COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-LEVEL SEED-SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION IN CORN

摘要

The present invention provides novel DNA constructs encoding high methionine zein proteins, the expression of which is not negatively regulated by the dzrl regulatory protein. The constructs of the invention comprise a delta -zein coding region operably linked to a promoter and a 3' UTR which has been modified so as to be devoid of any binding sites for the dzrl regulatory protein. Preferably, the entire 3' UTR is replaced by a heterologous sequence that does not contain any dzrl binding sites. Transgenic corn plants comprising the DNA constructs of the invention are also provided. These plants consistently produce high methionine corn seeds.