspartic acid for glutamic acid, or one positively charged residue for another, such as lysine for arginine, can also be expected td produce a functionally equivalent product. Nucleotide changes which result in alteration of the N-terminaf and C-terminal portions of the polypeptide molecule would also not be expected to 10 alter the activity of the polypeptide. Each of the proposed modifications is well within the routine skill in the art, as is determination of retention of biological activity of the encoded products. Consequently, an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 (preferably at least 40, most preferably at least 60) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the 15 group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 7, 9,11, 13,15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39, 41,43, 45,47,49, 53, 55, 57, or 59, and the complement of such nucleotide sequences may be used to affect the expression and/or function of a FT or Ap3 homolog in a host cell. A method of using an isolated polynucleotide to affect the level of expression of a polypeptide in a host cell (eukaryotic, such as 20 plant or yeast, prokaryotic such as bacterial) may comprise the steps of: constructing an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention or an isolated chimeric gene of the present invention; introducing the isolated polynucleotide or the isolated chimeric gene into a host cell; measuring the level of a polypeptide or enzyme activity in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide; and 25 comparing the level of a polypeptide or enzyme activity in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide with the level of a polypeptide or enzyme activity in a host cell that does not contain the isolated polynucleotide.

Moreover, substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may also be characterized by their ability to hybridize. Estimates of such homology are provided 30 by either DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization under conditions of stringency as is well understood by those skilled in the art (Hames and Higgins, Eds. (1985) Nucleic Acid Hybridisation, lRL Press, Oxford, U.K.). Stringency conditions can be adjusted to screen for moderately similar fragments, such as homologous sequences from distantly related organisms, to highly similar fragments, such as genes that duplicate 35 functional enzymes from closely related organisms. Post-hybridization washes determine stringency conditions. One set of preferred conditions uses a series of washes starting with 6X SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min, then WO 02/44390 PCT/US01/43750 repeated with 2X SSC, 0.5% SDS at 45°C for 30 min, and then repeated twice with 0.2X SSC, 0.5% SDS at 50°C for 30 min. A more preferred set of stringent conditions uses higher temperatures in which the washes are identical to those above except for the temperature of the final two 30 min washes in 0.2X SSC, 0.5% 5 SDS was increased to 60°C. Another preferred set of highly stringent conditions uses two final washes in 0.1X SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65°C.

Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be characterized by the percent identity of the amino acid sequences that they encode to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein, as determined by algorithms 10 commonly employed by those skilled in this art. Suitable nucleic acid fragments (isolated polynucleotides of the present invention) encode polypeptides that are at least about 70% identical, preferably at least about 80% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Preferred nucleic acid fragments encode amino acid sequences that are at least about 85% identical to the amino acid sequences 15 reported herein. More preferred nucleic acid fragments enoode amino acid sequences that are at least about 90% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Most preferred are nucleic acid fragments that encode amino acid sequences that are at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Suitable nucleic acid fragments not only have the above identities 20 but typically encode a polypeptide having at least 50 amino acids, preferably at least 100 amino acids, more preferably at least 150 amino acids, still more preferably at least 200 amino acids, and most preferably at least 250 amino acids. Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., 25 Madison, Wl). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5.

A "substantial portion" of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises an amino acid or a nucleotide sequence that is sufficient to afford putative identification of the protein or gene that the amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises.

Amino acid and nucleotide sequences can be evaluated either manually by one skilled in the art, or by using computer-based sequence comparison and 35 identification tools that employ algorithms such as BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 275:403-410; see also the explanation of the BLAST alogarithm on the world wide web site for the National 11 PCT/USO1/43750 Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health). In general, a sequence often or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more contiguous nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a 5 known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene-specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 30 or more contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12 or more 10 nucleotides may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a "substantial portion" of a nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence that will afford specific identification and/or isolation of a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches amino acid and nucleotide sequences 15 encoding polypeptides that comprise one or more particular plant proteins. The skilled artisan, having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as 20 substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

"Codon degeneracy" refers to divergence in the genetic code permitting variation of the nucleotide sequence without effecting the amino acid sequence of an encoded polypeptide. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to any nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes all or a substantial 25 portion of the amino acid sequences set forth herein. The skilled artisan is well aware of the "codon-bias" exhibited by a specific host cell in usage of nucleotide codons to specify a given amino acid. Therefore, when synthesizing a nucleic acid fragment for improved expression in a host cell, it is desirable to design the nucleic acid fragment such that its frequency of codon usage approaches the frequency of 30 preferred codon usage of the host cell.

"Synthetic nucleic acid fragments" can be assembled from oligonucleotide building blocks that are chemically synthesized using procedures known to those skilled in the art. These building blocks are ligated and annealed to form larger nucleic acid fragments which may then be enzymatically assembled to construct the 35 entire desired nucleic acid fragment. "Chemically synthesized", as related to a nucleic acid fragment, means that the component nucleotides were assembled in vitro. Manual chemical synthesis of nucleic acid fragments may be accomplished 12 using well established procedures, or automated chemical synthesis can be performed using one of a number of commercially available machines. Accordingly, the nucleic acid fragments can be tailored for optimal gene expression based on optimization of the nucleotide sequence to reflect the codon bias of the host cell.

The skilled artisan appreciates the likelihood of successful gene expression if codon usage is biased towards those codons favored by the host. Determination of preferred codons can be based on a survey of genes derived from the host cell where sequence information is available.

"Gene" refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses a specific protein, 10 including regulatory sequences preceding (51 non-coding sequences) and following (3' non-coding sequences) the coding sequence. "Native gene" refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. "Chimeric gene" refers any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory 15 sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources, or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. "Endogenous gene" refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism. A "foreign-gene" refers to a gene not normally found in the host organism, but that is 20 introduced into the host organism by gene transfer. Foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native organism, or chimeric genes. A "transgene" is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

"Coding sequence" refers to a nucleotide sequence that codes for a specific amino acid sequence. "Regulatory sequences" refer to nucleotide sequences 25 located upstream (5' non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (31 non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence.

Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, and polyadenylation recognition sequences.

"Promoter" refers to a nucleotide sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3' to a promoter sequence. The promoter sequence consists of proximal and more distal upstream elements, the latter elements often referred to as enhancers. Accordingly, an "enhancer" is a nucleotide sequence which can 35 stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or may be 13 composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or may even comprise synthetic nucleotide segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to 5 different environmental conditions. Promoters which cause a nucleic acid fragment to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as "constitutive promoters". New promoters of various types useful in plant cells are constantly being discovered; numerous examples may be found in the compilation by Okamuro and Goldberg (1989) Biochemistry of Plants 75:1-82. It is further 10 recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, nucleic acid fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity.

"Translation leader sequence" refers to a nucleotide sequence located between the promoter sequence of a gene and the coding sequence. The 15 translation leader sequence is present in the fully processed mRNA upstream of the translation start sequence. The translation leader sequence may affect processing of the primary transcript to mRNA, mRNA stability or translation efficiency.

Examples of translation leader sequences have been described (Turner and Foster (1995) Mol. Biotechnol. 3:225-236). "3" non-coding sequences" refer to nucleotide sequences located downstream of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenyiic acid tracts to the 3' end of the 25 mRNA precursor. The use of different 3' non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht et al. (1989) Plant Ceil 7:671-680.

