Polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded thereby, and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance, biomass and/or yield in plants expressing same

Abstract

Provided are isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO:619, 617, 606, 615, 629, 1-36, 40, 41, 43-45, 49, 52-56, 58, 113-343, 351, 354-358, 605, 607-614, 616, 618, 620-628, 630-638, 642, 645, 650, 651, 670, or 671. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs comprising same, isolated polypeptides encoded thereby, transgenic cells and transgenic plants comprising same and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of increasing abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant, comprising expressing within the plant an exogenous polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide which exhibits at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-95, 108-109, 112, 359-589, 602-604, 653-660, 665, 668, or 672, thereby increasing the abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of the plant. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide exhibits at least 90% sequence identity to the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-98, 100-109, 111, 112, 359-589, 591-597, 600-604, 653-662, 664, 666-669, and 672. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide exhibits at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-98, 100-109, 111, 112, 359-589, 591-597, 600-604, 653-662, 664, 666-669, and 672. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-98, 100-109, 111, 112, 359-589, 591-597, 600-604, 653-662, 664, 666-669, and 672. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence encoding said polypeptide exhibits at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 625, 23, 617, 606, 615, 629, 1-15, 17-36, 40, 41, 43-45, 49, 52-56, 58, 113-343, 351, 354-358, 605, 607-614, 616, 618, 620-628, 630-638, 642, 645, 650, 651, 670, or 671. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence encoding said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 625, 23, 617, 606, 615, 629, 1-15, 17-49, 51-59, 113-343, 345-351, 353-358, 605, 607-614, 616, 618, 620-628, 630-638, 641, 642, 644, 644-646, 648-651, 670, and 671. 
     
     
         7 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which exhibits at least 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-95, 108-109, 112, 359-589, 602-604, 653-660, 665, 668, or 672, wherein said amino acid sequence is capable of increasing abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant. 
     
     
         8 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 7 , wherein said amino acid sequence exhibits at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-98, 100-109, 111, 112, 359-589, 591-597, 600-604, 653-662, 664, 666-669, and 672. 
     
     
         9 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 7 , wherein said amino acid sequence exhibits at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-98, 100-109, 111, 112, 359-589, 591-597, 600-604, 653-662, 664, 666-669, and 672. 
     
     
         10 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence encoding said polypeptide exhibits at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 625, 23, 617, 606, 615, 629, 1-15, 17-36, 40, 41, 43-45, 49, 52-56, 58, 113-343, 351, 354-358, 605, 607-614, 616, 618, 620-628, 630-638, 642, 645, 650-651, 670, or 671. 
     
     
         11 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 625, 23, 617, 606, 615, 629, 1-15, 17-49, 51-59, 113-343, 345-351, 353-358, 605, 607-614, 616, 618, 620-628, 630-638, 641, 642, 644, 644-646, 648-651, 670, and 671. 
     
     
         12 . A nucleic acid construct comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 7 , and a promoter for directing transcription of said nucleic acid sequence in a host cell. 
     
     
         13 . A plant cell transformed with the nucleic acid construct of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . The plant cell of  claim 13 , wherein said plant cell forms part of a plant. 
     
     
         15 . A transgenic plant comprising the nucleic acid construct of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising growing the plant expressing said exogenous polynucleotide under the abiotic stress. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said abiotic stress is selected from the group consisting of salinity, drought, water deprivation, flood, etiolation, low temperature, high temperature, heavy metal toxicity, anaerobiosis, nutrient deficiency, nutrient excess, atmospheric pollution and UV irradiation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the plant expressing said exogenous polynucleotide for an increased abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency as compared to a non-transformed plant which is grown under the same growth conditions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said selecting is performed under non-stress conditions. 
     
     
         20 . A method of producing seeds of a crop, comprising:
 (a) selecting a parent plant being transformed with an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which exhibits at least 80% sequence identity to the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 82, 73, 652, 71, 86, 60-70, 72, 74, 76-85, 87-95, 108-109, 112, 359-589, 602-604, 653-660, 665, 668, and 672, said parent plant exhibits an increased trait selected from the group consisting of: increased abiotic stress tolerance, increased yield, increased biomass, increased growth rate, increased oil content, increased fiber yield, increased fiber quality, or increased nitrogen use efficiency as compared to a non-transformed plant which is grown under the same growth conditions, and;   (b) growing a seed producing plant from said parent plant resultant of step (a), wherein said seed producing plant which comprises said exogenous polynucleotide has said increased trait, and;   (c) producing seeds from said seed producing plant resultant of step (b),   thereby producing seeds of the crop.