1.The genetically modified organisms to be placed on the market as product, hereinafter ‘the product’, are cut flowers of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.), with modified flower colour, derived from a Dianthus caryophyllus L. cell culture, and transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain AGL0, using the vector pCGP3366, and resulting in line 25958.The product contains the following DNA in four cassettes:
(a)Cassette 1The petunia dfr gene encoding dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), a key enzyme in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, including its own promoter and terminator.
(b)Cassette 2The promoter sequence from snapdragon chalcone synthase gene, flavonoid 3′5′-hydroxylase (f3′5′h) from Viola hortensis cDNA encoding F3′5′H, a key enzyme in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, and the terminator from a petunia gene encoding a phospholipid transfer protein homologue.
(c)Cassette 3The Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, a hairpin-forming construct consisting of a partial dihydroflavonol 4-reductase dfr sense and antisense fragment separated by a petunia dfr intron, targeted to specific, post-transcriptional down-regulation of endogenous carnation dfr, and the CaMV 35S terminator sequence.These three cassettes were inserted into the plant genome to obtain the desired flower colour.
(d)Cassette 4The Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, the 5′untranslated region of the petunia gene coding for chlorophyll a/b binding protein, the SuRB (als) gene coding for a mutant acetolactate synthase protein (ALS) derived from Nicotiana tabacum which confers tolerance to sulfonylurea, including its own terminator. This trait was used as a marker in the selection of transformants.
2.The consent shall cover progeny derived through vegetative reproduction of the genetically modified carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L., line 25958).