Drought and heat tolerance in plants

Abstract

Methods and materials for modulating heat and/or drought tolerance in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding heat and/or drought-tolerance polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased heat and/or drought tolerance and plant products produced from plants having increased heat and/or drought tolerance.

1 .- 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a sulfotransferase 1 domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the sulfotransferase 1 domain of SEQ ID NO: 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 608, 610, 612, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 623, 625, 627, 629, 631, 632, 634, 635, 636, 638, 640, 642, 644, 646, 647, 650, 651, 653, 654, 655, 656, 658, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 671, 673, 674, 675, 676, 678, 680, 682, 684, 685, 687, 688, 690, 691, 692, 694, 696, 698, 700, 702, 971, 974, 975, 978, 979, 980, 981, 983, 985, 987, 995, or 997. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an AN1-like zinc finger domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the AN1-like zinc finger domain of SEQ ID NO: 742, 743, 744, 745, 757, 759, 761, 763, 767, 771, 796, 798, 799, 801, 805, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 815, 816, 817, 819, 823, 825, 832, 834, 836, 839, 846, 848, 857, 859, 863, 885, 892, 900, 912, 918, 939, 944, 953, 955, 957, 973, 977, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 999, 1000, 1010, 1242, 748, 749, 797, 803, 821, 1189, 1191, 1193, 1195, 1197, 1199, 1201, 1203, 1205, 1207, 1209, 1210, 1212, 1214, 1215, 1216, 1218, 1219, 1221, 1222, 1223, 1225, 1226, 1228, 1230, 1231, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, 1244, 1246, 1248, 1250, 1252, 1254, 1256, 1258, 1296, 1298, 1300, 1302, or 1304 and an A20-like zinc finger domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the A20-like zinc finger domain of SEQ ID NO: 742, 743, 744, 745, 757, 759, 761, 763, 767, 771, 796, 798, 799, 801, 805, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 815, 816, 817, 819, 823, 825, 832, 834, 836, 839, 846, 848, 857, 859, 863, 885, 892, 900, 912, 918, 939, 944, 953, 955, 957, 973, 977, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 999, 1000, 1010, 1242, 748, 749, 797, 803, 821, 1189, 1191, 1193, 1195, 1197, 1199, 1201, 1203, 1205, 1207, 1209, 1210, 1212, 1214, 1215, 1216, 1218, 1219, 1221, 1222, 1223, 1225, 1226, 1228, 1230, 1231, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, 1244, 1246, 1248, 1250, 1252, 1254, 1256, 1258, 1296, 1298, 1300, 1302, or 1304. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a short chain dehydrogenase domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the short chain dehydrogenase domain of SEQ ID NO: 922, 924, 929, 931, 935, 937, 941, 943, 947, 949, 951, 952, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1022, 1023, 1025, 1027, 1028, 1030, 1031, 1033, 1035, 1037, 1039, 1041, 1045, 1048, 1050, 1051, 1053, 1055, 1056, 1058, 1061, 1062, 1064, 1066, 1068, 1071, 1073, 1075, 1077, 1079, 1080, 1082, 1084, 1086, 1088, 1090, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1096, 1098, 1100, 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1116, 1117, 1118, 1119, 1121, 1123, 1125, or 1292. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a trehalose-phosphatase domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the trehalose-phosphatase domain of SEQ ID NO: 63, 73, 96, 127, 139, 179, 180, 209, 467, 559, 648, 726, 741, 765, 773, 781, 827, 829, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 861, 865, 867, 896, 916, 926, 932, 933, 1043, 1046, 1059, 1069, 1129, 1130, 1131, 1132, 1133, 1134, 1135, 1136, 1137, 1138, 1140, 1142, 1144, 1146, 1148, 1150, 1151, 1152, 1153, 1154, 1156, 1157, 1158, 1159, 1160, 1161, 1162, 1164, 1166, 1168, 1170, 1172, 1174, 1175, 1177, 1179, 1181, 1182, 1184, 1186, or 1294. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a synaptobrevin-related polypeptide having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the synaptobrevin-related polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, 182, 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 225, 228, 229, 231, 233, 234, 235, 237, 239, 240, 242, 244, 246, 248, 250, 252, 253, 254, 256, 258, 260, 262, 264, 266, 268, 269, 271, 273, 275, 277, 279, 280, 282, 284, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 309, 998, 1001, 1003, 1005, 1007, 1188, 1262, 1264, 1265, 1267, 1269, 1271, 1273, 1274, 1276, 1277, 1279, 1281, 1283, 1285, 1286, 1287, 1288, or 1290. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an HSF-type DNA-binding domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the HSF-type DNA-binding domain of SEQ ID NO: 364, 366, 368, 369, 370, 371, 373, 375, 377, 379, 381, 383, 385, 387, 389, 390, 392, 394, 396, 398, 400, 401, 402, 404, 405, 407, 408, 410, 412, 413, 414, 416, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 426, 428, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 438, 440, 753, 754, 755, 756, 760, 768, 769, 774, 775, 777, 779, 783, 785, 789, 791, 793, 945, 1293, 311, 312, 314, 315, 316, 317, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 325, 326, 327, 329, 330, 332, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 343, 344, 346, 348, 349, 350, 351, 353, 355, 356, 358, 360, 362, 876, 878, 880, 882, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 893, 894, 897, 898, or 901. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a DnaJ domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the DnaJ domain of SEQ ID NO: 60, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, or 915. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a KH — 2 domain having 70 percent or greater sequence identity to the KH — 2 domain of SEQ ID NO: 1311, 1313, 1315, 1317, 1319, 1321, 1323, 1324, 1325, 1326, 1327, 1329, 1331, 1333, 1334, 1336, 1338, 1340, 1342, 1343, 1345, 1347, 1349, 1350, 1351, 1353, 1354, 1356, 1358, 1360, or 1361. 
     
