Method for producing plant with reduced harshness

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method with which plants that are not currently used for food, or parts of said plants, are made edible. The present invention also addresses the problem of providing a method for improving the taste of plants that are used for food, or parts of said plants. Provided is a crop or a food / beverage that is made of a plant in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited, or part of said plant, or that contains any one thereof, the crop being an edible crop or a feed crop for animals excluding Agromyzidae, and the food / beverage being for humans or being feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae.

Description

Method for producing plants with reduced bitterness

[0001] The present invention relates to crops or foods and beverages for humans or animals (excluding Agromyzidae), methods for producing plants with reduced bitterness, methods for producing foods and beverages, and methods for producing animal feed.

[0002] Humans began farming around 10,000 years ago by selectively breeding wild plants, resulting in genetic modification that allowed them to be used as food resources. However, only a limited number of plant species have been successfully bred for food, and the majority of the approximately 270,000 plant species that exist today remain inedible.

[0003] Abe, H. et al., Plant Physiology (2013) 163(3): 1242-1253.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for converting non-edible plants or parts thereof into edible plants, and to provide a method for improving the taste of edible plants or parts thereof.

[0005] Arabidopsis thaliana has many advantages as a model organism, such as a short generation period of approximately two months and ease of transformation, and is therefore used as a research material.

[0006] The bean leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii) is a pest whose larvae burrow into the leaves of agricultural produce and horticultural plants and feed on the leaf pulp. Host plants for the bean leafminer include soybean, tomato, eggplant, potato, and carrot. However, wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana is not a host plant for the bean leafminer.

[0007] In a previous study, the present inventors demonstrated that the coi1 mutant of Arabidopsis, which has a significantly reduced defense against jasmonic acid, can function as a host plant for the bean leafminer (Non-Patent Document 1). Specifically, in wild-type Arabidopsis, eggs laid by the bean leafminer in the leaves die before reaching the second instar after hatching, whereas in the coi1 mutant, the eggs continue to grow and then pupate into adults.

[0008] Jasmonic acid is a plant hormone synthesized in plants and is known to induce the expression of many genes involved in plant defense. Downstream of jasmonic acid, the production of VSP proteins with insect resistance activity is induced, which in turn induces the production of toxic compounds such as phenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids.

[0009] Based on the above-mentioned previous findings, the present inventors conceived the idea that the coi1 mutant may be useful as food not only for the bean leafminer but also for humans.

[0010] First, the inventors tried eating a wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana raw and found it to be bitter and unpalatable. On the other hand, they found that the coi1 mutant had a reduced bitterness and was palatable. This result was confirmed by a panel of sensory experts, who found that the wild-type strain was inedible due to its strong bitter, pungent, and grassy flavor, while the coi1 mutant had less pungent and bitter flavor and could be eaten without any problems in salads.

[0011] Next, the inventors prepared plant lysates from the leaves and stems of tomato mutants in which the orthologue of the coi1 gene had been mutated, and conducted a sensory evaluation by human panelists. The results showed that plant lysates prepared from wild-type tomato strains exhibited a strong bitter and acrid taste, while the mutants had significantly less bitterness.

[0012] Furthermore, the present inventors conducted a preference test in mice between plant homogenates prepared from wild-type and mutant tomato strains, and found that the plant homogenates prepared from the mutant strains were preferred over the wild-type strains.

[0013] The present inventors also performed sensory evaluations of the aos mutant, which lacks the gene encoding allene oxide synthase, involved in the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid in Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that the aos mutant had significantly reduced bitterness compared to the wild-type strain and even improved palatability compared to the coi1 mutant.

[0014] Furthermore, to verify the effects of the present invention on parsley, celery, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach, the inventors investigated whether spraying jasmonic acid on these plants would deteriorate their eating quality. The surprising result was that jasmonic acid treatment significantly worsened the eating quality of all plants, more than expected. This result strongly supports the possibility that, contrary to jasmonic acid spraying, inhibiting the jasmonic acid signaling pathway could improve the eating quality of these plants.

[0015] The present invention is based on the above findings and provides the following.