"RNA transcript" refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcript is a perfect complementary copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript 30 or it may be a RNA sequence derived from post-transcriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA. "Messenger RNA (mRNA)" refers to the RNA that is without introns and that can be translated into polypeptides by the cell. "cDNA" refers to DNA that is complementary to and derived from an mRNA template. The cDNA can be single-stranded or converted to double 35 stranded form using, for example, the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I. "Sense-RNA" refers to an RNA transcript that includes the mRNA and so can be translated into a polypeptide by the cell. "Antisense RNA" refers to an RNA 14 PCT/US01/4375Q transcript that is complementary to aii or part of a target primary transcript or mRNA and that blocks the expression of a target gene (see U.S. Patent No. 5,107,065, incorporated herein by reference). The complementarity of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific nucleotide sequence, i.e., at the 5' non-coding 5 sequence, 3' non-coding sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. "Functional RNA" refers to sense RNA, antisense RNA, ribozyme RNA, or other RNA that may not be translated but yet has an effect on cellular processes.

The term "operably linked" refers to the association of two or more nucleic acid fragments on a single polynucleotide so that the function of one is affected by 10 the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of affecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

The term "expression", as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable 15 accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide. "Antisense inhibition" refers to the production of antisense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of the target protein. "Overexpression" refers to the production of a gene product in transgenic organisms 20 that exceeds levels of production in normal or non-transformed organisms. "Co-suppression" refers to the production of sense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of identical or substantially similar foreign or endogenous genes (U.S. Patent No. 5,231,020, incorporated herein by reference).

A "protein" or "polypeptide" is a chain of amino acids arranged in a specific 25 order determined by the coding sequence in a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide. Each protein or polypeptide has a unique function.

"Altered levels" or "altered expression" refers to the production of gene produces) in transgenic organisms in amounts or proportions that differ from that of normal or non-transformed organisms.

"Mature protein" or the term "mature" when used in describing a protein refers to a post-translationally processed polypeptide; i.e., one from which any pre-or propeptides present in the primary translation product have been removed. "Precursor protein" or the term "precursor" when used in describing a protein refers to the primary product of translation of mRNA; i.e., with pre- and propeptides still 35 present. Pre- and propeptides may be but are not limited to intracellular localization signals.

A "chloroplast transit peptide" is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the chloroplast or other plastid types present in the cell in which the protein is made. "Chloroplast transit sequence" refers to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a chloroplast transit 5 peptide. A "signal peptide" is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the secretory system (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53). If the protein is to be directed to a vacuole, a vacuolar targeting signal (supra) can further be added, or if to the endoplasmic reticulum, an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal (supra) 10 may be added. If the protein is to be directed to the nucleus, any signal peptide present should be removed and instead a nuclear localization signal included (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 700:1627-1632).

"Transformation" refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host organism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host 15 organisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as "transgenic" organisms. Examples of methods of plant transformation include Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (De Blaere et al. (1987) Meth. Enzymoi. 143:277) and particle-accelerated or "gene gun" transformation technology (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73; U.S. Patent No. 4,945,050, incorporated 20 herein by reference). Thus, isolated polynucleotides of the present invention can be incorporated into recombinant constructs, typically DNA constructs, capable of introduction into and replication in a host cell. Such a construct can be a vector that includes a replication system and sequences that are capable of transcription and translation of a polypeptide-encoding sequence in a given host cell. A number of 25 vectors suitable for stable transfection of plant cells or for the establishment of transgenic plants have been described in, e.g., Pouwels et al., Cloning Vectors: A Laboratory Manual, 1985, supp. 1987; Weissbach and Weissbach, Methods for Plant Molecular Biology, Academic Press, 1989; and Flevin et al., Plant Molecular Biology Manual, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1990. Typically, plant expression 30 vectors include, for example, one or more cloned plant genes under the transcriptional control of 5' and 3' regulatory sequences and a dominant selectable marker. Such plant expression vectors also can contain a promoter regulatory region (e.g., a regulatory region controlling inducible or constitutive, environmentally- or developmentally-regulated, or cell- or tissue-specific . 35 expression), a transcription initiation start site, a ribosome binding site, an RNA processing signal, a transcription termination site, and/or a polyadenylation signal. 16 Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used herein are well known in the art and are described more fully in Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbor, 1989 (hereinafter "Maniatis").

"PCR" or "polymerase chain reaction" is well known by those skilled in the art as a technique used for the amplification of specific DNA segments (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,800,159).

Also disclosed is an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a FT or Ap3 homolog polypeptide having: at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% identity, when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8,10, 12, 14,16, 18 or 54; at least 85%, 90% or 95% or when 100% identity when compared to SEQ ID NO:22; or at least 95% or 100% identity when compared to SEQ ID N0:20, based on the Clustal method of alignment.

Also disclosed is an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a FT or Ap3 homolog polypeptide having at least 10 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% identity, based on the Clustal method of alignment, when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46,48,50, 56, 58, or 60.

This invention also relates to the isolated complement of such 15 polynucleotides, wherein the complement and the polynucleotide consist of the same number of nucleotides, and the nucleotide sequences of the complement and the polynucleotide have 100% complementarity.

Nucleic acid fragments encoding at least a portion of several floral development proteins have been isolated and identified by comparison of random 20 plant cDNA sequences to public databases containing nucleotide and protein sequences using the BLAST algorithms well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to isolate cDNAs and genes encoding homologous proteins from, the same or other plant species.

Isolation of homologous genes using sequence-dependent protocols is well known 25 in the art. Examples of sequence-dependent protocols include, but are not limited to, methods of nucleic acid hybridization, and methods of DNA and RNA amplification as exemplified by yarious uses of nucleic acid amplification technologies (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction).

For example, genes encoding other FT or Ap3 homolog, either as cDNAs or 30 genomic DNAs, could be isolated directly by using all or a portion of the instant nucleic add fragments as DNA hybridization probes to screen libraries from any desired plant employing methodology well known to those skilled in the art. Specific oligonucleotide probes based upon the instant nucleic acid sequences can be designed and synthesized by methods known in the art (Maniatis). Moreover, an entire sequence can be used directly to synthesize DNA probes by methodfeikw6v^ctual property | QFRGfc U** N.fc.. to the skilled artisan such as random primer DNA labeling, nick translation, tend- labeling techniques, or RNA probes using available in vitro transcription syatems.2$ APR 2007 17 'received addition, specific primers can be designed and used to amplify a part or all of the instant sequences. The resulting amplification products can be labeled directly during amplification reactions or labeled after amplification reactions, and used as probes to isolate full length cDNA or genomic fragments under conditions of 5 appropriate stringency.

In addition, two short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols to amplify longer nucleic acid fragments encoding homologous genes from DNA or RNA. The polymerase chain reaction may also be performed on a library of cloned nucleic acid fragments 10 wherein the sequence of one primer is derived from the instant nucleic acid fragments, and the sequence of the other primer takes advantage of the presence of the polyadenyiic acid tracts to the 3' end of the mRNA precursor encoding plant genes. Alternatively, the second primer sequence may be based upon sequences derived from the cloning vector. For example, the skilled artisan can follow the 15 RACE protocol (Frohman et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:8998-9002) to generate cDNAs by using PCR to amplify copies of the region between a single point in the transcript and the 3' or 5' end. Primers oriented in the 3' and 5' directions can be designed from the instant sequences. Using commercially available 3' RACE or 5' RACE systems (BRL), specific 3' or 5' cDNA fragments can 20 be isolated (Ohara et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5673-5677; Loh et al. (1989) Science 243:217-220). Products generated by the 3' and 5' RACE procedures can be combined to generate full-length cDNAs (Frohman and Martin (1989) Techniques 1:165). Consequently, a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least 30 (preferably at least 40, most preferably at least 60) 25 . contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,13, 15,17,19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39, 41,43, 45, 47, 49, 53, 55, 57, or 59 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences may be used in such methods to obtain a nucleic acid fragment encoding a substantial portion of an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide. 30 Availability of the instant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences facilitates immunological screening of cDNA expression libraries. Synthetic peptides representing portions of the instant amino acid sequences may be synthesized. These peptides can be used to immunize animals to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with specificity for peptides or proteins 35 comprising the amino acid sequences. These antibodies can be then be used to screen cDNA expression libraries to isolate full-length cDNA clones of interest (Lerner (1984) Adv. Immunol. 36:1-34; Maniatis). 18 PCT/USO1/43750 In another embodiment, this invention concerns viruses and host cells comprising either the chimeric genes of the invention as described herein or an isolated polynucleotide of the invention as described herein. Examples of host cells which can be used to practice the invention include, but are not limited to, yeast, 5 bacteria, and plants.

