Methods and compositions for improving plant traits
AssigneePivot Bio, Inc.
InventorsKarsten Temme, Alvin Tamsir, Sarah Bloch, Rosemary Clark, Emily Tung
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods of increasing nitrogen fixation in a non-leguminous plant. The methods can comprise exposing the plant to a plurality of bacteria. Each member of the plurality comprises one or more genetic variations introduced into one or more genes or non-coding polynucleotides of the bacteria's nitrogen fixation or assimilation genetic regulatory network, such that the bacteria are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the presence of exogenous nitrogen. The bacteria are not intergeneric microorganisms. Additionally, the bacteria, in planta, produce 1% or more of the fixed nitrogen in the plant.
Claims19
A method of increasing the amount of atmospheric derived nitrogen in a plant in a field, the method comprising:
- exposing the plant in the field to a plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria, thereby increasing an amount of atmospheric derived nitrogen within the plant that is exposed to the plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria relative to a plant that is exposed to a same amount of a second plurality of a non-engineered diazotrophic bacteria that are the same species as the plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria;
- wherein the plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria comprises at least one genetic variation introduced into a nitrogen fixation genetic regulatory network that results in one or more of:
- increased expression or activity of NifA or decreased expression or activity of NifL,
- wherein at least one genetic variation introduced into the nitrogen fixation genetic regulatory network comprises insertion of a heterologous sequence found within a genome of a bacterium of the genus of the plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria;
- and
- wherein nitrogen fixation activity of the plurality of engineered diazotrophic bacteria in non-nitrogen-limiting conditions is greater than nitrogen fixation activity, in similar non-nitrogen-limiting conditions, of a same amount of the second plurality of non-engineered diazotrophic bacteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.