Plant cytochrome P450
This disclosure relates to the isolation and sequencing of nucleic acid molecules that encode cytochrome P450 polypeptides from a Papaver somniferum cultivar; uses in the production of noscapine and identification of poppy cultivars that include genes that comprise said nucleic acid molecules.
1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a cytochrome P450 polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to the protein sequence in SEQ ID NO: 10 or 11, wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
i) a nucleotide sequence as represented by the cDNA sequence in SEQ ID NO:3 or 4;
ii) a cDNA nucleotide sequence that is degenerate as a result of the genetic code to the nucleotide sequence defined in (i); and
iii) a nucleotide sequence that shares at least 90% sequence identity with the cDNA nucleotide sequence in SEQ ID NO:3 or 4.
2. The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of a nucleotide sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO: 3 Or 4.
3. A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule encoding the cytochrome P450 polypeptide according to claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule comprising a promoter sequence.
4. The vector according to claim 3 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence comprising a promoter confers constitutive expression on said cytochrome P450 polypeptide.
5. A transgenic cell transformed or transfected with the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
6. The transgenic cell according to claim 5 , wherein said cell is a plant cell.
7. The transgenic cell according to claim 6 , wherein said plant cell is from the family Papaveraceae.
8. The transgenic cell according to claim 7 , wherein said plant cell is a Papaver somniferum cell.
9. A plant comprising the plant cell of claim 6 .
10. The plant according to claim 9 , wherein said plant is from the family Papaveraceae.
11. The plant according to claim 10 , wherein said plant is Papaver somniferum.
12. The transgenic cell according to claim 5 , wherein said cell is a microbial cell.
13. The transgenic cell of claim 5 , wherein said cell is adapted such that the nucleic acid molecule encoding the cytochrome P450 is over-expressed when compared to a non-transgenic cell or plant of the same species.
14. A plant comprising a viral vector that includes a gene comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 .
15. A viral vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 .
16. A method of gene silencing in a plant, comprising:
introducing the viral vector of claim 15 into the plant, thereby inducing gene silencing.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plant is from the family Papaveraceae.