As was noted above, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to create transgenic plants in which the disclosed polypeptides are present at higher or lower levels than normal or in cell types or developmental stages in which they are not normally found. This would have the effect of altering floral 10 development and/or axillary meristems in transgenic plants. For instance, FT is an activator of flowering, while FT-like proteins (TFL) are repressor of flowering. Inhibition of TFL, or over-expression of FT, by chemical treatment, co-suppression, or mutation leads to a proliferation of flower formation which is useful for seed yield in crops such as corn, soybean, rice, and wheat. Over-expression of TFL, or 15 inhibition of FT, suppresses flower formation which is useful for crops such as spinach or lettuce where leaves are desired and seed formation is not. The use of conditional promoters to control FT or TFL expression allows one to control the timing of flower formation, to delay flowering when vegetative growth is advantageous, or accelerate flowering in breeding where reduced generation time is 20 desired. AP3 is required for the determination of the second and third whorls of the floral meristem which give rise to the petals and stamen. Suppression of AP3 has the effect of creating male-sterile flowers, which is advantageous in crops such as corn where outcrossing can lead to hybrid vigor. Induction of male-sterility in self-pollinating plants such as tomato has great commercial value in terms of breeding. 25 Overexpression of the proteins of the instant invention may be accomplished by first constructing a chimeric gene in which the coding region is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of a gene in the desired tissues at the desired stage of development. The chimeric gene may comprise promoter sequences and translation leader sequences derived from the same genes. 3' Non-30 coding sequences encoding transcription termination signals may also be provided. The instant chimeric gene may also comprise one or more introns in order to facilitate gene expression.

Plasmid vectors comprising the instant isolated polynucleotide (or chimeric gene) may be constructed. The choice of plasmid vector is dependent upon the 35 method that will be used to transform host plants. The skilled artisan is well aware of the genetic elements that must be present on the plasmid vector in order to successfully transform, select and propagate host cells containing the chimeric 19 PCT/USO1/43750 gene. The skilled artisan will also recognize that different independent transformation events will result in different levels and patterns of expression (Jones et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:2411-2418; De Almeida et al. (1989) Mol. Gen. Genetics 218:78-86), and thus that multiple events must be screened in order to obtain lines 5 displaying the desired expression level and pattern. Such screening may be accomplished by Southern analysis of DNA, Northern analysis of mRNA expression, Western analysis of protein expression, or phenotypic analysis.

For some applications it may be useful to direct the instant polypeptides to different cellular compartments, or to facilitate its secretion from the cell. It is thus 10 envisioned that the chimeric gene described above may be further supplemented by directing the coding sequence to encode the instant polypeptides with appropriate intracellular targeting sequences such as transit sequences (Keegstra (1989) Cell 56:247-253), signal sequences or sequences encoding endoplasmic reticulum localization (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53), or 15 nuclear localization signals (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632) with or without removing targeting sequences that are already present. While the references cited give examples of each of these, the list is not exhaustive and more targeting signals of use may be discovered in the future.

It may also be desirable to reduce or eliminate expression of genes encoding 20 the instant polypeptides in plants for some applications. In order to accomplish this, a chimeric gene designed for co-suppression of the instant polypeptide can be constructed by linking a gene or gene fragment encoding that polypeptide to plant promoter sequences. Alternatively, a chimeric gene designed to express antisense RNA for all or part of the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed by linking 25 the gene or gene fragment in reverse orientation to plant promoter sequences. Either the co-suppression or antisense chimeric genes could be introduced into plants via transformation wherein expression of the corresponding endogenous genes are reduced or eliminated.

Molecular genetic solutions to the generation of plants with altered gene 30 expression have a decided advantage over more traditional plant breeding approaches. Changes in plant phenotypes can be produced by specifically inhibiting expression of one or more genes by antisense inhibition or cosuppression (U.S. Patent Nos. 5,190,931, 5,107,065 and 5,283,323). An antisense or cosuppression construct would act as a dominant negative regulator of gene 35 activity. While conventional mutations can yield negative regulation of gene activity these effects are most likely recessive. The dominant negative regulation available with a transgenic approach may be advantageous from a breeding perspective. In addition, the ability to restrict the expression of a specific phenotype to the reproductive tissues of the plant by the use of tissue specific promoters may confer agronomic advantages relative to conventional mutations which may have an effect in all tissues in which a mutant gene is ordinarily expressed.

The person skilled in the art will know that special considerations are associated with the use of antisense or cosuppression technologies in order to reduce expression of particular genes. For example, the proper level of expression of sense or antisense genes may require the use of different chimeric genes utilizing different regulatory elements known to the skilled artisan. Once transgenic 10 plants are obtained by one of the methods described above, it will be necessary to screen individual transgenics for those that most effectively display the desired phenotype. Accordingly, the skilled artisan will develop methods for screening large numbers of transformants. The nature of these screens will generally be chosen on practical grounds. For example, one can screen by looking for changes in gene 15 expression by using antibodies specific for the protein encoded by the gene being suppressed, or one could establish assays that specifically measure enzyme activity. A preferred method will be one which allows large numbers of samples to be processed rapidly, since it will be expected that a large number of transformants will be negative for the desired phenotype.

Also disclosed is an isolated polypeptide comprising: (a) a first amino acid sequence comprising at least 50 or 100 amino acids, wherein the first amino acid sequence and the amino £cid sequence of SEQ ID N0:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:14 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (b) a second amino acid sequence comprising at least 100 amino acids, wherein the second amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity'based on the Clustal alignment method, (c) a third amino acid 3Q sequence comprising at least 150 amino acids, wherein the third amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% 21 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 ? APR 2007 receive! identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (d) a fourth amino acid sequence comprising at j least 160 amino acids, wherein the fourth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22 or SEQ ID NO:32 have at least 85%, 90%, or 95% 10 identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (e) a fifth ammo acid sequence comprising at least 170 amino acids, wherein the fifth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20 have at least 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method or (f) a sixth amino acid sequence comprising at least 175 amino acids, wherein the sixth amino acid sequence and the amino acid the Clustal alignment method. The first amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:10, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 14, or SEQ ID NO:42, the second amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, the third amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of 2Q SEQ ID NO:8, the fourth amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, the fifth amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20 and the sixth amino acid sequence preferably comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18. The polypeptide is a preferably FT homolog.

