Transgenic plants with enhanced agronomic traits

Abstract

This invention provides transgenic plant cells with recombinant DNA for expression of proteins that are useful for imparting enhanced agronomic trait(s) to transgenic crop plants. This invention also provides transgenic plants and progeny seed comprising the transgenic plant cells where the plants are selected for having an enhanced trait selected from the group of traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing transgenic seed and plants with enhanced traits.

1 . Recombinant DNA comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein that has an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity to at least 95% of a protein sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos 13 through 20. 
     
     
         2 . An isolated polypeptide having at least 95% identity to at least 95% of the sequence of a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 13 through 20. 
     
     
         3 . A plant cell nucleus with stably integrated, recombinant DNA, wherein said recombinant DNA comprises a promoter that is functional in said plant cell nucleus and that is operably linked to a DNA that:
 a. encodes a protein having an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity to at least 95% of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 12 through 16 and 20; or   b. is transcribed into an RNA that suppresses the level of an endogenous protein that is at least 95% identical to at least 95% of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 1 1 and 17 through 19;   and wherein said plant cell nucleus is selected by screening a population of transgenic plants that have said recombinant DNA and an enhanced trait as compared to control plants that do not have said recombinant DNA in their nuclei;   and wherein said enhanced trait is selected from the group of enhanced traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, enhanced heat tolerance, enhanced resistance to salt exposure, enhanced shade tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil.   
     
     
         4 . The plant cell nucleus of  claim 3 , wherein said encoded protein has at least 95% identity to at least 95% of SEQ ID NO 13 and wherein said
 plant cell nucleus further   comprises recombinant DNA encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to at least 95% of SEQ ID NO: 14.   
     
     
         5 . The plant cell nucleus of  claim 3  further comprising DNA expressing
 a protein that provides tolerance from exposure to an herbicide, comprising an 
 agent, applied at levels that are lethal to a wild type of said plant cell nucleus. 
 
     
     
         6 . The plant cell nucleus of  claim 5  wherein the agent of said herbicide is a glyphosate, dicamba, or glufosinate compound.