Constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 (cop1) nucleic acid sequence from zea mays and its use thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence from a maize plant and the isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence is named as ZmCOP1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the ZmCOP1 nucleic acid sequence to control the shade avoidance response of a crop plant for high density farming and yield enhancement.

1 . A recombinant DNA construct comprising a COP1 nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, or a functionally equivalent fragment thereof; or wherein said COP1 nucleotide sequence has at least 90% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, and a functionally equivalent fragment thereof; said COP1 nucleotide sequence being operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein upon its transformation into a plant said construct causes reduction of functional endogenous COP1 protein level. 
     
     
         2 . A method for increasing yield of a crop, comprising the steps of:
 transforming a cell of a crop plant with a nucleic acid molecule comprising a heterologous promoter that functions in the cells of said crop plant, said promoter operably linked to a structural nucleic acid sequence, wherein the structural nucleic acid sequence encodes a constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 protein that comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least about 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, and a functionally equivalent fragment thereof; or wherein the structural nucleic acid sequence has at least 90% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, and a functionally equivalent fragment thereof;   regenerating from said transformed plant cell a transformed crop plant, wherein expression of the structural nucleic acid sequence in cells of the transformed crop plant causes reduction of functional endogenous COP1 protein level;   obtaining seeds from said transformed crop plant or progeny of said transformed crop plant; and   planting said seeds at a population density that is at least 10% higher than normal.   
     
     
         3 . A transgenic plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The transgenic plant of  claim 3 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of maize, wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, sorghum, rice, sunflower, canola, peas, beans, soybeans, cotton, linseed, cauliflower, asparagus, lettuce, tobacco mustard, sugar beet, potato, sweet potato, carrot, turnip, celery, tomato, egg plant, cucumber, squash, apple, apricot, peach, pear, plum, orange, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, cranberry and lemon. 
     
     
         5 . The transgenic plant of  claim 3 , wherein said plant is a maize plant. 
     
     
         6 . Progeny or seeds of the transgenic plant of  claim 4 , wherein the progeny or seeds comprise the recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         7 . Progeny or seeds of the transgenic plant of  claim 5 , wherein the progeny or seeds comprise the recombinant DNA construct. 
     
     
         8 . A plant cell comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 , wherein said promoter comprises a light-inducible promoter. 
     
     
         10 . The recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 , wherein said promoter is selected from the group consisting of a cab promoter, an ATHB-2 promoter, and a far red light inducible promoter. 
     
     
         11 . The recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 , wherein said promoter comprises a cab promoter. 
     
     
         12 . The recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 , wherein the COP1 nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that has at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, or a functionally equivalent fragment thereof; or wherein said COP1 nucleotide sequence has at least 95% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:19, and SEQ ID NO:20 or a functionally equivalent fragment thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The recombinant DNA construct of  claim 1 , wherein the COP1 nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, or SEQ ID NO:26, or a functionally equivalent fragment thereof; or wherein said COP1 nucleotide sequence comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, or a functionally equivalent fragment thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 protein comprises a protein binding domain and wherein said protein binding domain binds to a COP1 protein. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said structural nucleic acid sequence is overexpressed in the cells of said crop plant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the population density is at least 40% higher than the average prevailing density for said crop in said growing region. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the population density is at least 70% higher than the average prevailing density for said crop in said growing region. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the population density is at least 100% higher than the average prevailing density for said crop in said growing region. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said crop plant is selected from the group consisting of maize, wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, sorghum, rice, sunflower, canola, peas, beans, soybeans, cotton, linseed, cauliflower, asparagus, lettuce, tobacco mustard, sugar beet, potato, sweet potato, carrot, turnip, celery, tomato, egg plant, cucumber, squash, apple, apricot, peach, pear, plum, orange, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, cranberry and lemon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said crop plant is a maize plant.