Method of improving chloroplast function and increasing seed yield
AssigneeArkansas State University—Jonesboro
InventorsArgelia Lorence, Jessica Patricia Yactayo-Chang
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Abstract
Ascorbate protects tissues against damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced through normal metabolism or generated from stress. The inositol route to AsA involves four enzymes: myo-inositol oxygenase, glucuronate reductase, gluconolactonase (GNL), and L-gulono-1,4-lactone oxidase (GulLO). Eighteen putative GNLs were identified in Arabidopsis, one of which, AtGNL, is interesting because it possesses a chloroplastic signal peptide. Knockouts on this gene had lower foliar AsA and stunted growth compared to controls. The functional gene restored the phenotype of the knockouts, and those plants had higher AsA content, enhanced photosynthetic capacity, and higher seed yield.
Claims20
A method for increasing seed yield in a plant comprising:
- expressing in a genetically engineered plant a polynucleotide encoding a gluconolactonase (GNL) polypeptide with at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:2 operably linked to a heterologous promoter to produce a plant with increased seed yield relative to a GNL wild-type plant and increased GNL expression relative to a GNL wild-type plant wherein the GNL wild-type plant is characterized as having wild-type level expression of a wild-type GNL polypeptide with at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:2.
A genetically engineered plant with increased seed yield and increased gluconolactonase (GNL) expression comprising a construct, the construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a GNL polypeptide with at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:2 operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein seed yield and GNL expression of the genetically engineered plant is increased relative to a GNL wild-type plant of the same species lacking the construct wherein the GNL wild-type plant is characterized as having wild-type level expression of a wild-type GNL polypeptide with at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.