     
         11 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A plant cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid, said exogenous nucleic acid comprising a regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the HMM bit score of the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide is greater than about 20, said HMM based on the amino acid sequences depicted in one of  FIGS. 1-16 , and wherein said plant has a difference in drought tolerance or heat tolerance as compared to a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         22 . A plant cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid said exogenous nucleic acid comprising a regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having 80 percent or greater sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 127, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 139, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, 179, 180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 209, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 225, 228, 229, 231, 233, 234, 235, 237, 239, 240, 242, 244, 246, 248, 250, 252, 253, 254, 256, 258, 260, 262, 264, 266, 268, 269, 271, 273, 275, 277, 279, 280, 282, 284, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 309, 311, 312, 314, 315, 316, 317, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 325, 326, 327, 329, 330, 332, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 343, 344, 346, 348, 349, 350, 351, 353, 355, 356, 358, 360, 362, 364, 366, 368, 369, 370, 371, 373, 375, 377, 379, 381, 383, 385, 387, 389, 390, 392, 394, 396, 398, 400, 401, 402, 404, 405, 407, 408, 410, 412, 413, 414, 416, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 426, 428, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 438, 440, 442, 443, 445, 447, 449, 451, 453, 455, 457, 459, 461, 463, 465, 467, 469, 470, 472, 474, 476, 478, 480, 481, 483, 485, 487, 489, 490, 491, 492, 494, 496, 498, 500, 502, 504, 506, 508, 510, 512, 514, 515, 516, 518, 519, 520, 522, 524, 526, 528, 530, 531, 533, 535, 536, 538, 540, 541, 543, 545, 547, 548, 550, 552, 553, 555, 557, 558, 559, 561, 562, 564, 566, 568, 569, 570, 572, 574, 576, 578, 580, 582, 584, 586, 588, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 608, 610, 612, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 623, 625, 627, 629, 631, 632, 634, 635, 636, 638, 640, 642, 644, 646, 647, 648, 650, 651, 653, 654, 655, 656, 658, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 671, 673, 674, 675, 676, 678, 680, 682, 684, 685, 687, 688, 690, 691, 692, 694, 696, 698, 700, 702, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 711, 712, 714, 715, 717, 719, 721, 723, 725, 726, 727, 729, 731, 733, 734, 735, 737, 738, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 759, 760, 761, 763, 765, 767, 768, 769, 771, 773, 774, 775, 777, 779, 781, 783, 785, 787, 789, 791, 793, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 801, 803, 805, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 815, 816, 817, 819, 821, 823, 825, 827, 829, 832, 834, 836, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 856, 857, 859, 861, 863, 865, 867, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 876, 878, 880, 882, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 896, 897, 898, 900, 901, 902, 904, 906, 908, 910, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 918, 920, 922, 924, 926, 929, 931, 932, 933, 935, 937, 939, 941, 943, 944, 945, 947, 949, 951, 952, 953, 955, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 966, 968, 969, 970, 971, 973, 974, 975, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 983, 985, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 995, 997, 998, 999, 1000, 1001, 1003, 1005, 1007, 1010, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1022, 1023, 1025, 1027, 1028, 1030, 1031, 1033, 1035, 1037, 1039, 1041, 1043, 1045, 1046, 1048, 1050, 1051, 1053, 1055, 1056, 1058, 1059, 1061, 1062, 1064, 1066, 1068, 1069, 1071, 1073, 1075, 1077, 1079, 1080, 1082, 1084, 1086, 1088, 1090, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1096, 1098, 1100, 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1116, 1117, 1118, 1119, 1121, 1123, 1125, 1129, 1130, 1131, 1132, 1133, 1134, 1135, 1136, 1137, 1138, 1140, 1142, 1144, 1146, 1148, 1150, 1151, 1152, 1153, 1154, 1156, 1157, 1158, 1159, 1160, 1161, 1162, 1164, 1166, 1168, 1170, 1172, 1174, 1175, 1177, 1179, 1181, 1182, 1184, 1186, 1188, 1189, 1191, 1193, 1195, 1197, 1199, 1201, 1203, 1205, 1207, 1209, 1210, 1212, 1214, 1215, 1216, 1218, 1219, 1221, 1222, 1223, 1225, 1226, 1228, 1230, 1231, 1232, 1234, 1236, 1238, 1240, 1242, 1244, 1246, 1248, 1250, 1252, 1254, 1256, 1258, 1262, 1264, 1265, 1267, 1269, 1271, 1273, 1274, 1276, 1277, 1279, 1281, 1283, 1285, 1286, 1287, 1288, 1290, 1292, 1293, 1294, 1296, 1298, 1300, 1302, 1304, 1306, 1311, 1313, 1315, 1317, 1319, 1321, 1323, 1324, 1325, 1326, 1327, 1329, 1331, 1333, 1334, 1336, 1338, 1340, 1342, 1343, 1345, 1347, 1349, 1350, 1351, 1353, 1354, 1356, 1358, 1360, and 1361 wherein a plant produced from said plant cell has a difference in heat tolerance or drought tolerance as compared to a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         23 . A transgenic plant comprising the plant cell of  claim 21 , wherein said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:442, SEQ ID NO:489, SEQ ID NO:568, SEQ ID NO:590, SEQ ID NO:705, SEQ ID NO:711, SEQ ID NO:742, SEQ ID NO:1012, SEQ ID NO:1129, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:364, SEQ ID NO:311, SEQ ID NO:160, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:749, SEQ ID NO:1311, and SEQ ID NO:57. 
     
