Potato transcription factors, methods of use thereof, and a method for enhancing tuber development

Abstract

The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a BEL transcription factor from potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) and the amino acid sequences encoded by such nucleic acid molecules. Additional aspects of the present invention relate to methods of using isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode BEL transcription factors from potato to enhance growth and to regulate flowering in plants. The present invention is also directed to a method for enhancing tuber development in a plant. This method includes transforming a tuberous plant with a DNA construct including a nucleic acid molecule encoding a BEL transcription factor or a KNOX transcription factor, and an operably linked promoter and 3′ regulatory region, whereby tuber development is enhanced in the plant.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method for enhancing tuber development in a plant comprising:
 transforming a tuberous plant with a first DNA construct comprising:
 a first nucleic acid molecule encoding a BEL transcription factor or a KNOX transcription factor, and 
 a first operably linked promoter and first 3′ regulatory region, whereby tuber development in the plant is enhanced. 
   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a BEL transcription factor. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the BEL transcription factor is from  Solanum tuberosum.    
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule has a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:11, and SEQ ID NO:13. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein that is at least 85% similar to a homeodomain region, a SKY box, a BELL domain, and a VSLTLGL-box in either SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, or SEQ ID NO:14 by basic BLAST using default parameters analysis. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:11, or SEQ ID NO:13 under stringent conditions characterized by a hybridization buffer comprising 5×SSC at a temperature of 55° C. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein or polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, and SEQ ID NO:14. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein or polypeptide having a molecular mass of about 56 kDa to about 76 kDa. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a KNOX transcription factor. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the KNOX transcription factor is from  Solanum tuberosum.    
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule has a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:16 under stringent conditions characterized by a hybridization buffer comprising 5×SSC at a temperature of 55° C. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein or polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the first DNA construct comprises a first nucleic acid molecule encoding a BEL transcription factor and a second nucleic acid molecule encoding a KNOX transcription factor. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the BEL transcription factor and the KNOX transcription factor are from  Solanum tuberosum.    
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the first nucleic acid molecule encodes a BEL transcription factor and the method further comprises:
 transforming the tuberous plant with a second DNA construct comprising:
 a second nucleic acid molecule encoding a KNOX transcription factor, and 
 a second operably linked promoter and second 3′ regulatory region. 
   
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the tuberous plant is selected from the group consisting of potato, wild potato, dahlia, caladium, Jerusalem artichoke, yam, sweet potato, cassaya, tuberous begonia, and cyclamen. 
     
     
         43 - 56 . (canceled)