[0016] (1) A crop or food or drink comprising a plant or part thereof in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonate defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited, wherein the crop is a food crop or a feed crop for animals excluding Agromyzidae, and the food or drink is for humans or feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae. (2) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the jasmonate defense-related protein is selected from the group consisting of jasmonate synthase, jasmonate receptor, and jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulator. (3) The crop or food or drink according to (2), wherein the jasmonate synthase is selected from the group consisting of lipoxygenase, allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase, 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase, and OPC-8:0 CoA ligase. (4) The crop or food or drink according to (2), wherein the jasmonic acid receptor consists of any of the following amino acid sequences (a) to (c): (a) the amino acid sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 5, preferably SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, (b) the amino acid sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 5, preferably SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, in which one or more amino acids have been deleted, substituted or added, or (c) an amino acid sequence having 39% or more, preferably 69% or more identity to the amino acid sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 5, preferably SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2. (5) The crop or food or drink according to (3), wherein the allene oxide synthase consists of any of the following amino acid sequences (d) to (f): (d) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 21, (e) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 21, in which one or more amino acids have been deleted, substituted or added, or (f) an amino acid sequence having 90% or more identity to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 21. (6) The crop or food or drink according to (2), wherein the jasmonic acid defense-related transcriptional regulatory factor is selected from the group consisting of MYC2 protein, MYC3 protein, MYC4 protein, and JAZ protein. (7) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the plant or part thereof is derived from a dicotyledonous plant or a monocotyledonous plant.(8) The crop or food or drink according to (7), wherein the dicotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of the Brassicles, Solanales, Umbelliferae, Asterales, and Caryophyllales. (9) The crop or food or drink according to (7), wherein the dicotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of the Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Amaranthaceae. (10) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the plant is derived from a cultivated plant or a wild plant, or an edible plant or a non-edible plant. (11) The crop or food or drink according to (10), wherein the cultivated plant or the edible plant is selected from the group consisting of carrot, radish, turnip, bell pepper, tomato, eggplant, spinach, chrysanthemum, leek, onion, broccoli, chive, celery, cabbage, lettuce, bitter melon, soybean, celery, parsley, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach. (12) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the part is a leaf, stem, root, flower, fruit, and / or seed. (13) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the animal excluding Agromyzidae is a livestock, pet, racehorse, or laboratory animal, or an insect excluding Agromyzidae. (14) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the plant or part thereof is heat-processed. (15) The crop or food or drink according to (1), wherein the plant or part thereof is not heat-processed. (16) A method for producing a plant with reduced bitterness, comprising a suppression / inhibition step of suppressing or inhibiting the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein in a plant. (17) A method for producing a food or drink, comprising cooking a plant or a part thereof with reduced acridity, wherein the plant has suppressed or inhibited expression and / or activity of a jasmonate defense-related protein. (18) A method for producing feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae, comprising a cultivation step of cultivating a plant or a part thereof with reduced acridity, wherein the plant has suppressed or inhibited expression and / or activity of a jasmonate defense-related protein. (19) The method according to any one of (16) to (18), wherein the jasmonate defense-related protein is selected from the group consisting of jasmonate synthase, jasmonate receptor, and jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulator.This specification includes the disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-073644, from which the present application claims priority.

[0017] According to the present invention, a method for converting a plant or a part thereof that is not used for food into an edible plant can be provided, and a method for improving the taste of a plant or a part thereof that is used for food is also provided.

[0018] Figure 1 shows the results of a sensory evaluation by human panelists of plant homogenates prepared from tomato wild-type strains and jai1 mutants. Figure 2 shows the results of a preference test in mice for two types of plant homogenates prepared from tomato wild-type strains and jai1 mutants. Error bars indicate standard error. Figure 3 shows the results of a non-choice test in mice for plant homogenates prepared from tomato wild-type strains and jai1 mutants at concentrations of 15% and 30%. The letters above the bars indicate significant differences based on the Tukey-Kramer test. Error bars indicate standard error.

[0019] 1. Crops or Foods and Drinks 1-1. Overview A first aspect of the present invention is a crop or food or drink. The crop or food or drink of this aspect is a food crop, a feed crop for animals excluding Agromyzidae, a food or drink for humans, or a feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae (hereinafter abbreviated as "crop or food or drink of the present invention" or "food crop, food or drink, feed crop, or feed of the present invention"). The crop or food or drink of the present invention consists of or contains a plant or part thereof in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited. The plant or part thereof in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited has reduced bitterness, and therefore the crop or food or drink of the present invention is useful for human or animal consumption.

[0020] 1-2. Definitions Terms frequently used in this specification are defined below. As used herein, "jasmonic acid" refers to a plant hormone that plays an important role in plant development and responses to biotic stress. Jasmonic acid is known to induce the expression of numerous genes involved in plant defense. Downstream, jasmonic acid induces the production of protease inhibitor proteins with insect resistance, as well as the production of toxic substances such as phenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids. Jasmonic acid is condensed with isoleucine to produce jasmonate-isoleucine (JA-Ile), which is known to function as an active form. This induces protein-protein interactions between jasmonic acid receptors (described below) and JAZ proteins, promoting their ubiquitination and degradation by the 26S proteasome system.

[0021] As used herein, the term "jasmonate defense-related proteins" refers to proteins involved in jasmonate biosynthesis, jasmonate signal transduction, and defense responses downstream of jasmonate in plants. Specific examples of jasmonate defense-related proteins include jasmonate synthases, jasmonate receptors, and jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulators.

[0022] As used herein, "jasmonate synthase" refers to an enzyme that functions in the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid. Jasmonic acid biosynthesis is explained as follows: Lipoxygenase inserts oxygen at the C13 position of α-linolenic acid (C18:3) to generate 13-hydroperoxide, which is subsequently converted to unstable allene oxide by allene oxide synthase and further cyclized by allene oxide cyclase to generate cis-(+)-12-oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA). Further reduction by 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase generates 3-oxo-2(-cis-2'-pentenyl)-oxo(cis-2'-pentenyl) (OPC-8:0), which is then β-oxidized three times by OPC-8:0 CoA ligase to form cis-(+)-7-isojasmonic acid and the more stable trans-(-)-jasmonic acid. Specific examples of jasmonate synthases include lipoxygenase, allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase, 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase, and OPC-8:0 CoA ligase.

[0023] As used herein, the term "jasmonate receptor" refers to an F-box protein that functions as a jasmonate receptor in plants and constitutes a ubiquitin ligase. As described above, jasmonate receptors promote the degradation of JAZ proteins, which are transcriptional repressor proteins, in the presence of jasmonate isoleucine. Specific examples of jasmonate receptors include the COI1 protein of Arabidopsis thaliana and the JAI1 protein of tomato.

[0024] As used herein, the term "jasmonic acid defense-related transcriptional regulatory factors" is a general term for factors involved in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in plant defense responses downstream of jasmonic acid. Specifically, this term refers to transcription factors that function downstream of jasmonic acid and transcriptional regulatory factors that regulate transcription in which these transcription factors are involved, as well as factors that interact with jasmonic acid receptors to regulate their function. Specific examples of jasmonic acid defense-related transcriptional regulatory factors include MYC2 protein, MYC3 protein, MYC4 protein, and JAZ protein.

