Transformation of chloroplasts

Claim 2

A plant having plastids in which the genomes of said plastids contain heterologous DNA.

Claim 3

The plant of claim l, wherein said heterologous DNA includes DNA encoding a selectable marker protein.

Claim 4

The plant of claim l, wherein said heterologous DNA includes a site for the insertion of a gene encoding a desired heterologous protein.

Claim 5

The plant of claim 3, wherein there is inserted, in said site, said gene encoding said desired heterologous protein.

Claim 6

The plant of claim l, wherein said plastids comprise chloroplasts.

Claim 7

A vector capable of effecting the integration of a portion of itself into the genome of a plastid, said vector containing a transposon including a gene encoding a selectable marker protein and having insertion sequences on either side of said gene encoding said selectable marker portion, said vector further comprising, on either side of said insertion sequences, a first and second DNA region which together comprise a DNA region homologous with a DNA region of said genome of said plastid.

Claim 8

A vector capable of effecting the integration of a portion of itself into the genome of a plastid, said vector containing a transposon including a gene encoding a selectable marker protein and having insertion sequences on either side of said gene encoding said selectable marker portion, said vector further comprising, on either side of said insertion sequences, a first and second DNA region which together comprise a DNA region homologous with a DNA region of said genome of said plastid.

Claim 9

The vector of claim 6, wherein said transposon includes a site for the insertion of a gene encoding a desired heterologous protein.

Claim 10

The vector of claim 7, wherein there is inserted, at said site, said gene encoding said desired heterologous protein.

Claim 11

The vector of claim 8, wherein said plastid is a chloroplast.

Claim 12

l0. The vector of claim 9, wherein said desired heterologous protein participates in a chemical reaction which occurs more efficiently inside said chloroplast than outside said chloroplast.

Claim 13

A plastid in which the genome thereof has integrated into it said integrating portion of the vector of claim 6.

Claim 14

The plastid of claim ll, wherein said plastid is a chloroplast.

Claim 15

A plant cell containing the plastid of claim ll.

Claim 16

A plant comprising a plurality of the cell of claim l3.

Claim 17

A method of producing a plant whose cells express a desired gene, comprising a) isolating plastids from a plant, b) transforming said plastids with the vector of claim 6, c) inserting said transformed plastids into plant cells, and d) regenerating a plant from said plant cells.

Claim 19

A plastid which is transformed with heterologous DNA.

Claim 20

A plastid which is transformed with heterologous DNA.

Claim 21

The plastid of claim l7, wherein said plastid is a chloroplast.