COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MODIFICATION OF THE GRAVITROPIC RESPONSE OF PLANTS

摘要

Compositions and methods are provided for regulating the gravitropic response of plant organs, more particularly plant stems, such that their growth is oriented in the opposite gravitropic direction found in nature. The nucleotide sequence for a novel mutant gene and the amino acid sequence for the protein it encodes are provided. This mutant gene encodes a protein whose function confers a positive gravitropic response within plant stems. Methods for modifiying the gravitropic response of plant organs, in particular plant stems, comprise stably transforming a plant host cell with an expression cassette comprising the isolated nucleotide sequence for this novel gene operably linked to a promoter such that expression of the gene in cells of the organ of interest leads to a positive gravitropic response of that organ. Transformed plants and seeds are additionally provided.