Methods for improving photosynthetic organisms
AssigneeAgResearch Limited
InventorsNicholas John Roberts, Somrutai Winichayakul, Zacharia D'Arcy Beechey-Gradwell, Luke James Cooney
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for reducing water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) in a photosynthetic cells and plants, the method comprising the step of genetically modifying the photosynthetic cells and plants to express a modified oleosin including at least one artificially introduced cysteine to reduce WSC. The applicants have shown that in such cells and plants, there is a strong correlation between reduced WSC and elevated photosynthesis. In addition, WSC is significantly simpler to measure that than the other typically measured characteristics when selecting cells or plants with the most favourable characteristics.
Claims10
A method for reducing water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in a photosynthetic cell or plant, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) genetically modifying the photosynthetic cell or plant to express:
- a modified oleosin including at least one artificially introduced cysteine, wherein
- (i) the cysteine is introduced into at least one of the N-terminal hydrophilic region of the oleosin and the C-terminal hydrophilic region of the oleosin;
- and
- (ii) at least one diacylglycerol acyltransferase-1 (DGAT 1);
- and
- (b) measuring WSC amounts in the photosynthetic cell or plant, and
- (c) selecting a photosynthetic cell or plant with reduced WSC relative to that in a control photosynthetic cell or plant.
A method for producing a photosynthetic cell or plant with increased CO2 assimilation, the method comprising:
- (a) modifying the photosynthetic cell or plant to reduce water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) by genetically modifying the photosynthetic cell or plant to express:
- (i) a modified oleosin comprising at least one artificially introduced cysteine to reduce WSC, wherein (i) the cysteine is introduced into at least one of the N-terminal hydrophilic region of the oleosin and the C-terminal hydrophilic region of the oleosin;
- and
- (ii) at least one diacylglycerol acyltransferase-1 (DGAT1);
- and
- (b) measuring WSC amounts in the photosynthetic cell or plant, and
- (c) selecting a photosynthetic cell or plant with increased CO2 assimilation on the basis of measuring the reduction in WSC relative to that in a control photosynthetic cell or plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.