Methods of modulating seed and organ size in plants
AssigneesInstitute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Plant Bioscience Limited
InventorsYunhai Li, Tian Xia, Na Li, Jack Dumenil, Michael Bevan
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Abstract
This invention relates to a plant E3 ubiquitin ligase (termed DA2) which acts synergistically with DA1 to control seed and organ size. Methods of increasing plant yield are provided that comprise reducing the expression or activity of DA2 in a plant that is deficient in DA1 expression or activity. Plants with increased yield and methods of producing such plants are also provided.
Claims20
A method of increasing the size of seeds and/or organs of a plant comprising;
- reducing the expression or activity of a DA2 polypeptide within cells of said plant relative to a control or wild-type plant in which expression of the DA2 polypeptide has not been reduced,
- wherein the DA2 polypeptide comprises a RING domain of SEQ ID NO:
- 1 and wherein the plant also has reduced DA1 and/or EOD1 expression or activity.
A method of producing a plant with an increased seed size and/or organ size relative to a control or wild-type plant comprising:
- providing a plant cell that is deficient in the expression or activity of DA1, EOD1 or both DA1and EOD1,
- incorporating a heterologous nucleic acid which reduces the expression or activity of a DA2 polypeptide comprising a RING domain of SEQ ID NO:
- 1;
- or introducing a mutation which reduces the expression or activity of a DA2 polypeptide comprising a RING domain of SEQ ID NO:
- 1 into the plant cell, and;
- regenerating the plant from one or more transformed cells.
A plant having reduced expression or activity relative to a control or wild-type plant of a DA2 polypeptide comprising a RING domain of SEQ ID NO:
- 1and reduced expression or activity of a DA1 polypeptide and/or a EOD1 polypeptide,
- wherein the expression or activity of one or more of said DA2, DA1 and EOD1polypeptides is reduced by the incorporation of heterologous nucleic acids which reduce the expression or activity of said DA2, DA1 and/or EOD1, into one or more cells of the plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.