High sulfur seed protein gene and method for increasing the sulfur amino acid content of plants

Abstract From the Canadian patent

There is provided a novel nucleic acid fragment for the overexpression of a high methionine seed storage protein in plants. This nucleic acid fragment is capable of transforming plants, particularly crop plants to, overexpress a corn seed storage protein in seeds or leaves. The invention is of significant interest for the nutritional improvement of sulfur amino acid-poor plants such as corn and soybean. There is also provided the polypeptide product of the nucleic acid fragments as well as chimeric genes, host cells, plants, seeds and microorganisms containing the nucleic acid fragment. Methods for obtaining the overexpression of the seed storage protein in microorganisms are also provided.