University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Ke Wu

L Curtis Hannah

Robert J Ferl

Hwa Jee Chung

Paul C Sehnke

The subject invention concerns materials and methods for enhancing starch production in plants. Starch production is enhanced, relative to levels observed in wildtype or control plants, by reduction of the plant 14-3-3 protein(s) which subsequently results in increased accumulation of starch in the plant. In one embodiment, the 14-3-3 protein expression is reduced using polynucleotides that are antisense to the 14-3-3 gene sequences expressed in the plant. In another embodiment, the 14-3-3 protein expression is reduced by 'knockout' of a 14-3-3 gene or gene sequences. The subject invention also pertains to transformed and transgenic plants that have polynucleotides that are antisense to the 14-3-3 gene sequences expressed in the plant, wherein the transformed and transgenic plants exhibit enhanced starch production. The subject invention also pertains to 'knockout' plants in which the normal functional 14-3-3 gene in the plant is deleted or replaced with a non-functional form of the gene. The subject invention also concerns the &#x201c;antisense&#x201d; polynucleotides of the invention that when introduced into a plant cell can function to effectively reduce expression of the 14-3-3 proteins in a plant.

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Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Ke Wu