Gene farming in plants: Expression of a heatstable Bacillus amylase in transgenic legume seeds

Seeds of crop plants are promising expression and storage systems for gene farming purposes. We report the generation of transgenic narbon beans (Vici a narbonensis L.) containing the Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase gene. The transgene is controlled by the seed specific USP gene promoter and enc odes a heat-stable enzyme. The transgene product accumulates in the storage vacuoles of cotyledon cells and retains its thermostability and starch deg radation specificity. The enzyme is able to liquefy the endogenous seed sta rch reserves of this grain legume.