Sangamo Biosciences, Inc.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

Guofu Li

Andrew Jamieson

Jeffrey C Miller

Dale F Loussaert

Edward J Rebar

Jason M Cope

Trevor Collingwood

Travis A Hanselman

Carl O Pabo

Timothy Michael Moriarty

Jacque Hockenson

Rachael Woods

Junli Ji

Qiang Liu

Olga Nikolaevna Danilevskaya

Brooke Peterson-Burch

Mylavarapu Venkatramesh

Paulette Marie Gardner

Lisa I Hagen

The invention provides a rapid and efficient method and assay for monitoring yield enhancement in a plant using a measure of silk number. The plant is transformed with a prospective gene associated with yield enhancement. The transformed plant is grown along with non-transformed control plants until silk growth is apparent. The change in the number of silks in the transformed plant correlated to the change in yield for the plant. Therefore, changes in yield enhancement can be estimated in the transformed plant prior to harvest of mature plant tissues.

Use of silk number assay to screen for genes enhancing corn yield

Methods for evaluating one or more immature ears of maize are presented in which digital imagery and image processing are used to assess physical properties of immature maize ears that are correlated with yield and other yield-related traits. Also provided are methods for identifying leads using immature ear photometry.

Immature ear photometry in maize

Methods for modulating plants using optimized ZmSAUR down-regulation constructs are disclosed. Also disclosed are nucleotide sequences, constructs, vectors, and modified plant cells, as well as transgenic plants displaying increased seed and/or biomass yield, improved tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought or high plant density, improved nitrogen utilization efficiency, increased ear tissue growth or kernel number.

Down-regulation of auxin responsive genes for improved plant performance

Compositions and methods for modulating plant development and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include a ZM-ZFP1 sequence. Compositions of the disclosure comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the ZM-ZFP1 molecule are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of a ZM-ZFP1 sequence in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZM-ZFP1 sequence of the disclosure. The level of the ZM-ZFP1 polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.

Yield enhancement in plants by modulation of a ZM-ZFP1 protein

Disclosed herein are modified plant zinc finger proteins; compositions comprising modified plant zinc finger proteins and methods of making and using modified plant zinc finger proteins. The modified plant zinc finger proteins, in contrast to naturally-occurring plant zinc finger proteins, have a binding specificity that is determined by tandem arrays of modular zinc finger binding unit.

Zinc finger proteins for DNA binding and gene regulation in plants

Disclosed herein are zinc finger proteins that bind to target sites in a plant gamma-tocopherol methyl transferase (GMT) gene; compositions comprising these GMT-targeted zinc finger proteins and methods of making and using such zinc finger proteins. Also disclosed are methods for modulating the alpha-tocopherol content in various plant organs, particularly seeds, in transgenic plants.

Compositions and methods for regulation of plant gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods that regulate expression of two or more endogenous genes.

Simultaneous modulation of multiple genes

Disclosed herein are modified plant zinc finger proteins; compositions comprising modified plant zinc finger proteins and methods of making and using modified plant zinc finger proteins. The modified plant zinc finger proteins, in contrast to naturally-occurring plant zinc finger proteins, have a binding specificity that is determined by tandem arrays of modular zinc finger binding units.

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, IA, United States of America

Guofu Li