Synthetic nucleic acid molecule for imparting multiple traits - Patents

Synthetic nucleic acid molecule for imparting multiple traits
United States Patent 7,122,720
Gonsalves , et al.
October 17, 2006
Inventors: Gonsalves; Dennis (Hilo, HI), Fermin-Munoz; Gustavo Alberto (Hilo, HI)
Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. (Ithaca, NY)
Appl. No.: 10/131,814
Filed: April 24, 2002
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a DNA construct which includes a modified DNA molecule with a nucleotide sequence which is at least 80%, but less than 100%, homologous to two or more desired trait DNA molecules and which imparts the desired trait to plants transformed with the DNA construct. Each of the desired trait DNA molecules relative to the modified nucleic acid molecule have nucleotide sequence similarity values which differ by no more than 3 percentage points. The DNA construct may further include either a silencer or a plurality of modified DNA molecules. The present invention also relates to host cells, plant cells, transgenic plants, and transgenic plant seeds containing such DNA constructs. The present invention is also directed to a method of preparing a modified nucleic acid molecule suitable to impart multiple traits to a plant, a method of determining whether multiple desired traits can be imparted to plants by a single modified DNA molecule, and a method for imparting traits to plants by transforming the plants with the DNA construct.