Sugar and lipid metabolism regulators in plants iv

Abstract

Isolated nucleic acids and proteins associated with lipid and sugar metabolism regulation are provided. In particular, lipid metabolism proteins (LMP) and encoding nucleic acids originating from Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica napus , and Physcomitrella patens are provided. The nucleic acids and proteins are used in methods of producing transgenic plants and modulating levels of seed storage compounds. Preferably, the seed storage compounds are lipids, fatty acids, starches, or seed storage proteins.

1 . An isolated lipid metabolism protein (LMP) nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide that functions as a modulator of a seed storage compound in a plant, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a polynucleotide sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO: 79;   b) a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide as defined in SEQ ID NO: 80;   c) a polynucleotide sequence comprising at least 60 consecutive nucleotides of a) or b) above;   d) a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity with the polynucleotide sequence of a) or b) above;   e) a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 70% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80;   f) a polynucleotide sequence complementary to the polynucleotide sequence of a) or b) above; and   g) a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the complement of the full-length nucleic acid of a) or b) above under stringent conditions of 6× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at 65° C. followed by one or more washes in 0.2×SSC at 50 to 65° C.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 79 or a polynucleotide sequence which encodes the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity with the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity with the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         5 . An expression vector comprising the isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The expression vector of  claim 5 , wherein the nucleic acid is operatively linked to a heterologous promoter selected from the group consisting of a seed-specific promoter, a root-specific promoter, and a non-tissue-specific promoter. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a transgenic plant having a modified level of a seed storage compound as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant comprising, transforming a plant cell with an expression vector comprising a lipid metabolism protein (LMP) nucleic acid and generating from the plant cell the transgenic plant, wherein the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide that functions as a modulator of a seed storage compound in the plant, and wherein the nucleic acid comprises the LMP nucleic acid of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 79. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the level of a seed storage compound is increased in the transgenic plant as compared to a corresponding wild type plant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid is operatively linked to a heterologous promoter selected from the group consisting of a seed-specific promoter, a root-specific promoter, and a non-tissue-specific promoter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the modified level of the seed storage compound is due to the overexpression or down-regulation of the LMP nucleic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a polynucleotide having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 79 or a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide that contains a lipid metabolism domain. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80. 
     
     
         16 . A transgenic plant made by the method of  claim 7 , wherein expression of the LMP nucleic acid in the plant results in a modified level of a seed storage compound in the plant as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         17 . A transgenic plant or part thereof comprising the isolated LMP nucleic acid of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 
     
     
         19 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the plant is a monocotyledonous plant. 
     
     
         20 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the plant is an oil producing species. 
     
     
         21 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed, canola, linseed, soybean, sunflower, maize, oat, rye, barley, wheat, sugarbeet, tagetes, cotton, oil palm, coconut palm, flax, castor, and peanut. 
     
     
         22 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the level of the seed storage compound is increased in the transgenic plant as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         23 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the seed storage compound is selected from the group consisting of a lipid, a fatty acid, a starch, and a seed storage protein. 
     
     
         24 . A seed produced by the transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein the plant expresses the LMP polypeptide and wherein the plant is true breeding for a modified level of the seed storage compound as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         25 . The transgenic plant or part thereof of  claim 17 , wherein the part thereof comprises a seed.