[0025] As used herein, a "crop" is a plant that is grown for human or non-human animal consumption.

[0026] As used herein, a "food crop" is a plant that is cultivated for human consumption.

[0027] As used herein, "forage crops" are plants grown for food by animals other than humans.

[0028] As used herein, the term "food and beverage" encompasses beverages and / or foods for humans, as well as feed for non-human animals, unless otherwise specified. The type of food and beverage for humans is not particularly limited herein, and may be any of the above-mentioned food crops to which some processing (e.g., cutting; heating, e.g., frying, simmering, boiling; dressing; pickling; fermentation; crushing; grinding; drying, e.g., freeze-drying; juicing; squeezing; concentrating; adding seasonings, e.g., salt or sugar; adding food additives, e.g., excipients, bulking agents, binders, thickeners, emulsifiers, coloring agents, or flavoring agents; or any combination thereof) has been added. Specific examples of food and beverage include raw materials for cooking (e.g., ingredients, toppings), cut plants (e.g., cut vegetables), salads, pickles, pickled vegetables, green vegetables, soups, canned foods, bottled foods, seasonings, sprinkles, processed foods, fermented foods, green juice (crushed plant juice), vegetable juice, fruit juice, etc.

[0029] As used herein, "feed" refers to food and drink for animals other than humans. The type of feed is not particularly limited herein, and may be either liquid feed or solid feed. The feed may be obtained by harvesting the above-mentioned feed crops, and may be cut, dried, and / or fermented after harvesting, crushed and processed into powder feed, or liquid feed prepared by suspending powder feed in a liquid such as water. Specific examples of feed include livestock feed, pet food, laboratory animal feed, and edible insect feed.

[0030] As used herein, "animals excluding Agromyzidae" refers to any species of metazoans and protozoans excluding Agromyzidae, and may be either vertebrates or invertebrates. Vertebrates may be, for example, mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, or fish. Invertebrates may be, for example, insects or nematodes. Insects are any insects excluding Agromyzidae, and may be, for example, laboratory animals such as fruit flies, or edible insects such as crickets and locusts. In addition, as used herein, an insect of the Agromyzidae family may be the bean leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii).

[0031] The plants of interest in this specification are not particularly limited and may be either angiosperms or gymnosperms. Angiosperms also include both dicotyledons and monocotyledons. The plants may be cultivated or wild, edible or non-edible, and forage or non-forage plants, but are preferably not poisonous. Examples of cultivated plants include important plants in agriculture, particularly in the seed and floriculture industries, such as crop plants such as cereals, flowers, vegetables, and fruits. Specifically, dicotyledons include species belonging to the Brassicaceae family (e.g., cabbage, radish, Chinese cabbage, rapeseed), species belonging to the Fabaceae family (e.g., soybean, peanut, pea, kidney bean, adzuki bean, broad bean, sweet pea), species belonging to the Solanaceae family (e.g., tomato, eggplant, potato, tobacco, bell pepper, capsicum, petunia), species belonging to the Rosaceae family (e.g., strawberry, rose, apple, pear, peach, loquat, almond, plum, plum, cherry), and species belonging to the Orchidaceae family (e.g., Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium), species belonging to the Liliaceae family (e.g., lilies, tulips, hyacinths, muscari, leeks, onions, garlic), Rutaceae family (e.g., mandarins, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, yuzu), species belonging to the Vitaceae family (e.g., grapes), species belonging to the Asteraceae family (e.g., lettuce, chrysanthemums, dahlias, marigolds, sunflowers), species belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family (e.g., carnations, baby's breath), and species belonging to the Theaceae family (e.g., sasanqua, tea plant). Furthermore, among monocotyledons, species belonging to the Poaceae family (e.g., rice, wheat, barley, corn, sugarcane, sorghum, sorghum) are included.

[0032] As used herein, an "edible plant" refers to a plant whose whole or part is used for human consumption. A "forage plant" refers to a plant whose whole or part is used for animal consumption. The term "edible plant" primarily refers to herbaceous edible plants, but may also refer to woody edible plants. Specific examples of edible plants include leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, salad greens, and spinach, and fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries. Specific examples of edible plants include carrots, radishes, turnips, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach, chrysanthemums, leeks, onions, broccoli, chives, celery, cabbage, lettuce, bitter melon, and soybeans.

[0033] In another embodiment, the plant or part thereof is a non-edible plant. As used herein, "non-edible plant" refers to any plant other than the above-mentioned edible plants. Also, "non-feed plant" refers to any plant other than the above-mentioned non-feed plants.

[0034] As used herein, the term "all" of a plant refers to all regions constituting a living plant. Furthermore, the term "part" of a plant refers to a partial region constituting a living plant, specifically, an organ (e.g., roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, epidermis, or a combination thereof, or pollen, egg cells, seeds, etc.), a tissue or part thereof consisting of a group of morphologically and / or functionally differentiated cells, or a cell.

[0035] As used herein, "multiple" refers to, for example, 2 to 40, 2 to 30, 2 to 20, 2 to 15, 2 to 10, 2 to 7, 2 to 5, 2 to 4, or 2 to 3. Furthermore, "amino acid identity" refers to the percentage (%) of identical amino acid residues in the total number of amino acid residues when the amino acid sequences of two polypeptides being compared are aligned, with appropriate gaps inserted into one or both sequences as needed to maximize the number of identical amino acid residues. Alignment of two amino acid sequences to calculate amino acid identity can be performed using known programs such as Blast, FASTA, and ClustalW. "Nucleotide identity" is calculated in a similar manner.

