Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Cropdesign N.v.

Hoechst Schering Agrevo Gmbh

Denes Dudits

Gunter Donn

Peter Eckes

Attila Feher

Sandor Morocz

Janos Nemeth

Katalin Paulovics

Valerie Frankard

Gabor Horvath

Laszlo Bako

Ferenc Nagy

Janos Gyorgyey

Katalin Kalman

Günter Donn

Hubert Müllner

G&uuml;nter Donn

The present invention concerns a method for improving growth characteristics of plants by modulating expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NAP1-like protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NAP1-like protein.

Plants having improved growth characteristics and methods for making the same by modulating expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a NAP1-like protein

The present invention concerns a method for improving the growth characteristics of plants by introducing and expressing in a plant a nucleic acid encoding a small subunit ribosomal (S3a) protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having introduced therein a nucleic acid encoding an S3a protein, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. The improved growth characteristics are particularly increased seed yield compared to corresponding wild type plants, in particularly increased number of filled seeds, increased total seed weight, increased harvest index and increased thousand kernel weight. The present invention also concerns constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Plants having improved seed yield and expressing a nucleic acid encoding a small subunit ribosomal (S3A) protein and method for making the same

The invention is drawn to plant cell transformation with a nucleic acid construct comprising a prokaryotic ammonium-specific asparagine synthetase, type A, coding sequence, operably linked to a chloroplast transit peptide-encoding sequence, wherein said plant cells also contain a nucleic acid construct comprising a chloroplastic glutamine synthetase coding sequence in antisense orientation. Plant cells containing both nucleic acid constructs, and plants regenerated therefrom, exhibit improved growth characteristics.

Process for the production of plants with enhanced growth characteristics

Protoplasts which regenerate reproducibly in a short time to normal, fertile plants can be regenerated from an auxin-autotrophic genotype of,(L.). Starting from immature embryos on hormone-free media, an auxin-autotrophic, embryogenic callus is formed on the shoot basis of the seedlings, which callus retains its embryogenic potential over a substantial period of time when subcultured on hormone-free medium. In addition to fully-developed embryos, adventitious embryos are also formed under suitable culture conditions (6-9% of sucrose in the medium). When the sucrose content is reduced to 2-3% and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is added, soft, granular calli are formed which consist of embryogenic cell aggregates (type II callus). After subculturing the type II callus in the form of a cell suspension culture, totipotent protoplasts can be isolated. From these protoplasts, the maize plants according to the invention are regenerated.

Zea mays (L.) with capability of long term, highly efficient plant regeneration including fertile transgenic maize plants having a heterologous gene, and their preparation

Protoplasts which regenerate reproducibly in a short time to normal, fertile plants can be regenerated from an auxin-autotrophic genotype of Zea mays (L.). Starting from immature embryos on hormone-free media, an auxin-autotrophic, embryogenic callus is formed on the shoot basis of the seedlings, which callus retains its embryogenic potential over a substantial period of time when subcultured on hormone-free medium. In addition to fully-developed embryos, adventitious embryos are also formed under suitable culture conditions (6-9% of sucrose in the medium). When the sucrose content is reduced to 2-3% and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is added, soft, granular calli are formed which consist of embryogenic cell aggregates (type II callus). After subculturing the type II callus in the form of a cell suspension culture, totipotent protoplasts can be isolated. From these protoplasts, the maize plants according to the invention are regenerated.

Zea mays (L.) with capability of long term, highly efficient plant

The gene asnA which encodes a prokaryotic ammonium-specific asparagine synthetase (ASN-A) can be introduced into plant cells. Such transformed cells and plants developed therefrom not only tolerate glutamine synthetase inhibitors but are effectively stimulated by such herbicides.

Transgenic plants expressing a prokaryotic ammonium dependent asparagine

Growing community of inventors

Szeged, Hungary

Denes Dudits