     
         24 . A plant cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid said exogenous nucleic acid comprising a regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence having 80 percent or greater sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 59, 61, 72, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125, 128, 129, 131, 133, 135, 137, 140, 141, 143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 153, 155, 157, 159, 161, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 177, 181, 183, 185, 187, 189, 191, 193, 195, 197, 199, 201, 203, 205, 207, 210, 211, 213, 215, 217, 219, 221, 223, 226, 227, 230, 232, 236, 238, 241, 243, 245, 247, 249, 251, 255, 257, 259, 261, 263, 265, 267, 270, 272, 274, 276, 278, 281, 283, 285, 287, 306, 308, 310, 313, 318, 324, 328, 331, 333, 342, 345, 347, 352, 354, 357, 359, 361, 363, 365, 367, 372, 374, 376, 378, 380, 382, 384, 386, 388, 391, 393, 395, 397, 399, 403, 406, 409, 411, 415, 417, 425, 427, 429, 437, 439, 441, 444, 446, 448, 450, 452, 454, 456, 458, 460, 462, 464, 466, 468, 471, 473, 475, 477, 479, 482, 484, 486, 488, 493, 495, 497, 499, 501, 503, 505, 507, 509, 511, 513, 517, 521, 523, 525, 527, 529, 532, 534, 537, 539, 542, 544, 546, 549, 551, 554, 556, 560, 563, 565, 567, 571, 573, 575, 577, 579, 581, 583, 585, 587, 589, 601, 606, 609, 611, 613, 622, 624, 626, 628, 630, 633, 637, 639, 641, 643, 645, 649, 652, 657, 659, 670, 672, 677, 679, 681, 683, 686, 689, 693, 695, 697, 699, 701, 703, 704, 710, 713, 716, 718, 720, 722, 724, 728, 730, 732, 736, 739, 750, 758, 762, 764, 766, 770, 772, 776, 778, 780, 782, 784, 786, 788, 790, 792, 794, 800, 802, 804, 806, 814, 818, 820, 822, 824, 826, 828, 830, 831, 833, 835, 837, 838, 847, 855, 858, 860, 862, 864, 866, 868, 875, 877, 879, 881, 883, 884, 895, 899, 903, 905, 907, 909, 911, 917, 919, 921, 923, 925, 927, 928, 930, 934, 936, 938, 940, 942, 946, 948, 950, 954, 956, 965, 967, 972, 976, 982, 984, 986, 994, 996, 1002, 1004, 1006, 1008, 1009, 1011, 1017, 1019, 1021, 1024, 1026, 1029, 1032, 1034, 1036, 1038, 1040, 1042, 1044, 1047, 1049, 1052, 1054, 1057, 1060, 1063, 1065, 1067, 1070, 1072, 1074, 1076, 1078, 1081, 1083, 1085, 1087, 1089, 1091, 1095, 1097, 1099, 1101, 1103, 1105, 1107, 1109, 1111, 1115, 1120, 1122, 1124, 1126, 1127, 1128, 1139, 1141, 1143, 1145, 1147, 1149, 1155, 1163, 1165, 1167, 1169, 1171, 1173, 1176, 1178, 1180, 1183, 1185, 1187, 1190, 1192, 1194, 1196, 1198, 1200, 1202, 1204, 1206, 1208, 1211, 1213, 1217, 1220, 1224, 1227, 1229, 1233, 1235, 1237, 1239, 1241, 1243, 1245, 1247, 1249, 1251, 1253, 1255, 1257, 1259, 1260, 1261, 1263, 1266, 1268, 1270, 1272, 1275, 1278, 1280, 1282, 1284, 1289, 1291, 1295, 1297, 1299, 1301, 1303, 1305, 1312, 1314, 1316, 1318, 1320, 1322, 1328, 1330, 1332, 1335, 1337, 1339, 1341, 1344, 1346, 1348, 1352, 1355, 1357, 1359, and 1362, or a fragment thereof, wherein a plant produced from said plant cell has a difference in drought tolerance or heat tolerance as compared to a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         25 . A transgenic plant comprising the plant cell of  claim 24 . 
     
