CANNABIS PLANT WITH INCREASED CANNABIGEROLIC ACID
The present technology generally relates to Cannabis plants having increased cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and/or cannabigerol (CBG) content. The present technology also generally relates to isolated nucleic acids and isolated amino acids related to same and methods of producing same.
1 . The Cannabis plant of claim 48 , wherein the Cannabis plant has a cannabigerol (CBG) content greater than about 5% by weight.
2 .- 13 . (canceled)
14 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising an altered tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase (THCAS) allele, wherein the altered THCAS allele encodes for a minimally functional or non-functional THCAS enzyme and causes an increase in cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and/or cannabigeriol (CBG) content.
15 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 14 , wherein the altered THCAS allele encodes for a minimally functional or non-functional THCAS enzyme that impedes conversion of CBGA to THCA.
16 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 14 , wherein the minimally functional or the non-functional THCAS enzyme comprises an activity-altering change.
17 . The isolated nucleic acid of claim 16 , wherein the activity-altering change is a small nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), wherein the SNP results in an amino acid change at position 355 of the encoded polypeptide.
18 .- 19 . (canceled)
20 . The isolated nucleic acid of claim 17 , wherein the amino acid change at position 355 is a serine to asparagine change.
21 . The isolated nucleic acid of claim 17 , wherein the amino acid change at position 355 is a serine to glutamine.
22 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of claim 17 , the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2.
23 .- 47 . (canceled)
48 . A Cannabis plant comprising an altered tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase allele, wherein the altered tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase allele encodes a minimally functional or a non-functional tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase that causes an increase in cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and/or cannabigerol (CBG) levels.
49 . (canceled)
50 . The Cannabis plant of claim 48 , wherein the activity-altering mutation results in an amino acid change at position 355 encoded THCA synthase.
51 .- 60 . (canceled)
61 . A method for increasing levels of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and/or cannabigerol (CBG) in a tissue or a cell, the method comprising introducing an activity-altering change in the nucleic acid sequence encoding for tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase (THCAS) in the tissue or the cell.
62 . The method of claim 61 , wherein the activity-altering change results in a THCAS allele that encodes for a minimally functional or non-functional THCAS that impedes conversion of CBGA to THCA.
63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein the activity-altering change is a small nucleotide polymorphism.
64 . The method of claim 63 , wherein the small nucleotide polymorphism results in an amino acid change between position 330 and 360 of the encoded polypeptide.
65 . The method of claim 64 , wherein the amino acid change is at position 355.
66 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the amino acid change at position 355 is a serine to asparagine change.
67 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the amino acid change at position 355 is a serine to glutamine.
68 . The method of claim 61 , comprising using an endonuclease enzyme targeting a nucleic acid sequence coding for THCAS and introducing the enzyme endonuclease enzyme into a genome of the tissue or cell.
69 . The method of claim 68 , wherein the endonuclease enzyme is a CRISPR/Cas system.
70 . The method of claim 69 , where the CRISPR/Cas system introduces an activity-altering change in the nucleic acid sequence coding for the THCAS.
71 .- 73 . (canceled)