The present invention provides non-coding regulatory element polynucleotide molecules isolated from the S-adenosyl methionine synthetase (SAMS3) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The invention further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, transgenic plants and seeds containing the Arabidopsis thaliana regulatory polynucleotide sequences, and methods for preparing and using the same.

Wu; Wei

Wang; Qi

Edgerton; Michael

Beazley; Kim

Deikman; Jill

Petersen; Michael W.

Zhang; Bei

Monsanto Technology LLC

S-adenosylmethionine synthetase expression elements identified from Arabidopsis thaliana

The present invention makes use of a chimeric gene that, when incorporated into an appropriate host, results in the overproduction of S-adenosylmethionine without the need to supply the host with a source of untransformed methionine. The need for the methionine source is eliminated because the appropriately chosen host manufactures the amino acid on its own, and when the host is modified by the inclusion of a chimeric gene of the present invention, it transforms the methionine that is produced into S-adenosylmethionine. In addition, the same chimeric gene causes accumulation of methionine and increase in folate content in the same host. One form of the present invention is a fused gene encoding for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) made up of an N-terminal domain from a yeast organism and a C-terminal domain from a plant species. An example of a suitable plant species is Arabidopsis thaliana. An example of a suitable yeast organism is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Board of Regents, the University of Texas System

University of Florida

Biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine in a recombinant yeast strain

S-adenosylmethionine synthetase expression elements identified from Arabidopis thaliana