Signal sequences for vacuolar sorting

摘要

The present invention relates to novel peptide fragments [targeting signal] that are obtainable from the C-terminal region [C-terminal extension] of plant vacuole proteins and that, in operable linkage with any desired protein molecule, ensure that the proteins associated with those peptide fragments are directed specifically into the plant vacuole, and to DNA molecules coding for the said peptide fragments. The present invention relates also to recombinant DNA molecules that comprise the DNA sequence according to the invention in operable linkage with an expressible DNA, and to the vectors derived therefrom. Also included are host cells and/or host organisms, including transgenic plants, that comprise the said recombinant DNA or the vectors derived therefrom. The present invention also relates to recombinant DNA molecules and vectors derived therefrom that comprise DNA sequences naturally coding for vacuolar proteins, but which are devoid of vacuole signal sequences and targeted for extracellular secretion.