Reducing levels of nicotine in plants
Two genes, A622 and NBB1, can be influenced to achieve a decrease of nicotinic alkaloid levels in plants. In particular, suppression of one or both of A622 and NBB1 may be used to decrease nicotine in tobacco plants.
1. A tobacco plant comprising plant cells with one or more mutations introduced into their genomes in a region with a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein the plant exhibits reduced nicotine levels as compared to a control tobacco plant.
2. Seeds from or a progeny plant of the tobacco plant of claim 1 , wherein the seeds comprise, or the progeny plant comprises, the one or more mutations.
3. A product comprising the plant of claim 1 and having a reduced level of nicotine as compared to a product produced from a control plant, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of a tobacco product, food product, food ingredient, feed product, feed ingredient, nutritional supplement, and biofuel.
4. The tobacco product of claim 3 , wherein the tobacco product is selected from the group consisting of smoking cessation products, cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, cigars, cigar tobacco, snus, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco.