Means and methods for yield performance in plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016130602-A1
Application number	US-201414895918-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2013
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of plant molecular biology; more particularly to the field of agriculture; even more particularly to the field of improving the yield of plants. This disclosure provides chimeric genes and constructs that can be used to enhance the yield in plants and crops.

First claim

1 . A chimeric gene construct comprising the following operably linked DNA elements:
a) the promoter region of a plant GA2 oxidase gene, b) a DNA region encoding a plant CYP78A5 protein or a functional orthologue thereof with an amino acid identity of at least 55%, and c) a 3′ end region comprising transcription termination and polyadenylation signals functioning in cells of a plant.

2 . A recombinant vector comprising the chimeric gene construct of claim 1 .

3 . A plant, plant cell or plant seed comprising the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 .

4 . A method of increasing the yield of a plant, the method comprising:
utilizing the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 to increase the yield of a plant.

5 . A method of increasing seedling vigor of a plant, the method comprising:
utilizing the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 to increase the seedling vigor of a plant.

6 . A method of increasing drought tolerance of a plant, the method comprising:
utilizing the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 to increase the drought tolerance of a plant.

7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the plant is a crop plant.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the plant is a cereal plant.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the plant is a grass.

10 . A method for producing a plant with increased yield as compared to a corresponding wild-type plant, wherein the method comprises:
introducing into or transforming a plant with the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 to obtain a transgenic plant, and selecting a plant with a stable expression of the chimeric gene.

11 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the plant is a crop plant.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the plant is a cereal plant.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the plant is a grass.

14 . A plant, plant cell, or plant seed comprising an exogenous gene comprising the following operably linked DNA elements:
a plant GA2 oxidase gene promoter region, a DNA region encoding a plant CYP78A5 protein or a functional orthologue thereof with an amino acid identity of at least 55% to plant CYP78A5 protein, and a 3′ end region comprising transcription termination and polyadenylation signals functioning in cells of a plant.

15 . A method of producing a plant, the method comprising:
introducing into or transforming the plant with a polynucleotide comprising the following operably linked DNA elements:
a plant GA2 oxidase gene promoter region,
a DNA region encoding a plant CYP78A5 protein or a functional orthologue thereof with an amino acid identity of at least 55% to plant CYP78A5 protein, and
a 3′ end region comprising transcription termination and polyadenylation signals functioning in cells of the plant; and
selecting a plant with a stable expression of the polynucleotide.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the plant is a cereal plant.

17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the plant is a grass.

18 . A method for producing a plant with a shortened anthesis silking interval, as compared to a wild-type plant, the method comprising:
introducing into or transforming a plant with the chimeric gene construct according to claim 1 to obtain a transgenic plant, and selecting a transgenic plant with a stable expression of the chimeric gene.

Assignees

• Vib Vzw
• Univ Gent

Inventors

• Inzé Dirk Gustaaf
• Claeys Hannes
• Nelissen Hilde
• Sun Xiaohuan

Classifications

• C12N15/8261 Primary

  with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield · CPC title

• C12Y114/11013

  Gibberellin 2-beta-dioxygenase (1.14.11.13) · CPC title

• C12N15/8273

  for drought, cold, salt resistance · CPC title

• C12N9/0071

  acting on paired donors with incorporation of molecular oxygen (1.14) · CPC title

• C12N15/8229 Primary

  Meristem-specific, e.g. nodal, apical · CPC title