     
         26 . The transgenic plant of  claim 25 , wherein said plant is a member of a species selected from the group consisting of  Panicum virgatum  (switchgrass),  Sorghum bicolor  (sorghum, sudangrass),  Miscanthus giganteus  (miscanthus),  Saccharum  sp. (energycane),  Populus balsamifera  (poplar),  Zea mays  (corn),  Glycine max  (soybean),  Brassica napus  (canola),  Triticum aestivum  (wheat),  Gossypium hirsutum  (cotton),  Oryza sativa  (rice),  Helianthus annuus  (sunflower),  Medicago sativa  (alfalfa),  Beta vulgaris  (sugarbeet), and  Pennisetum glaucum  (pearl millet). 
     
     
         27 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A transgenic plant comprising the plant cell of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         35 . A transgenic plant comprising the plant cell of  claim 22 . 
     
     
         36 . The transgenic plant of  claim 34 , wherein said plant is a member of a species selected from the group consisting of  Panicum virgatum  (switchgrass),  Sorghum bicolor  (sorghum, sudangrass),  Miscanthus giganteus  (miscanthus),  Saccharum  sp. (energycane),  Populus balsamifera  (poplar),  Zea mays  (corn),  Glycine max  (soybean),  Brassica napus  (canola),  Triticum aestivum  (wheat),  Gossypium hirsutum  (cotton),  Oryza sativa  (rice),  Helianthus annuus  (sunflower),  Medicago sativa  (alfalfa),  Beta vulgaris  (sugarbeet), and  Pennisetum glaucum  (pearl millet). 
     
     
         37 . The transgenic plant of  claim 34 , wherein said plant is a member of a species selected from the group consisting of  Panicum virgatum  (switchgrass),  Sorghum bicolor  (sorghum, sudangrass),  Miscanthus giganteus  (miscanthus),  Saccharum  sp. (energycane),  Populus balsamifera  (poplar),  Zea mays  (corn),  Glycine max  (soybean),  Brassica napus  (canola),  Triticum aestivum  (wheat),  Gossypium hirsutum  (cotton),  Oryza sativa  (rice),  Helianthus annuus  (sunflower),  Medicago sativa  (alfalfa),  Beta vulgaris  (sugarbeet), and  Pennisetum glaucum  (pearl millet).