[0036] As used herein, "(amino acid) substitution" refers to substitution within a conservative amino acid group that has similar properties, such as charge, side chain, polarity, and aromaticity, among the 20 amino acids that constitute natural proteins. Examples include substitutions within the group of uncharged polar amino acids with low-polarity side chains (Gly, Asn, Gln, Ser, Thr, Cys, Tyr), branched-chain amino acids (Leu, Val, Ile), neutral amino acids (Gly, Ile, Val, Leu, Ala, Met, Pro), neutral amino acids with hydrophilic side chains (Asn, Gln, Thr, Ser, Tyr, Cys), acidic amino acids (Asp, Glu), basic amino acids (Arg, Lys, His), and aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp). Amino acid substitutions within these groups are preferred because they are known to be less likely to cause changes in the properties of polypeptides.

[0037] The crop or food or drink of the present invention consists of or includes a plant or a part thereof in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited. The crop or food or drink of the present invention can be consumed by humans and / or animals other than Agromyzidae.

[0038] In some embodiments of this aspect, the jasmonate defense-related protein is a jasmonate synthase, a jasmonate receptor, or a jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulator.

[0039] In one embodiment, the jasmonate defense-related protein is jasmonate synthase. Examples of jasmonate synthase include lipoxygenase, allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase, 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase, and OPC-8:0 CoA ligase, and specific examples thereof include SEQ ID NO: 19 (Arabidopsis thaliana lipoxygenase LOX1), SEQ ID NO: 20 (Arabidopsis thaliana lipoxygenase LOX2), SEQ ID NO: 21 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide synthase), SEQ ID NO: 22 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide cyclase AOC1), SEQ ID NO: 23 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide cyclase AOC2), SEQ ID NO: 24 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide cyclase AOC3), and SEQ ID NO: 25 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide synthase). 25 (Arabidopsis thaliana allene oxide cyclase AOC4), SEQ ID NO: 26 (Arabidopsis thaliana 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase OPR1), SEQ ID NO: 27 (Arabidopsis thaliana 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase OPR2), SEQ ID NO: 28 (Arabidopsis thaliana 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase OPR3), or SEQ ID NO: 29 (Arabidopsis thaliana OPC-8:0 CoA ligase), or a protein comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence having 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 19 to 29, respectively.

[0040] In one embodiment, the jasmonate defense-related protein is a jasmonate receptor, such as the Arabidopsis thaliana COI1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) JAI1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, or the rice (Oryza sativa) OsCOI1a protein, OsCOI1b protein, or OsCOI2 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, 4, or 5, respectively, or any of their orthologous proteins. For example, the orthologous protein comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted, or added in the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 5, or an amino acid sequence that has 39% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 69% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 5. The amino acid sequence identity between the Arabidopsis thaliana COI1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) JAI1 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 is 69.35%.

[0041] Examples of genes encoding jasmonic acid receptors include the Arabidopsis COI1 gene (SEQ ID NO: 6), the tomato JAI1 gene (SEQ ID NO: 7), the rice OsCOI1a, OsCOI1b, or OsCOI2 gene (SEQ ID NO: 8, 9, or 10, respectively), or any of their orthologous genes. Examples of the orthologous genes include genes having a nucleotide sequence that is 39% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 69% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NOs: 6 to 10.

[0042] In one embodiment, the jasmonic acid defense-related protein is allene oxide synthase. The allene oxide synthase is, for example, the Arabidopsis thaliana AOS protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 21 or an orthologue protein thereof. For example, the orthologue protein comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted, or added in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 21, or an amino acid sequence having 39% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 69% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 21.

[0043] An example of a gene encoding allene oxide synthase is the Arabidopsis AOS gene (SEQ ID NO: 30). Examples of orthologous genes of the allene oxide synthase gene include genes having a nucleotide sequence that is 39% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 69% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identical to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 30.

[0044] In one embodiment, the jasmonate defense-related protein is a jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulator, such as MYC2 protein, MYC3 protein, MYC4 protein, or JASMONATE-ZIM-domain (JAZ) protein.

[0045] The MYC2 protein may be an Arabidopsis MYC2 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, a tomato MYC2 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12, or a rice MYC2 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13, or an orthologous protein of any of them. Examples of the orthologous protein include an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted, or added in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, 12, or 13, or an amino acid sequence that contains or consists of 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, 12, or 13.

[0046] The MYC3 protein may be an Arabidopsis MYC3 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 14, a tomato MYC3 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15, or a rice MYC3 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16, or an orthologous protein of any of them. Examples of the orthologous protein include an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted, or added in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 14, 15, or 16, or an amino acid sequence that contains or consists of 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 14, 15, or 16.

[0047] The MYC4 protein may be an Arabidopsis MYC4 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17, or a rice MYC4 protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 18, or an orthologous protein of either of them. Examples of the orthologous protein include an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted, or added in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17 or 18, or an amino acid sequence that contains or consists of 39% or more, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 96% or more, 97% or more, 98% or more, or 99% or more identity to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17 or 18.

[0048] JASMONATE-ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins are repressor proteins that are part of the jasmonate signaling pathway. In Arabidopsis, 13 subtypes are known: JAZ1, JAZ2, JAZ3, JAZ4, JAZ5, JAZ6, JAZ7, JAZ8, JAZ9, JAZ10, JAZ11, JAZ12, and JAZ13. The JAZ protein may be any of these.