Also disclosed is an isolated polypeptide comprising: (a) a first amino acid sequence comprising at least 50 or 100 amino acids, wherein the first amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID N0:30, SEQ ID NO:34, or SEQ ID NO:42 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (b) a second amino acid sequence comprising at least 50 or 100 amino acids, wherein the second amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 have at least 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (c) a third amino acid sequence comprising at least 100 amino acids, wherein the third amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID N0:40 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (d) a fourth amino acid sequence comprising at least 100 amino acids, wherein the fourth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:24 have at least 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (e) a fifth amino acid sequence comprising at least 150 amino acids, wherein the fifth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44 have at least 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% 22 (followed by page 22a) INfEfcliCTUAL PROPERTY OPPICI OF N.Z. 1 0 MAY 2006 identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (f) a sixth amino acid sequence comprising at least 150 amino acids, wherein the sixth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:38 have at least 85%, 90%, or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (g) a seventh amino acid sequence 5 comprising at least 150 amino acids, wherein the seventh amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:50 have at least 90% or 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, (h) an eighth amino acid sequence comprising at least i60 amino acids, wherein the eighth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22 or SEQ ID NO:32 have at least 85%, 90%, or 95% identity (i) based on the Clustal alignment method (i) a ninth amino acid sequence comprising at least 200 amino acids, wherein the ninth amino acid sequence and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46 or SEQ ID NO:48 have at least 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method. The first amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO: 30, SEQ ID NO:34, or SEQ ID NO:42, the second amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, the third amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID N0:40, the fourth amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:24, the fifth amino acid sequence may comprise the amino 20 acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44, the sixth amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:38, the seventh amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:50, the eighth amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:32, and the ninth amino acid sequence may comprise the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46 or SEQ ID NO:48. The polypeptide preferably is a FT or Ap3 homolog. 22a (followed by page 23) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 0 MAY 2006 The instant polypeptides (or portions thereof) may be produced in heterologous host cells, particularly in the cells of microbial hosts, and can be used to prepare antibodies to these proteins by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The antibodies are useful for detecting the polypeptides of the instant 5 invention in situ in cells or in vitro in cell extracts. Preferred heterologous host cells for production of the instant polypeptides are microbial hosts. Microbial expression systems and expression vectors containing regulatory sequences that direct high level expression of foreign proteins are well known to those skilled in the art. Any of these could be used to construct a chimeric gene for production of the instant 10 polypeptides. This chimeric gene could then be introduced into appropriate microorganisms via transformation to provide high level expression of the encoded floral development protein. An example of a vector for high level expression of the instant polypeptides in a bacterial host is provided (Example 7).

All or a substantial portion of the polynucleotides of the instant invention may 15 also be used as probes for genetically and physically mapping the genes that they are a part of, and used as markers for traits linked to those genes. Such information may be useful in plant breeding in order to develop lines with desired phenotypes. For example, the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Southern blots 20 (Maniatis) of restriction-digested plant genomic DNA may be probed with the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention. The resulting banding patterns may then be subjected to genetic analyses using computer programs such as MapMaker (Lander et al. (1987) Genomics 7:174-181) in order to construct a genetic map. In addition, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to probe Southern 25 blots containing restriction endonuclease-treated genomic DNAs of a set of individuals representing parent and progeny of a defined genetic cross.

Segregation of the DNA polymorphisms is noted and used to calculate the position of the instant nucleic acid sequence in the genetic map previously obtained using this population (Botstein et al. (1980) Am. J. Hum. Genet 32:314-331). 30 The production and use of plant gene-derived probes for use in genetic mapping is described in Bernatzky and Tanksley (1986) Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter 4:37-41. Numerous publications describe genetic mapping of specific cDNA clones using the methodology outlined above or variations thereof. For example, F2 intercross populations, backcross populations, randomly mated populations, near 35 isogenic lines, and other sets of individuals may be used for mapping. Such methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art. 23 Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may also be used for physical mapping (i.e., placement of sequences on physical maps; see Hoheisel et al. In: Nonmammalian Genomic Analysis: A Practical Guide, Academic press 1996, pp. 319-346, and references cited therein).

Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may be used in direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping (Trask (1991) Trends Genet. 7:149-154). Although current methods of FISH mapping favor use of large clones (several to several hundred KB; see Laan et al. (1995) Genome Res. 5:13-20), improvements in sensitivity may allow performance of FISH mapping 10 using shorter probes.

A variety of nucleic acid amplification-based methods of genetic and physical mapping may be carried out using the instant nucleic acid sequences. Examples include allele-specific amplification (Kazazian (1989) J. Lab. Clin. Med. 11:95-96), polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments (CAPS; Sheffield et al. (1993) Genomics 15 16:325-332), allele-specific ligation (Landegren et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080), nucleotide extension reactions (Sokolov (1990) Nucleic Acid Res. 18:3671), Radiation Hybrid Mapping (Walter etal. (1997) Nat. Genet. 7:22-28) and Happy Mapping (Dear and Cook (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:6795-6807). For these methods, the sequence of a nucleic acid fragment is used to design and 20 produce primer pairs for use in the amplification reaction or in primer extension reactions. The design of such primers is well known to those skilled in the art. In methods employing PCR-based genetic mapping, it may be necessary to identify DNA sequence differences between the parents of the mapping cross in the region corresponding to the instant nucleic acid sequence. This, however, is generally not 25 necessary for mapping methods.

Loss of function mutant phenotypes may be identified for the instant cDNA clones either by targeted gene disruption protocols or by identifying specific mutants for these genes contained in a maize population carrying mutations in all possible genes (Ballinger and Benzer (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 86:9402-9406; Koes 30 et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 92:8149-8153; Bensen et al. (1995) Plant Cell 7:75-84). The latter approach may be accomplished in two ways. First, short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols in conjunction with a mutation tag sequence primer on DNAs prepared from a population of plants in which Mutator transposons or some other 35 mutation-causing DNA element has been introduced (see Bensen, supra). The amplification of a specific DNA fragment with these primers indicates the insertion of the mutation tag element in or near the plant gene encoding the instant 24 polypeptides. Alternatively, the instant nucleic acid fragment may be used as a hybridization probe against PCR amplification products generated from the mutation population using the mutation tag sequence primer in conjunction with an arbitrary genomic site primer, such as that for a restriction enzyme site-anchored synthetic 5 adaptor. With either method, a plant containing a mutation in the endogenous gene encoding the instant polypeptides can be identified and obtained. This mutant plant can then be used to determine or confirm the natural function of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein.

EXAMPLES The present invention is further defined in the following Examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight and degrees are Celsius, unless otherwise stated. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential 15 characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Thus, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall 20 within the scope of the appended claims.

The disclosure of each reference set forth herein is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

EXAMPLE 1 Composition of cDNA Libraries: Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones 25 cDNA libraries representing mRNAs from various Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria caryophylla), balsam pear (Momordica charantia), garden balsam (Impatiens balsamia), corn (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), soybean (Glycine max), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) tissues were prepared. The characteristics of the libraries are described below. Corn developmental stages are explained in the publication "How 30 a corn plant develops" from the Iowa State University Coop. Ext. Service Special Report No. 48 reprinted June 1993.

