Plants having enhanced yield-related traits and a method for making the same

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various plant yield-related traits by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a RHL1 (root hairless 1) polypeptide, a TGase (transglutaminase) polypeptide, a TRY-like (tryptichon) polypeptide, or a BZR (brassinazole-resistant) polypeptide. Constructs useful for performing the methods, as well as plants having enhanced various plant yield-related traits thus obtained, are also provided.

1 . A method for enhancing yield-related traits in a plant relative to a control plant, comprising:
 (a) modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Root Hairless 1 (RHL1) polypeptide, a transglutaminase (TGase) polypeptide, a TRY-like (tryptichon) polypeptide, or a Brassinazole-Resistant (BZR) polypeptide; and   (b) optionally selecting for a plant having enhanced yield-related traits relative to a control plant,   wherein:   (i) said RHL1 polypeptide comprises one or more of Motif 9 of SEQ ID NO: 37, Motif 10 of SEQ ID NO: 38, and Motif 11 of SEQ ID NO: 39;   (ii) said TGase polypeptide comprises a plastidic transit peptide and has at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27;   (iii) said TRY-like polypeptide comprises a Myb-like DNA-binding domain and/or one or more of motifs of SEQ ID NO: 229 to SEQ ID NO: 232; or   (iv) said BZR polypeptide comprises a domain having at least 50% sequence identity to the domain located between amino acid coordinates 10-157 in SEQ ID NO: 239, a domain having at least 50% sequence identity to a bHLH-like domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 326, and/or a motif comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 323, 324, or 325.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said modulated expression is effected by introducing and expressing in the plant said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encoding a RHL1 polypeptide encodes any one of the proteins listed in Table A1, or is a portion of such a nucleic acid, or a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing with such a nucleic acid or the complement thereof;   (b) said nucleic acid encoding a TGase polypeptide encodes the TGase polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 45 or any one of the proteins listed in Table A2, or is a portion of such a nucleic acid, or a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing with such a nucleic acid or the complement thereof;   (c) said nucleic acid encoding a TRY-like polypeptide encodes any one of the proteins listed in Table A3, or is a portion of such a nucleic acid, or a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing with such a nucleic acid; or   (d) said nucleic acid encoding a BZR polypeptide encodes any one of the proteins listed in Table A4, or is a portion of such a nucleic acid, or a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing with such a nucleic acid.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encodes a RHL1 polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits comprise increased seed yield relative to a control plant;   (b) said nucleic acid encodes a TGase polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits comprise increased total seed yield per plant, increased number of filled seeds, and/or increased harvest index relative to a control plant;   (c) said nucleic acid encodes a TRY-like polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits comprise increased emergence vigour and/or increased yield relative to a control plant; or   (d) said nucleic acid encodes a BZR polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits comprise increased total weight of the seed, increased number of filled seed and increased thousand kernel weight relative to a control plant.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encodes a RHL1 polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits are obtained under cultivation conditions of nitrogen deficiency;   (b) said nucleic acid encodes a TRY-like polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits are obtained under non-stress conditions or under conditions of nitrogen deficiency; or   (c) said nucleic acid encodes a BZR polypeptide, and wherein said enhanced yield-related traits are obtained under non-stress conditions.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encoding a RHL1 polypeptide is operably linked to a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice;   (b) said nucleic acid encoding a TGase polypeptide is operably linked to a seed-specific promoter;   (c) said nucleic acid encoding a TGase polypeptide is operably linked to an alpha-globulin promoter, a rice alpha-globulin promoter, or an alpha-globulin promoter comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 72;   (d) said nucleic acid encoding a TRY-like polypeptide is operably linked to a root-specific promoter, a RCc3 promoter, or a RCc3 promoter from rice;   (e) said nucleic acid encoding a TRY-like polypeptide is operably linked to a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice; or   (f) said nucleic acid encoding a BZR polypeptide is operably linked to a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encoding a RHL1 polypeptide is of plant origin, from a dicotyledonous plant, from a plant of the family Brassicaceae, or from an  Arabidopsis thaliana  plant;   (b) said nucleic acid encoding a TGase polypeptide is from a plant, from a monocotyledonous plant, from a plant of the family Poaceae, or from an  Oryza sativa  plant;   (c) said nucleic acid encoding a TRY-like polypeptide is of plant origin, from a dicotyledonous plant, from a plant of the family Brassicaceae, from a plant of the genus  Arabidopsis , or from an  Arabidopsis thaliana  plant; or   (d) said nucleic acid encoding a BZR polypeptide is of plant origin, from a dicotyledonous plant, from a plant of the family Brasicaceae, or from an  Arabidopsis thaliana  plant.   
     