[0049] In one embodiment, the plant or part thereof is derived from a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous plant. Dicotyledonous plants include, for example, the Brassicaceae family, Solanales family, Umbelliferales family, Asterales family, or Caryophyllaceae family. More specifically, the plant may be, for example, the Brassicaceae family (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, etc.; specific examples include Arabidopsis thaliana, radish, turnip, broccoli, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage), the Apiaceae family (e.g., Daucus carota, Daucus oleracea, and Daucus carota; specific examples include carrot, celery, and parsley), the Solanaceae family (e.g., Solanaceae; specific examples include tomato, bell pepper, and eggplant), the Amaranthaceae family (e.g., Spinach; specific example includes spinach), the Asteraceae family (e.g., Lactuca spp.; specific examples include chrysanthemum and lettuce), the Amaryllidaceae family (e.g., leek, onion, and Chinese chive), the Fabaceae family (e.g., soybean), or the Cucurbitaceae family (e.g., bitter melon). The monocotyledonous plant may be, for example, a grass (e.g., rice).

[0050] The feed of the present invention can be ingested by animals other than Agromyzidae, such as animals other than the bean leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii). The animals may be, for example, livestock animals, pet animals, racehorses, or laboratory animals.

[0051] In one embodiment, the food, drink or feed of the present invention is heat-processed.

[0052] In another embodiment, the food, drink, or feed of the present invention is not heat-processed. For example, the food, drink, or feed of the present invention may be cut vegetables or salad for raw consumption, or may be a fermented food. The feed may also be a fermented feed such as silage.

[0053] In one embodiment, the plant or part thereof contained in the crop or food or beverage of the present invention is the progeny of a transformed plant in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein has been suppressed or inhibited, and also includes progeny in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein has been suppressed or inhibited.

[0054] Furthermore, the plants or parts thereof contained in the crops or foods and beverages of the present invention also include clones having the same genetic information, such as a plant part taken from a transformed plant or the like and then taken by cutting, grafting, or layering, a plant regenerated from callus after cell culture, or a new vegetative body produced from a vegetative propagation organ (e.g., rhizome, tuberous root, corm, runner, etc.) obtained by asexual reproduction from a transformed plant or the like.

[0055] As used herein, "the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited" means that the expression or activity of the jasmonic acid defense-related protein is reduced compared to that of a wild-type strain of the target plant. The degree to which the expression or activity of the jasmonic acid defense-related protein is reduced in the plant or part thereof contained in the food or beverage product of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as the bitterness upon ingestion of the plant or part thereof is reduced. For example, the expression or activity of the jasmonic acid defense-related protein may be suppressed by 10% or more, 20% or more, 30% or more, 40% or more, 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 99% or more, or inhibited 100% compared to that of a wild-type strain of the target plant.

[0056] The specific method for suppressing or inhibiting the expression or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein in a plant or part thereof contained in the crop or food or drink of the present invention can be any method known in the art. The expression or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein can be suppressed or inhibited by, but not limited to, using an existing mutant, mutagen treatment, gene knockdown, gene knockout, and / or introduction of an inhibitor, or any combination thereof. Each method is described below.

[0057] (1) Use of Mutants As used herein, "use of mutants" refers to the use of mutants available in the art. As used herein, "mutants" refer to plants in which a mutation has occurred in a target gene, i.e., a gene encoding a jasmonic acid defense-related protein. Mutations include additions, deletions, and / or substitutions of the wild-type target gene. Mutants are preferably those in which the function of the target gene containing the mutation is deleted, inhibited, or suppressed.

[0058] (2) Mutagen Treatment. As used herein, "mutagen treatment" refers to a treatment that induces mutations in a target plant. The treatment method is not particularly limited. Examples include irradiation with electromagnetic waves or radiation such as X-rays or ultraviolet rays, contact with mutagens such as nitrosoguanidine, nitrosamine, bromodeoxyuridine, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, methyl ethanesulfonate, benzopyrene, and ethidium bromide, and treatment using viruses or transposons to introduce nucleic acids into random locations in the genome. Mutagen treatment induces mutations such as point mutations, deletion mutations, and insertion mutations. After mutagen treatment, candidate mutants with mutations in the target gene are isolated based on phenotype, etc., and the gene fragments are amplified by PCR. The introduction of mutations into the target gene is confirmed by sequencing, allowing the desired mutant of the target gene to be obtained.

[0059] (3) Gene Knockdown As used herein, "gene knockdown" refers to a procedure that reduces the expression level of a target gene. Examples include the antisense method, which uses antisense DNA that can hybridize to RNA transcribed from the target gene to degrade the target gene's mRNA with RNase H, and the RNA interference method (RNAi), which uses siRNA or shRNA to degrade the target mRNA and thereby suppress gene expression after transcription. Examples include a method of introducing an expression vector for antisense nucleic acid or shRNA into cells, and a method using antisense nucleic acid or shRNA containing artificial nucleic acid.

[0060] (4) Gene knockout: As used herein, "gene knockout" refers to disrupting the function of a gene by inserting or deleting a target gene on a chromosome. Gene knockout can be achieved by gene targeting, which uses homologous recombination to modify endogenous genes, or by genome editing techniques that use artificial DNA cleavage enzymes such as ZFN and TALEN, or site-specific nucleases such as CRISPR / Cas.

[0061] (5) Introduction of Inhibitors In order to suppress / inhibit the expression / activity of jasmonic acid defense-related proteins in plants or parts thereof contained in the crops or foods and beverages of the present invention, inhibitors can be introduced. The inhibitors are not limited as long as they can directly or indirectly suppress / inhibit the expression / activity of jasmonic acid defense-related proteins. For example, a jasmonic acid receptor inhibitor may be introduced.