TABLE 2 cDNA Libraries from Peruvian Lily, Balsam Pear, Garden Balsam, Com, Rice, Soybean, and Wheat Library Tissue Clone cbn10 cbn2 cc71se~b ccoln cen3n Corn Developing Kernel (Embryo and Endosperm); cbn10.pk0052.f5 10 Days After Pollination Corn Developing Kernel Two Days After Pollination Corn Callus Type II Tissue, Somatic Embryo Formed ctaln ctnlc eallc fds fdsln ids p0014 p0081 p0095 p0104 p0118 p0119 p0120 p0128 Corn Cob of 67 Day Old Plants Grown in Green House* Corn Endosperm 20 Days After Pollination* Corn Tassel* Corn Tassel, Night Harvested Peruvian Lily Mature Leaf from Mature Stem Balsam Pear Developing Seed Balsam Pear Developing Seed Garden Balsam Developing Seed Corn Leaf Corn Pedicel 10 Days After Pollination Ear Leaf Sheath*; Growth Conditions: Field; Control or Untreated Tissues; Growth Stage: 2-3 weeks After Pollen Shed Corn V5-Stage Root Infested With Corn Root Worm* Corn Stem Tissue Pooled From the 4-5 Internodes Subtending The Tassel At Stages V8-V12, Night Harvested* Corn V12-Stage Ear Shoot With Husk, Night Harvested* Pooled Endosperm: 18, 21,24, 27 and 29 Days After Pollination* Corn Primary and Secondary Immature Ear cbn2.pk0035.f12 cc71se- b.pk0003.h10 cco1n.pk0010.h3 cco1n.pk0037.d10 cen3n.pk0004.e9 cen3n.pk0047.h7 cen3n.pk0093.f1 cen3n.pk0165.f1 cta1n.pk0050.f8 cta1n.pk0058.d11b ctn1c.pk002.j23 eal1c.pk006.e6 fds.pk0003.h2 fds.pk0026.d10 fds1n.pk001.p18 ids.pk0031.a5 p0014.ctush42r p0081.chcad07r p0095.cwsas14f p0104.cabak14rb p0118.chsaq04rb p0119.cmtmg45rb p0120.cdeae63r p0128.cpicl42r 26 PCT/U SO1/43750 Library Tissue Clone rbmlc Rice Bran 0 Hrs After Milling rbm1c;pk001.a6 rIOn Rice 15 Day Old Leaf* rl0n.pk0022.h10 rl0n.pk0022.h11 rlr48 Resistant Rice Leaf 15 Days After Germination, 48 rlr48.pk0001.b1 Hours After Infection of Strain Magnaporthe grisea 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO) rls24 Susceptible Rice Leaf 15 Days After Germination, 24 rls24.pk0017.c7 Hours After Infection of Strain Magnaporthe grisea 4360-R-67 (AVR2-YAMO) rr1 Rice Root of Two Week Old Developing Seedling rr1.pk0043.f9 rsr9n Rice Leaf 15 Days After Germination, Harvested 2-72 rsiSn.pk001.d1 ' Hours Following Infection With Magnaporthe grisea (4360-R-62 and 4360-R-67)* se3 Soybean Embryo, 17 Days After Flowering se3.pk0036.g4 se6 Soybean Embryo, 26 Days After Flowering se6.pk0039.h6 sfUn Soybean Immature Flower* sfl1n.pk001.l16 srr2c Soybean 8-Day-Old Root srr2c.pk002.o7 ssl Soybean Seedling 5-10 Days After Germination ssl.pk0007.a9 wdk2c Wheat Developing Kernel, 7 Days After Anthesis wdk2c.pk012.o17 wdk2c.pk017.p21 wdk2c.pk008.n3 wdk9n1 Wheat Kernels 3, 7, 14 and 21 Days After Anthesis* wdk9n1.pk001.o20 These libraries were normalized essentially as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,482,845, incorporated herein by reference. cDNA libraries may be prepared by any one of many methods available. For example, the cDNAs may be introduced into plasmid vectors by first preparing the cDNA libraries in Uni-ZAP™ XR vectors according to the manufacturer's protocol (Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA). The Uni-ZAP™ XR libraries are converted into plasmid libraries according to the protocol provided by Stratagene. Upon conversion, cDNA inserts will be contained in the plasmid vector pBluescript. In addition, the cDNAs may be introduced directly into precut Bluescript II SK(+) vectors (Stratagene) using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs), followed by transfection into DH10B cells according to the manufacturer's protocol (GIBCO BRL Products). Once the cDNA inserts are in plasmid vectors, plasmid DNAs are prepared from randomly picked bacterial colonies containing recombinant pBluescript plasmids, or the insert cDNA sequences are amplified via polymerase 27 chain reaction using primers specific for vector sequences flanking the inserted cDNA sequences. Amplified insert DNAs or plasmid DNAs are sequenced in dye-primer sequencing reactions to generate partial cDNA sequences (expressed sequence tags or "ESTs"; see Adams et al.t (1991) Science 252:1651-1656). The 5 resulting ESTs are analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Model 377 fluorescent sequencer.

Full-insert sequence (FIS) data is generated utilizing a modified transposition protocol. Clones identified for FIS are recovered from archived glycerol stocks as single colonies, and plasmid DNAs are isolated via alkaline lysis. Isolated DNA 10 templates are reacted with vector primed M13 forward and reverse oligonucleotides in a PCR-based sequencing reaction and loaded onto automated sequencers. Confirmation of clone identification is performed by sequence alignment to the original EST sequence from which the FIS request is made.

Confirmed templates are transposed via the Primer Island transposition kit 15 (PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) which is based upon the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ty1 transposable element (Devine and Boeke (1994) Nucleic Acids Res. 22:3765-3772). The in vitro transposition system places unique binding sites randomly throughout a population of large DNA molecules. The transposed DNA is then used to transform DH10B electro-competent cells (Gibco BRL/Life 20 Technologies, Rockville, MD) via electroporation. The transposable element contains an additional selectable marker (named DHFR; Fling and Richards (1983) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:5147-5158), allowing for dual selection on agar plates of only those subclones containing the integrated transposon. Multiple subclones are randomly selected from each transposition reaction, plasmid DNAs are prepared via 25 alkaline lysis, and templates are sequenced (ABI Prism dye-terminator ReadyReaction mix) outward from the transposition event site, utilizing unique primers specific to the binding sites within the transposon.

Sequence data is collected (ABI Prism Collections) and assembled using Phred/Phrap (P. Green, University of Washington, Seattle). Phred/Phrap is a public 30 domain software program which re-reads the ABI sequence data, re-calls the bases, assigns quality values, and writes the base calls and quality values into editable output files. The Phrap sequence assembly program uses these quality values to increase the accuracy of the assembled sequence contigs. Assemblies are viewed by the Consed sequence editor (D. Gordon, University of Washington, Seattle). 35 In some of the clones the cDNA fragment corresponds to a portion of the 3'-terminus of the gene and does not cover the entire open reading frame. In order to obtain the upstream information one of two different protocols are used. The first 28 of these methods results in the production of a fragment of DNA containing a portion of the desired gene sequence while the second method results in the production of a fragment containing the entire open reading frame. Both of these methods use two rounds of PCR amplification to obtain fragments from one or more libraries. 5 The libraries some times are chosen based on previous knowledge that the specific gene should be found in a certain tissue and some times are randomly-chosen. Reactions to obtain the same gene may be performed on several libraries in parallel or on a pool of libraries. Library pools are normally prepared using from 3 to 5 different libraries and normalized to a uniform dilution. In the first round of 10 amplification both methods use a vector-specific (forward) primer corresponding to a portion of the vector located at the 5-terminus of the clone coupled with a gene-specific (reverse) primer. The first method uses a sequence that is complementary to a portion of the already known gene sequence while the second method uses a gene-specific primer complementary to a portion of the 15 3-untranslated region (also referred to as UTR). In the second round of amplification a nested set of primers is used for both methods. The resulting DNA fragment is ligated into a pBluescript vector using a commercial kit and following the manufacturer's protocol. This kit is selected from many available from several vendors including Invitrogen (Carlsbad, CA), Promega Biotech (Madison, Wl), and 20 Gibco-BRL (Gaithersburg, MD). The plasmid DNA is isolated by alkaline lysis method and submitted for sequencing and assembly using Phred/Phrap, as above.

