GENE CONTROLLING SHOOT BRANCHING IN PLANTS

摘要

The invention relates to a gene that encodes a cytokinin-metabolizing enzyme , designated SPS, that has been isolated from an Arabidopsis mutant, sps. The sps mutant exhibits an abnormal shoot-branching pattern and developmental program. The SPS gene has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Also disclosed are methods for isolating a plant gene that encodes a cytokinin- metabolizing enzyme. Further, the invention includes novel plants transforme d with the SPS gene operatively linked to a plant-active promoter as well as methods for altering growth or development of plants containing an SPS gene.