[0062] 1-4. Effects The plants or parts thereof contained in the crops or foods and beverages of the present invention have reduced acrid, pungent, bitter, astringent, and / or grassy flavors present in wild-type plants. Furthermore, the bitterness and astringency experienced immediately after ingesting the wild-type plant, as well as the bitterness and discomfort in the mouth and throat that remain after ingesting the wild-type plant, are improved or eliminated, and the food and beverages of the present invention are not peculiar. Therefore, the foods and beverages of the present invention can be consumed, for example, as green juice (crushed plant liquid) or salads. Furthermore, the feed of the present invention also enables the use of wild plants and weeds that have not previously been utilized as useful biological resources as feed. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the taste of edible plants, such as bell peppers, which are not popular among children, by reducing the pungency and bitterness. Furthermore, the leaves and stems of edible plants, such as tomatoes, whose fruit has traditionally been eaten, can also be made edible.

[0063] 2. Method for Producing Plants with Reduced Astringency 2-1. Overview A second aspect of the present invention is a method for producing plants with reduced astringency. The production method of the present invention includes, as an essential step, a suppression / inhibition step of suppressing or inhibiting the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein in a plant. According to the production method of the present invention, plants with reduced astringency can be produced from edible or non-edible plants, or from feed or non-feed plants. Furthermore, parts of edible or feed plants that were previously not used for food can also be used for food or feed.

[0064] The method for producing dedifferentiated cells of the present invention includes a suppression / inhibition step as an essential step and a cultivation step as a selection step. Each step will be specifically described below.

[0065] (Suppression / Inhibition Step) In this embodiment, the "suppression / inhibition step" refers to a step of reducing the harshness of a plant by suppressing or inhibiting the expression or activity of a factor that suppresses the expression of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein. This step can be carried out in accordance with the methods for suppressing or inhibiting the expression or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein described in (2) mutagen treatment, (3) gene knockdown, (4) gene knockout, or (5) introduction of an inhibitor in the first embodiment.

[0066] For example, a polynucleotide, vector, or inhibitor for gene knockdown or gene knockout can be introduced into a target plant using a method known in the art, such as the Agrobacterium method, the PEG-calcium phosphate method, the electroporation method, the liposome method, the particle gun method, or the microinjection method.

[0067] (Cultivation step) In this embodiment, the "cultivation step" refers to a step of cultivating a plant in which the expression or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein has been suppressed or inhibited after the suppression / inhibition step described above. The cultivation method in the cultivation step is not particularly limited. Any of soil cultivation, culture medium cultivation, and hydroponic cultivation can be applied. The cultivation method may be selected appropriately depending on the type of target plant and the purpose of cultivation. Specific methods for each cultivation method may be carried out based on known methods. Cultivation conditions such as light / dark periods (light irradiation period and dark period), weather conditions such as temperature and humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, growth period, fertilizer, and optimal pH can be selected appropriately depending on the target plant.

[0068] 3. Method for Producing Foods and Drinks 3-1. Overview A third aspect of the present invention is a method for producing foods and drinks. According to the production method of the present invention, foods and drinks can be produced from plants with reduced bitterness. In addition, foods and drinks for human consumption can also be produced from parts of edible plants that have not traditionally been used for food.

[0069] 3-2. Method The production method of this embodiment includes cooking the plant or part thereof with reduced bitterness. The cooking method in this embodiment is not particularly limited. Examples include cutting the plant or part thereof, heating (e.g., deep-frying, simmering, boiling), dressing, pickling, fermenting, crushing, grinding, drying, freeze-drying, squeezing, squeezing, concentrating, and / or adding seasonings (e.g., salt, sugar) or food additives (e.g., excipients, bulking agents, binders, thickeners, emulsifiers, coloring agents, flavorings). For example, heating the plant or part thereof can further reduce the bitterness, and adding seasonings can further improve the taste. Cooking in this embodiment can produce, for example, a salad containing the plant or part thereof with reduced bitterness, or a juice containing the plant or part thereof with reduced bitterness (e.g., crushed plant liquid).

[0070] In the production method of this aspect, the cultivation step and the recovery step described in the fourth aspect described below may be carried out before the cooking step.

[0071] 4. Feed Production Method 4-1. Overview A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for producing animal feed that excludes Agromyzidae. According to the production method of the present invention, animal feed that excludes Agromyzidae can be produced from plants with reduced bitterness that are derived from feed plants or non-feed plants. Furthermore, animal feed that excludes Agromyzidae can also be produced from parts of feed plants that have not traditionally been used as feed.

[0072] The production method of this embodiment includes a cultivation step as an essential step and a recovery step as an optional step. Each step will be specifically described below.

[0073] (Cultivation step) In this embodiment, the "cultivation step" refers to a step of cultivating a plant in which the expression or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited. The cultivation method for the plant in the cultivation step is not particularly limited. As in the second embodiment, any of soil cultivation, culture medium cultivation, and hydroponic cultivation can be applied.

[0074] (Recovery step) In this aspect, the "recovery step" is a step of collecting a plant or a part thereof after the cultivation step. This step is a selection step and may be performed as needed. The method for collecting a plant or a part thereof is not particularly limited, and only parts such as leaves and stems to be used in the production method of the present invention may be collected, or unnecessary parts not to be used in the production method may be removed. In one embodiment, the plant parts collected in this step are leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits, and / or seeds.

[0075] The plant cultivated in the cultivation step in the production method of this embodiment can be directly ingested by animals while being cultivated in soil or the like, or the plant or a part thereof recovered after the recovery step may be subjected to processing (e.g., heating and / or fermentation) including the cooking method described above, as needed.