EXAMPLE 2 Identification of cDNA Clones cDNA clones encoding floral development proteins were identified by 25 conducting BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also the explanation of the BLAST alogarithm on the world wide web site for the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health) searches for similarity to sequences contained in the BLAST "nr" database (comprising all non-30 redundant GenBank CDS translations, sequences derived from the 3-dimensional structure Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, the last major release of the SWISS-PROT protein sequence database, EMBL, and DDBJ databases). The cDNA sequences obtained in Example 1 were analyzed for similarity to all publicly available DNA sequences contained in the,"nr" database using the BLASTN 35 algorithm provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The DNA sequences were translated in all reading frames and compared for similarity to all publicly available protein sequences contained in the "nr" database 29 PCT/USO1/43750 using the BLASTX algorithm (Gish and States (1993) Nat. Genet. 3:266-272) provided by the NCBI. For convenience, the P-value (probability) of observing a match of a cDNA sequence to a sequence contained in the searched databases merely by chance as calculated by BLAST are reported herein as "pLog" values, 5 which represent the negative of the logarithm of the reported P-value. Accordingly, the greater the pLog value, the greater the likelihood that the cDNA sequence and the BLAST "hit" represent homologous proteins.

ESTs submitted for analysis are compared to the genbank database as described above. ESTs that contain sequences more 5- or 3-prime can be found by 10 using the BLASTn algorithm (Altschul et al (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. :3389-3402.) against the DuPont proprietary database comparing nucleotide sequences that share common or overlapping regions of sequence homology. Where common or overlapping sequences exist between two or more nucleic acid fragments, the sequences can be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide 15 sequence, thus extending the original fragment in either the 5 or 3 prime direction. Once the most 5-prime EST is identified, its complete sequence can be determined by Full Insert Sequencing as described in Example 1. Homologous genes belonging to different species can be found by comparing the amino acid sequence of a known gene (from either a proprietary source or a public database) against an 20 EST database using the tBLASTn algorithm. The tBLASTn algorithm searches an amino acid query against a nucleotide database that is translated in all 6 reading frames. This search allows for differences in nucleotide codon usage between different species, and for codon degeneracy.

EXAMPLE 3 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Flowering Locus T (FT) Homoloas The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 3 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to FT and its homologs from Citrus unshiu (NCBI GenBank Identifier (Gl) No. 4903139), Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI Gl Nos. 5002246 and 2190540), Oryza sativa (NCBI Gl 30 Nos. 5360178 and 5360180) and Nicotiana tabacum (NCBI Gl No. 5453314).

Shown in Table 3 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs ("EST"), the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones ("FIS"), the sequences of contigs assembled from two or more ESTs ("Contig"), sequences of contigs assembled from an FIS and one or more ESTs ("Contig*"), or sequences 35 encoding an entire protein derived from an FIS, a contig, or an FIS and PCR fragment sequence ("CGS"): BLAST Results for to TABLE 3 Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous Flowering Locus T (FT) Protein Clone BLAST Results Status NCBI Gl No. pLog Score eal1c.pk006.e6 Contig of fds.pk0003.h2 fds.pk0026.d10 fds1n.pk001.p18 ids.pk0031.a5 (FIS) Contig of cbn10.pk0052.f5 cbn2.pk0035.f12 cco1n.pk0010.h3 p0095.cwsas14f p0119.cmtmg45rb p0128.cpicl42r cc71se-b.pk0003.h10 (FIS) cco1n.pk0037.d10 (FIS) Contig of cen3n.pk0004.e9 cen3n.pk0047.h7 cen3n.pk0093.fi cen3n.pk0165.f1 p0120.cdeae63r p0014.ctush42r (FIS) p0081.chcad07r (FIS) p0104.cabak14rb (FIS) p0118.chsaq04rb (FIS) rbm1c.pk001.a6 Contig of rl0n.pk0022.h10 rl0n.pk0022.h11 rlr48.pk0001.b1 rls24.pk0017.c7 (FIS) rr1.pk0043.f9 (FIS) rsr9n.pk001.d1 EST CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS CGS EST Contig EST CGS CGS EST 4903139 5002246 5002246 4903139 5002246 2190540 5002246 4903139 4903139 5360178 5360180 5002246 4903139 5002246 5002246 5360178 2190540 65.70 75.00 61.70 77.00 59.15 68.52 57.30 59.00 81.00 93.70 £52.10 46.04 43.30 14.52 64.70 82.10 35.70 31 Clone Status BLAST Results NCBI Gl No. pLoq Score Contig of CGS 5002246 76.00 se3.pk0036.g4 se6.pk0039.h6 (FIS) srr2c.pk002.o7 (FIS) CGS 5360180 77.52 Contig of CGS 5453314 73.70 ssl.pk0007.a9 PCR fragment sequence wdk2c.pk012.o17 (FIS) CGS 5002246 62.30 wdk9n1.pk001.o20 (FIS) CGS 4903139 75.70 cta1n.pk0058.d11b FIS 15218709 53.40 rbm1c.pk001.a6:fis CGS 5002246 56.10 rl0n.pk0022.h10:fis FIS 14517620 36.70 rsr9n.pk001.d1:fis CGS 15218709 70.39 The PCR fragment that was used to extend the nucleotide sequence obtained from clone ssl.pk0007.a9 was obtained via methods (e.g., RACE techniques) well-known to those skilled in the art.

The amino acid sequence of the polypeptide encoded by the insert in clone wdk2c.pk012.o17 is identical to the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of a contig assembled from ESTs derived from clones wdk2c.pk008.n3, wdk2c.pk012.o17, and wdk2c.pk017.p21.

Figure 1 presents an alignment of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ 10 ID NOs:4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42, and 44 and the Oryza sativa sequence (NCBI Gl No. 5360178; SEQ ID NO:51).

The data in Table 4 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:4,6, 8,10,12,14, 16,18, 20, 22, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42, and 44 and the Oryza sativa sequence (NCBI Gl 15 No. 5360178; SEQ ID NO:51). 32 PCT/USO1/43750 TABLE 4 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to FT Protein Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO NCBI Gl No. 2 69.3 [g 4903139] 4 72.3 [g 5002246] 6 61.3 [g 5002246] 8 74.6 [g 4903139] 60.5 [g 5002246] 12 67.2 [g 2190540] 14 60.1 [g 5002246] 16 59.9 [g 4903139] 18 78.0 [g 4903139] 94.8 [g 5360178] 22 83.8 [g 5360180] 24 56.2 [g 5002246] 26 64.8 [g 4903139] 28 52.9 [g 5002246] 65.9 [g 5002246] 32 83.2 [g 5360178] 36 74.4 [g 5002246] 38 76.3 [g 5360180] 40 74.6 [g 5453314] 42 64.2 [g 5002246] 44 72.9 [g 4903139] 54 60.8 [gi 15218709] 56 57.2 [gi 5002246] 58 66.3 [gi14517620] 60 69.0 [gi 15218709] • Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wl). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, W!NDOW=5 and DIAGONALS 33 PCT/USO1/43750 SAVED=5. It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that conserved sequence elements within the encoded polypeptide are useful in identifying homologous enzymes. Two such elements, although not necessarily the only elements, are the sequences Asp-Pro-Asp-Xaa-Pro-Xaa-Pro-Ser-Xaa-Pro found, for example, at positions 70-79 of SEQ ID NO:4, and Gly-lle-His-Arg found, for example at positions 115-118 of SEQ ID NO:4. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of a polypeptide encoded by a member of TFL1/FT gene family. These sequences represent the first Peruvian lily, balsam pear, garden balsam, corn, soybean, wheat sequences and new rice sequences encoding flowering locus T (FT or TFL) homologs known to Applicant.

