Transcriptional Regulation for Improved Plant Productivity

Abstract

Methods comprising DNA constructs and polynucleotides of functional transcription factors for improving photosynthetic capacity, biomass and/or grain yield and stress tolerance in various crop and model plants, dicots and monocots with the C 3 or C 4 photosynthetic pathways are described herein.

1 . A genetically modified plant, or a portion of a plant, or a plant material, or a plant seed, or a plant cell having increased expression of one or more polynucleotides encoding any one transcription factor of the family of transcription factors AP2/ERF, or an ortholog, a homolog, or a functional fragment thereof, or any one transcription factor of the family of transcription factors NF-YB, or an ortholog, a homolog, or a functional fragment thereof,
 wherein the increased expression of the one or more polynucleotides increases carbon flow in the transgenic plant, portion of a plant, plant material, plant seed, or plant cell.   
     
     
         2 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the increased expression of the one or more polynucleotides improves tolerance to one or more abiotic stress factors selected from excess or deficiency of water and/or light, from high or low temperature, and high salinity. 
     
     
         3 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein at least one polynucleotide has a sequence selected from one of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, or 3. 
     
     
         4 . The plant of  claim 1 , comprising an expression vector including a promoter operably linked to one or more polynucleotides having sequences selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, or 3. 
     
     
         5 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is selected from a crop plant, a model plant, a monocotyledonous plant, a dicotyledonous plant, a plant with C3 photosynthesis, a plant with C4 photosynthesis, an annual plant, a perennial plant, a switchgrass plant, a maize plant, or a sugarcane plant. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the increased expression of the one or more polynucleotides increases photosynthetic activity, carbon flow and/or total content of photosynthetic pigments compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein the plant has an increase of one or more of the following: starch content, soluble sugars content, grain yield, plant size, organ size, leaf size, and/or stem size when compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein at least one polynucleotide has at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, or 3. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein at least one polynucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide of SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, or 6, and wherein the polypeptide yield is increased when compared to an unmodified plant. 
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The plant of  claim 16 , wherein the polypeptide has at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:4, 5, or 6. 
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for manufacturing a seed for producing a crop of a genetically modified plant having an enhanced trait resulting from increased protein yield of one or more transcription factors encoded by one or more polynucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2 or 3, or homologs, orthologs or functional fragments of said transcription factors, the method comprising:
 a) genetically modifying a plant by increasing expression the one or more polynucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2 or 3 and thereby increasing the protein yield of one or more the transcription factors, homologs, orthologs or functional fragments thereof compared to an unmodified plant;   b) screening a population of the genetically modified plants for the enhanced trait;   c) selecting from the population one or more plants that exhibit the enhanced trait; and   d) collecting the seed from the selected plant.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the seed is maize seed or sorghum seed and the enhanced trait is seed carbon content. 
     
     
         25 . A method of producing a genetically modified plant, comprising:
 coexpressing   at least one polynucleotide coding for any one transcription factor of the family of transcription factors AP2/ERF, or an ortholog, a homolog, or a functional fragment thereof, and   at least one polynucleotide coding for any one transcription factor of the family of transcription factors NF-YB or an ortholog, a homolog, or a functional fragment thereof in a plant,   wherein the protein yield of at least one transcription factor or an ortholog, a homolog, or a functional fragment thereof is increased compared to an unmodified plant,   wherein the increase in the protein yield of the at least one transcription factor increases carbon flow in the transgenic plant, portion of a plant, plant material, plant seed, or plant cell.   
     
     
         26 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the photochemical quantum yield of said plant is at least 2-fold greater than the yield of a corresponding unmodified plant. 
     
     
         29 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant has a starch yield increased by at least 2-fold the content of a corresponding unmodified plant. 
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant has a chlorophyll content that is at least 1.5 fold greater to about 2.5 fold greater than the content of a corresponding unmodified plant. 
     
     
         33 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant has a sucrose content that is at least 1.5 fold greater than the content of a corresponding unmodified plant. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant has a plant grown rate increased by at least 10% above the rate of a corresponding unmodified plant. 
     
     
         36 . The plant of  claim 28 , wherein the plant is switchgrass, maize, or sugar cane. 
     
     
         37 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . Seed from the plant of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is maize. 
     
     
         43 - 44 . (canceled)