The State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Agricultural Research Organization (Aro) (Volcani Center)

The State of Israel - Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Syngenta Participations Ag

State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Agricultural Research Organization

State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture

Arthur A Schaffer

Marina Petreikov

Ran Hovav

Nurit Katzir

Yosef Burger

Nir Dai

David Granot

Gao Zhifang

Yaakov Tadmor

Shahar Cohen

Marcelo Ariel German

Julien Bonnet

Efraim Lewinsohn

Charles James Baxter

Uzi Saar

Daniel Rickett

Fabian Baumkoler

Yoram Eyal

Moshe Bar

Ilan Levin

Ido Oz

Rachel Davidovich-rikanati

Tamar Lavee

Adi Doron-faigenboim

Maxim Itkin

Rakefet David-Schwartz

Vitaly Portnoy

Naomi Houminer

Nir Carmi

Shmuel Shen

Marina Petrikov

Elad Oren

Ayala Meir

Michal Moy

Yelena Yeselson

Isolated mogroside and mogrol biosynthetic pathway enzyme polypeptides useful in mogroside biosynthesis are provided. Mogroside biosynthetic pathway enzymes of the invention include squalene epoxidase (SE), epoxy hydratase (EH), cytochrome p450 (Cyp), cucurbitadienol synthase (CDS) and udp-glucosyl-transferase (UGT), Also provided are methods of producing a mogroside using the isolated mogroside and mogrol biosynthetic enzyme polypeptides, the methods comprising contacting a mogrol and/or a glycosylated mogrol (mogroside) with at least one UDP glucose glucosyl transferase (UGT) enzyme polypeptide of the invention catalyzing glucosylation of the mogrol and/or the glucosylated mogrol to produce a mogroside with an additional glucosyl moietie(s), thereby producing the mogroside. Alternatively or additionally provided is a method of synthesizing a mogrol, the method comprising contacting a mogrol precursor substrate with one or more mogrol biosynthetic pathway enzyme polypeptides as described herein catalyzing mogrol synthesis from the mogrol precursor substrate, thereby synthesizing the mogrol.

Cells comprising mogroside pathway enzymes and uses thereof

The invention relates to novel tomato plants producing fruits displaying a modified sugar content, particularly displaying an increased sucrose content. The invention also relates to seeds and parts of said plants, for example fruits. The invention further relates to methods of making and using such seeds and plants. The invention also relates to a sucrose modifier SucMod allele, which, when combined with a sucrose accumulation TIV allele derived from a green-fruited wild tomato accession, significantly alters the proportion of sugar stored in the fruit, confers increased fruit sucrose content at the expense of hexose sugars and results in a fruit with a distinctive flavor.

Tomato plant producing fruits with modified sugar content

An isolated polynucleotide is provided. The isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 88% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 22, the polypeptide being capable of increasing a cuticular water permeability of a plant expressing same. Also provided are methods of generating plants expressing such polypeptides which can be used for producing dehydrated plants or cuticular covered portions thereof.

Isolated polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding same for generating plants with increased cuticlar water permeability

Aplant or a part thereof, the plant bearing more than 12 fruit, the fruit being seedless. Methods of generating same and breeding same are also disclosed.

Melon plants with enhanced fruit yields

The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting increased cell wall content. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express fructokinase (FRK) or both FRK and sucrose synthase (SuSy) are provided. The FRK+SuSy double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced cell wall polymer deposition.

Use of fructokinases and sucrose synthases for increasing cell wall polymers

Provided are isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide modulates acidity of a plant. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs and plant cells comprising same and methods of using same for modulating acidity of a plant.

Isolated polynucleotides and methods and plants using same for regulating plant acidity

A method for breeding tomato plants that produce tomatoes with reduced fruit water content including the steps of crossing at least oneplant with aspp. to produce hybrid seed, collecting the first generation of hybrid seeds, growing plants from the first generation of hybrid seeds, pollinating the plants of the most recent hybrid generation, collecting the seeds produced by the most recent hybrid generation, growing plants from the seeds of the most recent hybrid generation, allowing plants to remain on the vine past the point of normal ripening, and screening for reduced fruit water content as indicated by extended preservation of the ripe fruit and wrinkling of the fruit skin.

Method for breeding tomatoes having reduced water content and product of the method

A method of increasing biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant is disclosed. The method comprises expressing within the plant an exogenous polypeptide comprising a UGGPase activity. The polypeptide may comprise an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous, and/or at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 33 as determined using the BlastP software of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using default parameters. Polynucleotides encoding same and plants expressing same are also disclosed.

Polynucleotides and polypeptides encoded therefrom and methods of using same for increasing biomass in plants and plants generated thereby

The present invention provides a method of identifying alkaline-&#x3b1;-galactosidases. Also provided are polynucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having an alkaline-&#x3b1;-galactosidase activity, oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs derived from the polynucleotide sequences, peptides and peptide analogues, antibodies recognizing same and methods of using same.

Polynucleotide sequences encoding alkaline &#x3b1;-galactosidases and methods of using same

There are provided novel plant-derived enzymes for hydrolysis of sugars and particularly an alkaline alpha-galactosidase which hydrolyzes a broad spectrum of galactosyl-saccharides such as melibiose, raffinose and stachyose and guar gum, at neutral to alkaline pH conditions.

Plant-derived alkaline alpha-galactosidase

A method for controlling starch synthesis in tomatoes including providing a population of plants derived from interspecific crosses of Lycopersicon spp. with genotypes, and selecting individuals of the population that each contain an allele of a gene that increases starch synthesis, the gene originating from the Lycopersicon spp.

Controlling starch synthesis

An enzyme isolated from an organism that metabolizes alpha-galactosyl containing saccharides, comprising an alpha-galactosidase (E.C. 3.2.1.22, alpha-D-galactoside galatohydrolase) with optimal activity in the neutral to alkaline pH range, and which hydrolyzes a variety of alpha-galactose containing saccharides, in particular raffinose. The enzyme is preferably a protein monomer and an ex-alpha-galactosidase.

Alkaline alpha-galactosidase

Growing community of inventors

Hashmonaim, Israel

Arthur A Schaffer