EXAMPLE4 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Ap3 Homologs The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 5 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to MADS box proteins (Ap3 homologs) from Oryza sativa (NCBI Gl Nos. 5295980 and 7446534) and Medicago sativa (NCBI Gl No. 2827300). Shown in Table 5 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs ("EST"), the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones ("FIS"), the sequences of contigs assembled from two or more ESTs ("Contig"), sequences of contigs assembled from an FIS and one or more ESTs ("Contig*"), or sequences encoding an entire protein derived from an FIS, a contig, or an FIS and PCR ("CGS"): TABLE 5 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Ap3 Protein BLAST Results Clone Status NCBI Gl No. pLog Score cta1n.pk0050.f8 (FIS) CGS 5295980 113.00 ctn1c.pk002.j23 (FIS) CGS 7446534 109.00 Sfl1n.pk001.i16 (FIS) CGS 2827300 114.00 Figure 2 presents an alignment of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:46, 48, and 50 and the Oryza sativa sequence (NCBI Gl No. 5295980; SEQ ID NO:52). The data in Table 6 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:46,48, and 50 and the Oryza sativa sequence (NCBI Gl No. 5295980; SEQ ID NO:52). 34 PCT/USO1/43750 TABLE 6 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. rNCBIGINo.l 46 86.6 [gi 5295980] 48 91.4 [gi 7446534] 50 85.9 [gi 2827300] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wl). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH 10 PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED-5. It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that conserved sequence elements within the encoded polypeptide are useful in identifying homologous enzymes. One such element, although not necessarily the only element, is the 15 sequence Arg-Gly-Lys-lle-Xaa-lle-Lys-Arg-Ile-Glu-Asn-Xaa-Thr-Asn-Arg-Gln-Val-Thr-Xaa-Ser-Lys-Arg-Arg-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Xaa-Lys-Lys-Ala found, for example, at positions 3-32 of SEQ ID NO:46. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of an Ap3 homolog. These sequences 20 represent the first soybean sequence and new corn sequences encoding Ap3 homologs known to Applicant.

EXAMPLE 5 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Monocot Cells A chimeric gene comprising a cDNA encoding the instant polypeptides in 25 sense orientation with respect to the maize 27 kD zein promoter that is located 5' to the cDNA fragment, and the 10 kD zein 3' end that is located 3' to the cDNA fragment, can be constructed. The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites (Ncol or Smal) can be incorporated into the 30 oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the digested vector pML103 as described below. Amplification is then performed in a standard PCR. The amplified DNA is then digested with restriction enzymes Ncol and Smal and fractionated on an agarose gel. The appropriate band PCT/USO1/43750 can be isolated from the gel and combined with a 4.9 kb Ncol-Smal fragment of the plasmid pML103. Plasmid pML103 has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, VA 20110-2209), and bears accession number ATCC 97366. The 5 DNA segment from pML103 contains a 1.05 kb Sall-Ncol promoter fragment of the maize 27 kD zein gene and a 0.96 kb Smal-Sall fragment from the 3' end of the maize 10 kD zein gene in the vector pGem9Zf(+) (Promega). Vector and insert DNA can be ligated at 15°C overnight, essentially as described (Maniatis). The ligated DNA may then be used to transform E. co//'XL1-Blue (Epicurian Coli XL-1 10 Blue™; Stratagene). Bacterial transformants can be screened by restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid DNA and limited nucleotide sequence analysis using the dideoxy chain termination method (Sequenase™ DNA Sequencing Kit; U.S. Biochemical). The resulting plasmid construct would comprise a chimeric gene encoding, in the 5' to 3' direction, the maize 27 kD zein promoter, a cDNA fragment 15 encoding the instant polypeptides, and the 10 kD zein 3'region.

The chimeric gene described above can then be introduced into corn cells by the following procedure. Immature corn embryos can be dissected from developing caryopses derived from crosses of the inbred corn lines H99 and LH132. The embryos are isolated 10 to 11 days after pollination when they are 1.0 to 1.5 mm 20 long. The embryos are then placed with the axis-side facing down and in contact with agarose-solidified N6 medium (Chu et al. (1975) Sci. Sin. Peking 18:659-668). The embryos are kept in the dark at 27°C. Friable embryogenic callus consisting of undifferentiated masses of cells with somatic proembryoids and embryoids borne on suspensor structures proliferates from the scutellum of these immature embryos. 25 The embryogenic callus isolated from the primary explant can be cultured on N6 medium and sub-cultured on this medium every 2 to 3 weeks.

The plasmid, p35S/Ac (obtained from Dr. Peter Eckes, Hoechst Ag, Frankfurt, Germany) may be used in transformation experiments in order to provide for a selectable marker. This plasmid contains the Pat gene (see European Patent 30 Publication 0 242 236) which encodes phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT). The enzyme PAT confers resistance to herbicidal glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as phosphinothricin. The pat gene in p35S/Ac is under the control of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812) and the 3" region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of 35 Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The particle bombardment method (Klein et al. (1987) Nature 327:70-73) may be used to transfer genes to the callus culture cells. According to this method, 36 WO 02/44390 PCT/US01/43750 gold particles (1 urn in diameter) are coated with DNA using the following technique. Ten ng of plasmid DNAs are added to 50 jxL of a suspension of gold particles (60 mg per ml_). Calcium chloride (50 p,L of a 2.5 M solution) and spermidine free base (20 jxL of a 1.0 M solution) are added to the particles. The suspension is 5 vortexed during the addition of these solutions. After 10 minutes, the tubes are briefly centrifuged (5 sec at 15,000 rpm) and the supernatant removed. The particles are resuspended in 200 pi of absolute ethanol, centrifuged again and the supernatant removed. The ethanol rinse is performed again and the particles resuspended in a final volume of 30 nl_ of ethanol. An aliquot (5 jxL) of the DNA-10 coated gold particles can be placed in the center of a Kapton™ flying disc (Bio-Rad Labs). The particles are then accelerated into the corn tissue with a Biolistic™ PDS-1000/He (Bio-Rad Instruments, Hercules CA), using a helium pressure of 1000 psi, a gap distance of 0.5 cm and a flying distance of 1.0 cm.

For bombardment, the embryogenic tissue is placed on filter paper over 15 agarose-solidified N6 medium. The tissue is arranged as a thin lawn and covered a circular area of about 5 cm in diameter. The petri dish containing the tissue can be placed in the chamber of the PDS-1000/He approximately 8 cm from the stopping screen. The air in the chamber is then evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches of Hg. The macrocarrier is accelerated with a helium shock wave using a rupture 20 membrane that bursts when the He pressure in the shock tube reaches 1000 psi.

Seven days after bombardment the tissue can be transferred to N6 medium that contains bialophos (5 mg per liter) and lacks casein or proline. The tissue continues to grow slowly on this medium. After an additional 2 weeks the tissue can be transferred to fresh N6 medium containing bialophos. After 6 weeks, areas of 25 about 1 cm in diameter of actively growing callus can be identified on some of the plates containing the bialophos-supplemented medium. These calli may continue to grow when sub-cultured on the selective medium.

Plants can be regenerated from the transgenic callus by first transferring clusters of tissue to N6 medium supplemented with 0.2 mg per liter of 2,4-D. After 30 two weeks the tissue can be transferred to regeneration medium (Fromm et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8:833-839).

EXAMPLE 6 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Dicot Cells A seed-specific expression cassette composed of the promoter and 35 transcription terminator from the gene encoding the |3 subunit of the seed storage protein phaseolin from the bean Phaseolus vulgaris (Doyle et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:9228-9238) can be used for expression of the instant polypeptides in 37 PCT/USO1/43750 transformed soybean. The phaseolin cassette includes about 500 nucleotides upstream (51) from the translation initiation codon and about 1650 nucleotides downstream (3') from the translation stop codon of phaseolin. Between the 5' and 3' regions are the unique restriction endonuclease sites Ncol (which includes the ATG 5 translation initiation codon), Smal, Kpnl and Xbal. The entire cassette is flanked by Hindlll sites.

The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers.

Cloning sites can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper 10 orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the expression vector.

Amplification is then performed as described above, and the isolated fragment is inserted into a pUC18 vector carrying the seed expression cassette.

