Monsanto Technology LLC

Thomas J La Rosa

Jennifer Gonzales

Gregory R Heck

David K Kovalic

Stanton B Dotson

Timothy W Conner

Byron Froman

Linda L Lutfiyya

Jingdong Liu

Thomas R Adams

Scott E Andersen

Yongwei Cao

Virginia Ursin

Fenggao Dong

Jingrui Wu

Steven E Screen

Karen L Fincher

Donald E Nelson

Michael D Edgerton

Zhidong Xie

Jennifer Simmons

Jinhua Xiao

Garrett J Lee

The invention relates generally to methods and compositions concerning desaturase enzymes that modulate the number and location of double bonds in long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA's). In particular, the invention relates to methods and compositions for improving omega-3 fatty acid profiles in plant products and parts using desaturase enzymes and nucleic acids encoding for such enzymes. In particular embodiments, the desaturase enzymes are&#x394;6-desaturases. Also provided are improved soybean oil compositions having SDA and a beneficial overall content of omega-3 fatty acids relative to omega-6 fatty acids.

Fatty acid desaturases from primula

This invention provides transgenic plant cells with recombinant DNA for expression of proteins that are useful for imparting enhanced agronomic trait(s) to transgenic crop plants. This invention also provides transgenic plants and progeny seed comprising the transgenic plant cells where the plants are selected for having an enhanced trait selected from the group of traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing transgenic seed and plants with enhanced traits.

Transgenic plants with enhanced agronomic traits

Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) isolated from cotton are disclosed. The ESTs provide a unique molecular tool for the targeting and isolation of novel genes for plant protection and improvement. The disclosed ESTs have utility in the development of new strategies for understanding critical plant developmental and metabolic pathways. The disclosed ESTs have particular utility in isolating genes and promoters, identifying and mapping the genes involved in developmental and metabolic pathways, and determining gene function. Sequence homology analyses using the ESTs provided in the present invention, will result in more efficient gene screening for desirable agronomic traits. An expanding database of these select pieces of the plant genomics puzzle will quickly expand the knowledge necessary for subsequent functional validation, a key limitation in current plant biotechnology efforts.

Nucleic acid molecules and other molecules associated with plants

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Fenton, MO, United States of America

Thomas J La Rosa