Transgenic plants with increased photosynthesis efficiency and growth
AssigneesThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, The Regents of the University of California
InventorsStephen P. Long, Johannes Kromdijk, Katarzyna Glowacka, Krishna K. Niyogi, Laurie Leonelli, Stephane T. Gabilly
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a transgenic plant comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides selected from photosystem II subunit S (PsbS), zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP), and violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), operably linked to at least one expression control sequence. Expression vectors for making transgenic plants, and methods for increasing biomass production and/or carbon fixation and/or growth in a plant comprising increasing expression of at least one of PsbS, ZEP and VDE polypeptides are also provided.
Claims22
A genetically modified higher plant (tracheophyte) comprising transfected nucleotide sequences encoding photosystem II subunit S (PsbS), zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP), and violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), operably linked to at least one expression control sequence, wherein the transcript levels of PsbS, ZEP and VDE are all increased as compared to a control plant lacking the transfected nucleotide sequences grown under the same conditions and the plant has improved growth under fluctuating light conditions as compared to the control plant grown under the same fluctuating light conditions.
An expression vector comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a higher plant (tracheophyte) PsbS, ZEP and VDE, operably linked to at least one expression control sequence, wherein the at least one expression control sequence provides that the transcript levels of PsbS, ZEP and VDE are all increased under the same conditions when the expression vector is transfected into a plant as compared to a control plant lacking the transfected nucleotide sequences grown under the same conditions and the plant has improved growth under fluctuating light conditions as compared to the control plant grown under the same fluctuating light conditions after selection for a transfected plant with increased transcript levels of PsbS, ZEP and VDE, with improved growth, with increased yield, with increased photosynthetic efficiency under fluctuating light conditions, with improved photoprotection efficiency under fluctuating light conditions, with an increased rate of relaxation of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) under fluctuating light conditions, and/or with improved quantum yield and CO2 fixation under fluctuating light conditions, in each as compared to the control plant grown under the same conditions.
A method for increasing growth, increasing photosynthetic efficiency, improving photoprotection efficiency, or improving quantum yield and CO2 fixation in a genetically modified higher plant (tracheophyte), said method comprising cultivating the plant under fluctuating light conditions, wherein all three of a PsbS, a ZEP, and a VDE polypeptide have increased expression as compared to expression of the PsbS, the ZEP, and the VDE polypeptide in a control plant without the genetic modifications grown under the same conditions, and wherein the expression of the PsbS polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the PsbS polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the PsbS polypeptide, wherein the expression of the VDE polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the VDE polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the VDE polypeptide, and wherein the expression of the ZEP polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the ZEP polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the ZEP polypeptide.
A method of increasing the rate of relaxation of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in a genetically modified higher plant (tracheophyte), said method comprising cultivating the plant under fluctuating light conditions, wherein all three of a PsbS, a ZEP, and a VDE polypeptide have increased expression as compared to expression of the PsbS, the ZEP, and the VDE polypeptide in a control plant without the genetic modifications grown under the same conditions, and wherein the expression of the PsbS polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the PsbS polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the PsbS polypeptide, wherein the expression of the VDE polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the VDE polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the VDE polypeptide, and wherein the expression of the ZEP polypeptide is increased by expressing a transfected nucleotide sequence encoding the ZEP polypeptide in the genetically modified plant and/or by a genetic modification in a promoter of a nucleotide sequence encoding the ZEP polypeptide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.