Isolation of gene promoters required for controlling genes in grapevine

Genetic improvement of grapevine varieties by molecular biology techniques requires the availability of appropriate genes, a system to introduce these genes into grapevines and the use of suitable gene promoters which are the molecular switches that control the level (expression) and site (tissue) of gene activity in plants. This project involved the isolation of gene promoters for targeted expression of genes to the grape berry. The berry-specific promoters isolated from grapevine represents an important part of an overall strategy to genetically manipulate and improve existing grapevine varieties. Specific genes expressed at different stages of berry development were (successfully identified and the putative genomic DNA promoter regions controlling these genes were successfully isolated. Research on these promoter regions is continuing as part of a new grapevine genetic improvement program with the development of plant expression cassettes for transformation into grapevine to enable testing of tissue-specific expression pattern sin planta. After testing the promoters will be available for use by parties involved in the new Australian collaborative grapevine genetic improvement program to genetically improve existing grapevine varieties.