[0076] Example 1: Sensory evaluation of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana strain and coi1 mutant (Objective) A sensory evaluation of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana strain and coronatin insensitive1 (coi1) mutant was carried out by human panelists.

[0077] (Methods and Results) The wild-type Arabidopsis strain used was a Columbia (Col-0) background strain. The coi1 mutant was the coi1-1 mutant, in which the coi1 gene was disrupted by introducing a single base substitution into the coi1 gene sequence. The wild-type Arabidopsis strain and the coi1 mutant were grown in professional-grade soil (Diamond Chemicals) at 22°C under a 16-hour / 8-hour light / dark cycle for three weeks, and leaves harvested from the potted plants were subjected to sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was outsourced to QSAI Co., Ltd., and five experts evaluated the chewing ability of the leaves.

[0078] The results of the sensory evaluation by five experts were as follows: Panelist 1: The coi1 mutant has almost no spiciness or bitterness and is not overpowering. Panelist 2: The coi1 mutant is less spicy and there is no problem eating it in a salad, it is delicious. Panelist 3: The wild-type strain has a stronger, grassy flavor and a more distinctive character. Panelist 4: The coi1 mutant has less spiciness and bitterness and there is no problem eating it in a salad. Panelist 5: The coi1 mutant is milder and has no overpowering flavor. It goes well with anything, even in a salad.

[0079] These results demonstrate that the Arabidopsis coi1 mutant has significantly reduced bitterness compared to the wild-type strain, making it suitable for consumption.

[0080] Example 2: Sensory evaluation of wild-type tomato strains and jai1 mutants (Objective) A sensory evaluation of wild-type tomato strains and jasmonic acid insensitive1 (jai1) mutants was carried out by human panelists.

[0081] (Methods and Results) The wild-type tomato strain used was the Micro-Tom wild-type strain. The jai1 mutant was the jai1-1 mutant, in which the jai1 gene was disrupted by deletion in the wild-type strain. The wild-type tomato strain and the jai1 mutant were grown in Kumiai Genki-kun horticultural soil (Katakura Co-op Agri) at 24°C under a 16-hour / 8-hour light / dark cycle for two months. Leaves and stems harvested from potted plants were frozen and crushed to prepare plant homogenates. Five RIKEN staff members ingested the plant homogenates for sensory evaluation.

[0082] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Figure 1. The plant lysate prepared from the wild-type tomato strain exhibited a strong bitter and acrid taste. In contrast, the jai1 mutant exhibited significantly less bitterness.

[0083] Example 3: Preference test 1 in mice: Choice test (Objective) Two types of plant homogenates prepared from a wild-type tomato strain and a jai1 mutant were placed in the same cage, and the amounts of intake by mice were compared.

[0084] (Method and Results) Plant homogenates were prepared from the tomato wild-type strain and the jai1 mutant using the same method as in Example 2. BL / 6 wild-type mice were placed in cages containing two water bottles containing the respective plant homogenates. A total of six mice (three males and three females) were housed per cage for four days under conditions where they had free access to solid food but were restricted to water other than the plant homogenates. The positions of the two water bottles were swapped during the first and second two days of the four-day period. Food intake was measured daily, and the average value over the four days was calculated. Furthermore, the average value and standard error for all mice were calculated based on this average value.

[0085] The plant lysate intake is shown in Figure 2. The plant lysate prepared from the wild-type tomato strain was approximately 1.3 mL / day, while the plant lysate prepared from the jai1 mutant was approximately 2.6 mL / day (Student's t-test, * indicates p<0.01). These results indicate that the mice ingested twice as much plant lysate from the jai1 mutant as from the wild-type strain, demonstrating a strong preference for the jai1 mutant.

[0086] Example 4: Preference test 2 in mice: non-choice test (Objective) Two types of plant homogenates prepared from a wild-type tomato strain and a jai1 mutant were separately administered to mice, and the intake amounts were compared.

[0087] (Method and Results) Plant homogenates were prepared at 15% or 30% concentrations from wild-type tomato strains and jai1 mutants using the same method as in Example 2. Each plant homogenate solution was placed in a water bottle. Water bottles containing water were also prepared. During the first two days of the four-day rearing period, water bottles containing water were placed in the cages. During the last two days, the plant homogenate group had water bottles containing plant homogenate, while the control group had water bottles containing water (Figure 3A). As in Example 3, wild-type mice were housed individually per cage for four days with free access to solid food. Daily intake was measured, and the intake for the last two days was measured. Relative intake was calculated, with the intake in the control group set at 100%. Based on these relative values, the mean and standard error for all mice were calculated.

[0088] The results of two independent experiments are shown in Figures 3B and 3C. When comparing wild-type and jai1 mutant plants, plant lysate prepared from the jai1 mutant showed higher intake than plant lysate prepared from the wild-type. Furthermore, when comparing the 15% and 30% concentrations, plant lysate prepared from the wild-type plant was less ingested at the 30% concentration, whereas there was no difference between the two concentrations when using plant lysate prepared from the mutant. These results suggest that the plant lysate prepared from the jai1 mutant has improved palatability.

[0089] Example 5: Sensory evaluation of Arabidopsis aos mutants (Objective) A sensory evaluation is carried out by human panelists on Arabidopsis mutants (aos mutants) lacking the allene oxide synthase gene (aos gene).

[0090] (Methods and Results) The aos mutant was an aos mutant in which the aos gene was disrupted by an insertion mutation within the aos gene sequence in a wild-type strain on the Columbia (Col-0) background. The same mutant strains used in Example 1 and the coi1 mutant were used for comparison. The aos mutant, coi1 mutant, and wild-type Arabidopsis strains were grown in professional soil (Diamond Chemical Industry) at 22°C under a 16-hour / 8-hour light / dark cycle for three weeks, and leaves harvested from potted plants were subjected to sensory evaluation. Five RIKEN staff members tore leaves from the potted plants and ate them.