     
         8 . A plant obtained by the method of  claim 1 , or a plant part, seed, or progeny of said plant, wherein said plant, or said plant part, seed, or progeny, comprises a recombinant nucleic acid encoding said RHL1 polypeptide, said TGase polypeptide, said TRY-like polypeptide, or said BZR polypeptide. 
     
     
         9 . Harvestable parts of the plant of  claim 8 , wherein said harvestable parts comprises said recombinant nucleic acid and are preferably shoot biomass and/or seeds. 
     
     
         10 . Products derived from the plant of  claim 8  and/or from harvestable parts of said plant, wherein said products comprises said recombinant nucleic acid. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a crop plant, a monocot or a cereal, or wherein said plant is rice, maize, wheat, barley, millet, rye,  triticale , sorghum or oats. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid encodes a BZR polypeptide and comprises:
 (a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 238;   (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 239; or   (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 239.   
     
     
         13 . A construct comprising:
 (a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a RHL1 polypeptide, a TGase polypeptide, a TRY-like polypeptide, or a BZR polypeptide as defined in  claim 1 ;   (b) one or more control sequences capable of driving expression of the nucleic acid sequence of (a); and optionally   (c) a transcription termination sequence.   
     
     
         14 . The construct of  claim 13 , wherein:
 (a) said nucleic acid encodes a RHL1 polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice;   (b) said nucleic acid encodes a TGase polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise a seed-specific promoter;   (c) said nucleic acid encodes a TGase polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise an alpha-globulin promoter, a rice alpha-globulin promoter, or an alpha-globulin promoter comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 72;   (d) said nucleic acid encodes a TRY-like polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise a root-specific promoter, a RCc3 promoter, or a RCc3 promoter from rice;   (e) said nucleic acid encodes a TRY-like polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice; or   (f) said nucleic acid encodes a BZR polypeptide, and wherein said one or more control sequences comprise a constitutive promoter, a GOS2 promoter, or a GOS2 promoter from rice.   
     
     
         15 . A plant, plant part or plant cell comprising the construct of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         16 . A method for the production of a transgenic plant having increased yield relative to a control plant, comprising:
 (a) introducing and expressing in a plant or plant cell a nucleic acid encoding a RHL1 polypeptide, a TGase polypeptide, a TRY-like polypeptide, or a BZR polypeptide as defined in  claim 1 ;   (b) cultivating the plant or plant cell under conditions promoting plant growth and development; and optionally   (c) selecting for a plant having increased yield relative to a control plant.   
     
     
         17 . A transgenic plant having increased yield relative to a control plant, resulting from modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a RNL1 polypeptide, a TGase polypeptide, a TRY-like polypeptide, or a BZR polypeptide as defined in  claim 1 , or a transgenic plant cell derived from said transgenic plant. 
     
     
         18 . The transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein said plant is a crop plant, a monocot or a cereal, or wherein said plant is rice, maize, wheat, barley, millet, rye,  triticale , sorghum or oats. 
     
     
         19 . Harvestable parts of the transgenic plant of  claim 17 , wherein said harvestable parts are preferably shoot biomass and/or seeds. 
     
     
         20 . Products derived from the transgenic plant of  claim 17  and/or from harvestable parts of said plant.