Cropdesign N.v.

Croodesign, N.v.

Vladimir Mironov

Dirk Inze

Valerie Frankard

Lieven De Veylder

Ana Isabel Sanz Molinero

Willem F Broekaert

Yves Hatzfeld

Gerda Segers

Christophe Reuzeau

Willy Dillen

Tom Beeckman

Anne-Marie Droual

Veronique Boudolf

Adrian Marius Peres Bota

Valérie Marie-Noëlle S Frankard

Anna Depicker

Franky Terras

Sylvie De Buck

Chris De Wilde

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a class I homeodomain leucine zipper (HDZip) hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a nitrate transporter protein (NRT) or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted Yield Enhancing Protein 16 (YEP16); or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a Group I glycogen synthase kinase (Group I shaggy-like kinase) or a homologue thereof. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a class I HDZip hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NRT protein or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted YEP16; or having modulated expression of a Group I shaggy-like kinase or a homologue thereof, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Plants having improved growth characteristics and a method for making the same

The present invention concerns a method for improving growth characteristics of plants by increasing expression and/or activity in a plant of an LRR receptor kinase or a homologue thereof. One such method comprises introducing into a plant an RLK827 nucleic acid molecule or functional variant thereof. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding an LRR receptor kinase. The present invention also concerns constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Plants having improved growth characteristics and method for making the same

The present invention concerns a method for modifying the growth characteristics of a plant relative to corresponding wild type plants, comprising modifying expression in a plant of a seedy1 nucleic acid and/or modifying the level and/or activity in a plant of a seedy1 protein. The invention also concerns novel constructs and novel seedy1 nucleic acid and protein sequences.

Seedy 1 nucleic acids for making plants having changed growth characteristics

The present invention concerns a method for modifying plant growth characteristics by modifying expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a methionine aminopeptidase (MAP protein) and/or by modifying level and/or activity in a plant of a MAP protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having modified growth characteristics, which plants have modified expression of a nucleic acid encoding a MAP protein. Particularly the present invention discloses a method to increase yield of a plant, preferably in a cereal such as rice or corn.

Method for modifying plant growth characteristics

The present invention provides a method for modulating endoreduplication in a plant, plant part, or plant cell. The method comprises the steps of introduction and expression of a nucleotide sequence encoding the CDC2bAt cyclin dependent kinase gene disclosed in database accession number X57840 or said CDC2bAt cyclin dependent kinase gene having the Asp residue at position 161 replaced with an Asn residue, under the control of a promoter which functions in a plant.

Method and means for modulating plant cell cycle proteins and their use in plant cell growth control

The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding plant cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (ICKs). The nucleic acid molecules may be used to downregulate expression of a plant ICK, thereby providing useful plant phenotypes.

Down regulation of plant cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors

The present invention relates to T-DNA vectors and methods for obtaining transgenic eukaryotes using said vectors. The transgenic eukaryotes are characterized in that they contain the T-DNA but not the illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequence. This is achieved by modifying the T-DNA borders such that they are more efficiently nicked or such that they allow elimination of illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequences by means of recombination.

Optimized T-DNA transfer and vectors therefor

The present invention relates to a method for modifying plant growth and development processes by affecting cell cycle regulation comprising modulating expression of members of the plant E2F transcription factor family. More specific the invention relates to methods for stimulating cell division in a plant. The invention further relates to transgenic plants produced by the methods of the invention having altered plant growth and development characteristics compared to their isogenic counterparts. Preferably, the plant characteristics modified by the present invention include enlarged cotyledons, enhanced growth rate, stress resistance and seedling survival, more cells, more tillers, more panicles.

Method to modify cell number, architecture and yield of plants by overexpressing the E2F transcription factor

The present invention provides a new Arabidopsis thaliana nucleotide sequence and polypeptide sequence having a molecular weight of about 10.5 kDa. Modulation of the expression of the polypeptides encoded by the nucleotide sequences according to the invention has an advantageous influence on plant cell division characteristics especially on the endoreduplication whereby plant cell size and storage capacity of plant cells is influenced.

Growing community of inventors

Ghent, Belgium

Vladimir Mironov