Importance

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Abstract

A tapetum-specific callase (.beta.-1,3-glucanase) gene, designated A6, from Brassica napus and other members of the family Brassicaceae including A. thaliana has been discovered, isolated and cloned. The A6 gene encodes a 53 kDa callase enzyme of Brassica napus and equivalent proteins in other Brassicaceae family members. Coding sequence from the gene can be driven by an appropriate promoter to induce male sterility in plants. Further, the A6 promoter can be used to drive male sterility DNA such as that coding for a nuclease, protease or glucanase. Alternatively or in addition, male sterility can be achieved by disrupting the proper expression of the A6 gene, for example by transcribing RNA which is antisense to the RNA normally transcribed from the A6 gene, or by expressing DNA coding for a ribozyme specific for the A6 gene RNA transcript.

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First Claim