Plants with altered root architecture, related constructs and methods involving genes encoding leucine rich repeat kinase (llrk) polypeptides and homologs thereof

Abstract

Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides and recombinant DNA constructs particularly useful for altering root structure of plants, compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs, and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter functional in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide useful for altering plant root architecture.

1 . A plant comprising in its genome a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory element, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22, or 36 and wherein said plant exhibits increased root dry weight when compared to a control plant not comprising said recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         2 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a maize plant or a soybean plant. 
     
     
         3 . A plant comprising in its genome a recombinant DNA construct comprising
 a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory element, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22, or 36,   
       and wherein said plant exhibits an increase in yield when compared to a control plant not comprising said recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         4 . The plant of  claim 3 , wherein the plant is a maize plant or a soybean plant. 
     
     
         5 . The plant of  claim 3 , wherein said plant exhibits said increase in yield when compared, under varying environmental conditions, to said control plant not comprising said recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         6 . The plant of  claim 5 , wherein said varying environmental condition is at least one selected from drought, nitrogen, and disease. 
     
     
         7 . The plant of  claim 5 , wherein the plant is a maize plant or a soybean plant. 
     
     
         8 . The plant of  claim 6 , wherein the plant is a maize plant or a soybean plant. 
     
     
         9 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method of selecting a plant with an increase in root dry weight, comprising:
 (a) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory sequence, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22, or 36; and   (b) regenerating a transgenic plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a), wherein the transgenic plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (c) measuring root dry weight of the transgenic plant compared to a control plant not comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and   (d) selecting a plant from step (c) that has an increase in root dry weight; or   (a′) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory sequence, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22 or 36; and   (b′) regenerating a transgenic plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a′), wherein the transgenic plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (c′) obtaining a progeny plant derived from the transgenic plant, wherein the progeny plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (d′) measuring root dry weight of the progeny plant compared to a control plant not comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and   (e′) selecting a progeny plant from step (d′) that has an increase in root dry weight.   
     
     
         14 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of selecting a plant with an increase in yield, comprising:
 (a) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory sequence, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22, or 36;   (b) regenerating a transgenic plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a), wherein the transgenic plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (c) measuring whether the transgenic plant exhibits an increase in yield when compared to a control plant not comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and   (d) selecting a plant from step (c) that has an increase in yield; or   (a′) introducing into a regenerable plant cell a recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory sequence, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO: 15, 17, 19, 22 or 36;   (b′) regenerating a transgenic plant from the regenerable plant cell after step (a′), wherein the transgenic plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (c′) obtaining a Progeny plant derived from the transgenic plant, wherein the progeny plant comprises in its genome the recombinant DNA construct;   (d′) measuring whether the progeny plant exhibits an increase in yield when compared to a control plant not comprising the recombinant DNA construct; and   (e′) selecting a progeny plant from step (d′) that has an increase in yield.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said measuring step (c) and step (d′) comprises measuring whether the transgenic plant exhibits an increase in yield when compared, under varying environmental conditions, to a control plant not comprising the recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         21 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A recombinant DNA construct comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to at least one heterologous regulatory sequence, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a LLRK or LLRK-like polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 80% sequence identity, when compared to SEQ ID NO:15 or 19, or of at least 85% sequence identity, when compared to SEQ ID NO:17, based on the Clustal V method of alignment. 
     
     
         36 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method for transforming a cell, comprising transforming a cell with the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 35 . 
     
     
         44 . A cell comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 35 . 
     
     
         45 . A method for producing a plant comprising transforming a plant cell with the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 35  and regenerating a plant from the transformed plant cell. 
     
     
         46 - 47 . (canceled)