The present disclosure provides tobacco Nic1b locus and associated genes (e.g., a group of ERF genes). Also provided are tobacco plants with altered total alkaloid and nicotine levels and commercially acceptable leaf grade, their development via breeding or transgenic approaches, and production of tobacco products from these tobacco plants. Further provided are compositions and methods for producing tobacco plants having novel mutations or alleles to reduce nicotine levels. Further provided are sequence polymorphisms and molecular markers for breeding tobacco with reduced nicotine or alkaloids while maintaining tobacco leaf grade and tobacco product quality.

The present disclosure provides the identification of tobacco Nic1 locus. Also provided are tobacco plants with altered total alkaloid and nicotine levels and commercially acceptable leaf grade, their development via breeding or transgenic approaches, and production of tobacco products from these tobacco plants. Also provided are compositions and methods for producing tobacco plants having novel Nic1 mutations or alleles to reduce nicotine levels. Further provided are sequence polymorphisms and molecular markers for breeding tobacco with reduced nicotine or nicotine free while maintaining tobacco leaf grade and tobacco product quality.

The present disclosure provides approaches for reducing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in tobacco. Some of these approaches include genetically engineering tobacco plants to increase one or more antioxidants, increase oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), increase phenylalanine, or reduce nitrite. Also provided are methods and compositions for producing modified tobacco plants and tobacco products therefrom comprising reduced TSNAs.

Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a non-natural plant in which expression of a gene of interest is induced and a method for producing the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a non-natural plant in which the expression of the gene is stably induced even in the absence of a physical or chemical stimulus inducing the expression of the gene, and a method for producing the same. When the induction of the expression of the gene enhances a trait of a plant of interest, the present invention provides a non-natural plant in which the trait is enhanced and a method for producing the same. To solve the problem, a non-natural regenerated plant in which the expression of the gene is induced can be produced by forming a callus from a portion of the plant of interest and then subjecting the callus to a treatment by which the expression of the gene is induced.

The present invention provides monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and methods of use and making thereof.

A plant cell comprising: (a) a polynucleotide sequence encoding a nitrate reductase polypeptide comprising a contiguous polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 7, wherein methionine is substituted for an amino acid that reduces nitrate reductase activity in the plant cell as compared to a control plant cell; (b) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the polynucleotide sequence set forth in (a); or (c) a construct, vector or expression vector comprising the polynucleotide sequence set forth in (b).

The present disclosure provides tobacco Nic1b locus and associated genes. Also provided are tobacco plants with altered total alkaloid and nicotine levels and commercially acceptable leaf grade, their development via breeding or transgenic approaches, and production of tobacco products from these tobacco plants. Further provided are compositions and methods for producing tobacco plants having novel mutations or alleles to reduce nicotine levels. Further provided are sequence polymorphisms and molecular markers for breeding tobacco with reduced nicotine or alkaloids while maintaining tobacco leaf grade and tobacco product quality.

A process for producing a reduced tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) tobacco plant comprising reducing and/or eliminating anatabine biosynthesis in wild-type tobacco plant. In addition, use of such plants for discovery of molecular markers that are closely linked with genes required for anatabine biosynthesis and for discovery of genes required for anatabine biosynthesis. In addition, a smoking composition, a smoking article and a smokeless tobacco oral delivery product contain the tobacco material.

The present invention provides a tobacco plant which is suitable for cultivation for harvesting leaf tobaccos. The present invention includes (i) a tobacco plant in which a mutation for suppressing the development of axillary buds is introduced and (ii) a method of producing the tobacco plant.