[0091] The results of the sensory evaluation by five panelists are shown in (1) to (3) below.

[0092] (1) aos mutant - No peculiar taste, like baby leaves. - No bitterness. - No bitterness, refreshing taste. - Mild taste. - Delicious, like baby leaves. - No peculiar taste. - Suitable for salads.

[0093] (2) coi1 mutant - Slightly bitter. - Similar to the aos mutant, but with a slightly bitter taste. - Medium taste. - Slightly grassy smell. - Fresh taste. - No strong taste. - Tasty, but with a tangy taste.

[0094] (3) Wild strain - A strong bitter taste is felt. - It has a bitter taste like radish leaves. - A kale-like taste lingers. - A grassy taste is felt. - It tastes like strong matcha. - The taste is felt in the back of the tongue. It tastes like green juice. - It is bitter. It has a bitter taste.

[0095] These results demonstrate that the aos mutant of Arabidopsis has significantly reduced bitterness compared to the wild-type strain, making it suitable for consumption. Furthermore, the aos mutant also has improved taste compared to the coi1 mutant.

[0096] Example 6: Evaluation of jai1 mutant tomato strains using a taste sensor (Objective) A wild-type tomato strain and a jai1 mutant tomato strain are analyzed using a taste sensor.

[0097] (Method and Results) Tomato wild-type strains and jai1 mutants were cultivated using the same method as in Example 2. Leaves and stems harvested from potted plants were freeze-frozen to prepare plant lysates. The taste of the plant lysates was analyzed using a taste sensor (Insent TS-5000Z).

[0098] The results of the taste analysis are shown in Table 1. Each taste item was analyzed three times for both the wild-type and jai1 mutant strains. Significant differences between the wild-type and jai1 mutant strains were analyzed using Student's t-test, and the P values ​​are shown in Table 1.

[0099] Significant differences were detected between the wild-type and jai1 mutant in astringency, saltiness, umami aftertaste, salt bitterness, bitter off-flavor, bitterness, and astringency, confirming the improved eating quality of the jai1 mutant.

[0100] Example 7: Verification of effects in parsley, celery, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach (Objective) The effects of jasmonic acid are verified in parsley, celery, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach.

[0101] (Method and Results) Potted parsley, celery, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach were bottom-imbibed with a 100 μM aqueous solution of methyl jasmonate or water without methyl jasmonate. The treatment volume was approximately 100 mL per plant. One week after treatment, leaves harvested from the potted plants were subjected to sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was conducted by four to five RIKEN staff members who tore leaves from the potted plants, washed them with water, and then ate them.

[0102] The results of the sensory evaluation by 4-5 panelists are shown in Table 2 below.

[0103] Surprisingly, it was found that the taste of all plants sprayed with jasmonic acid was significantly impaired. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Claims

1. A crop or food or drink, which consists of or contains a plant or part thereof in which the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein is suppressed or inhibited, wherein the crop is a food crop or a feed crop for animals excluding Agromyzidae, and the food or drink is for humans or is feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae.

2. The crop or food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the jasmonate defense-related protein is selected from jasmonate synthase, jasmonate receptor, and jasmonate defense-related transcriptional regulator.

3. The crop or food or drink described in claim 2, wherein the jasmonic acid synthase is selected from the group consisting of lipoxygenase, allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase, 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase, and OPC-8:0 CoA ligase.

4. The crop or food or drink according to claim 2, wherein the jasmonic acid receptor consists of any one of the following amino acid sequences (1) to (3): (1) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, (2) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 in which one or more amino acids have been deleted, substituted or added, or (3) an amino acid sequence having 69% or more identity with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2.

5. The crop or food or drink according to claim 3, wherein the allene oxide synthase consists of any one of the following amino acid sequences (4) to (6): (4) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 21, (5) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 21 in which one or more amino acids have been deleted, substituted or added, or (6) an amino acid sequence having 90% or more identity to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

21.

6. The crop or food or beverage product described in claim 2, wherein the jasmonic acid defense-related transcriptional regulatory factor is selected from the group consisting of MYC2 protein, MYC3 protein, MYC4 protein, and JAZ protein.

7. The crop or food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the plant or part thereof is derived from a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous plant.

8. The crop or food or drink according to claim 7, wherein the dicotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of the Brassicales, Solanales, Umbelliales, Asterales, and Caryophyllales.

9. The crop or food or drink according to claim 7, wherein the dicotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Amaranthaceae.

10. The crop or food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the plant is derived from a cultivated or wild plant, or an edible or non-edible plant.

11. The crop or food or drink according to claim 10, wherein the cultivated plant or edible plant is selected from the group consisting of carrots, radishes, turnips, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach, chrysanthemums, leeks, onions, broccoli, chives, celery, cabbage, lettuce, bitter melon, soybeans, celery, parsley, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and spinach.

12. The crop or food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the part is a leaf, stem, root, flower, fruit, and / or seed.

13. A method for producing a plant with reduced acridity, the method comprising: a suppression / inhibition step of suppressing or inhibiting the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein in the plant.

14. A method for producing a food or beverage, comprising cooking a plant or part thereof having reduced bitterness, wherein the expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein has been suppressed or inhibited.

15. A method for producing feed for animals excluding Agromyzidae, comprising a cultivation step of cultivating a plant or part thereof with reduced bitterness, wherein the plant has suppressed or inhibited expression and / or activity of a jasmonic acid defense-related protein.

Images