National Research Council of Canada

Wenyun Shen

Jitao Zou

Peng Gao

Qilin Chen

Liping Wang

Wilf Keller

Methods are provided for modulating an abiotic stress response to drought in a plant, for example by introducing a heritable change to the plant, which alters the expression in the plant of an endogenous or exogenous protein that is a member of a particular gene family, the Kanghan genes. Similarly, plants and plants cells having such heritable changes are provided.

Modulating drought tolerance in Brassicaceae using thegene family

Modulating plant abiotic stress responses using thegene family

Reducing /yso-phosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) activity in a plant increases seed oil content and/or fatty acid levels in the plant. Increases in the level of unusual fatty acids 16:3, 18:3 and 20:1 c11 are particularly pronounced.

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The invention discloses methods for genetically transforming a plant so that it expresses a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The method raises levels glycerol-3-phosphate in comparison to the wild type, leading to increased stress tolerance, and altered fatty acid content in glycerolipids. The method also produces plants having improved phosphorus utilization.

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Saskatoon, Canada

Wenyun Shen