Soybean embryos may then be transformed with the expression vector comprising sequences encoding the instant polypeptides. To induce somatic 15 embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface sterilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, can be cultured in the light or dark at 26°C on an appropriate agar medium for 6-10 weeks. Somatic embryos which produce secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium.

After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos which multiplied as early, 20 globular staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can be maintained in 35 mL liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26°C with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 mL of liquid medium.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73, U.S. Patent No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic™ PDS1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

A selectable marker gene which can be used to facilitate soybean 30 transformation is a chimeric gene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 373:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E coli; Gritz etal. (1983) Gene 25:179-188) and the 3' region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The seed expression cassette 35 comprising the phaseolin 5' region, the fragment encoding the instant polypeptides and the phaseolin 3' region can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment 38 PCT/USO1/43750 can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

To 50 jaL of a 60 mg/mL 1 p.m gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 nL DNA (1 M-g/(J.L), 20 |xL spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 pi CaCl2 (2.5 M). The 5 particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 p,L 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 jjL of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five jj,L of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro 10 carrier disk.

Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60x15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi and the 15 chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment, the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged 20 with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/mL hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, 25 clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos.

EXAMPLE 7 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Microbial Cells The cDNAs encoding the instant polypeptides can be inserted into the T7 E. coli expression vector pBT430. This vector is a derivative of pET-3a (Rosenberg et al. (1987) Gene 56:125-135) which employs the bacteriophage T7 RNA 35 polymerase/T7 promoter system. Plasmid pBT430 was constructed by first destroying the EcoRI and Hindlll sites in pET-3a at their original positions. An oligonucleotide adaptor containing EcoRI and Hind III sites was inserted at the 39 PCT/USO1/43750 BamHI site of pET-3a. This created pET-3aM with additional unique cloning sites for insertion of genes into the expression vector. Then, the Ndel site at the position of translation initiation was converted to an Ncol site using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The DNA sequence of pET-3aM in this region, 5-CATATGG, was 5 converted to 5-CCCATGG in pBT430.

Plasmid DNA containing a cDNA may be appropriately digested to release a nucleic acid fragment encoding the protein. This fragment may then be purified on a 1% low melting agarose gel. Buffer and agarose contain 10 p,g/ml ethidium bromide for visualization of the DNA fragment. The fragment can then be purified 10 from the agarose gel by digestion with GELase™ (Epicentre Technologies, Madison, Wl) according to the manufacturer's instructions, ethanol precipitated, dried and resuspended in 20 p.L of water. Appropriate oligonucleotide adapters may be ligated to the fragment using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs (NEB), Beverly, MA). The fragment containing the ligated adapters can be purified from the excess 15 adapters using low melting agarose as described above. The vector pBT430 is digested, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (NEB) and deproteinized with phenol/chloroform as described above. The prepared vector pBT430 and fragment can then be ligated at 16°C for 15 hours followed by transformation into DH5 electrocompetent cells (GIBCO BRL). Transformants can be selected on agar 20 plates containing LB media and 100 ^g/mL ampicillin. Transformants containing the gene encoding the instant polypeptides are then screened for the correct orientation with respect to the T7 promoter by restriction enzyme analysis.

For high level expression, a plasmid clone with the cDNA insert in the correct orientation relative to the T7 promoter can be transformed into E. coli strain 25 BL21(DE3) (Studier et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189:113-130). Cultures are grown in LB medium containing ampicillin (100 mg/L) at 25°C. At an optical density at 600 nm of approximately 1, IPTG (isopropylthio-p-galactoside, the inducer) can be added to a final concentration of 0.4 mM and incubation can be continued for 3 h at 25°. Cells are then harvested by centrifugation and re-suspended in 50 jj,L of 30 50 mM Tris-HCI at pH 8.0 containing 0.1 mM DTT and 0.2 mM phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride. A small amount of 1 mm glass beads can be added and the mixture sonicated 3 times for about 5 seconds each time with a microprobe sonicator. The mixture is centrifuged and the protein concentration of the supernatant determined. One jag of protein from the soluble fraction of the culture 35 can be separated by SDS-poIyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gels can be observed for protein bands migrating at the expected molecular weight. 40

Claims (30)

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising: (a) a first nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT 5 homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10, 12,14,16,18, or 54, have at least 80% sequence identity , or 10 (b) a second nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22, have at least 85% sequence identity , or 15 20 (c) a third nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20, has at least 95% sequence identity . or 30 (d) the complement of the first, second or third nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary.

2. The polynucleotide of Claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the 35 polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16,18, or 54, have at least 85% identity. 41 intellectual property office of n.z 17 APR 2007 RECEIVED

3. The polynucleotide of Claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16, 18, 22, or 54, have at least 90% identity. 5

4. The polynucleotide of Claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16, 18, 22, or 54, have at least 95% identity.

5. The polynucleotide of Claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the 10 polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12, 14,16,18,20,22, or 54.

6. The polynucleotide of Claim 1 wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, 9,11,13,15,17,19, 15 21, or 53.

7. A vector comprising the polynucleotide of Claim 1.

8. A recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide of Claim 1 operably linked to a regulatory sequence.

9. A method for transforming a cell, comprising transforming a cell with the 20 polynucleotide of Claim 1, with the proviso that said cell does not form part of a human being.

10. A cell comprising the recombinant DNA construct of Claim 8, with the proviso that said cell does not form part of a human being.

11. A method for producing a plant comprising transforming a plant cell with the polynucleotide of Claim 1 and regenerating a plant from the transformed plant cell. 25

12. A plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct of Claim 8.

13. A seed comprising the recombinant DNA construct of Claim 8.

14. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence, wherein the first nucleotide sequence contains at least 30 nucleotides, and wherein the first nucleotide sequence is comprised by another polynucleotide, wherein the 30 other pdlynucleotide includes: (a) a second nucleotide sequence, wherein the second nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14, 16,18, or 54, 35 having at least 80% sequence identity , or 42

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 7 APR 2007 RECEIVED (b) a third nucleotide sequence, wherein the third nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22, having at least 85% sequence identity , or 10 (c) a fourth nucleotide sequence, wherein the fifth nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID N0:20 has at least 95% sequence identity 15 , or 20 (d) the complement of the second, third or fourth nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the second, third or fourth nucleotide sequence contain the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary. 25 15. An isolated polypeptide having FT homolog activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14,16,18, or 54, have at least 80% identity.

16. The polypeptide of Claim 15, wherein the amino acid sequence of the 30 polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:: 8,10,12,14,16, 18,22, or 54, have at least 85% identity.

17. The polypeptide of Claim 15, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:, 8,10,12,14,16, 35 18,22, or 54 have at least 90% identity.

18. The polypeptide of Claim 15, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8,10,12,14, 16, 18,20,22, or 54 have at least 95% identity.

19. The polypeptide of Claim 15, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:. 8,10,12, 14,16,18,20, 22, or 54.

20. A method for isolating a polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide of Claim 1 comprising isolating the polypeptide from a cell containing a recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory sequence, with the proviso that the cell does not form part of a human being.

21. An isolated polynucleotide, as defined in claim 1 or as claimed in claim 14, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A vector, as claimed in claim 7, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A recombinant DNA construct as claimed in claim 8, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. A method, as claimed in claim 9, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A cell, as claimed in claim 10, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. A method, as claimed in claim 11, for producing a plant, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. A plant, as claimed in claim 12, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

28. A seed, as claimed in claim 13, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. An isolated polypeptide, as defined in claim 15, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. A method, as claimed in claim 20, for isolating a polypeptide, substantially as herein described with reference to any example thereof and with or without reference to the accompanying drawings. 44 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE Of N.Z. 29 JUN 2007 RECEIVED