Tor-interacting proteins (tips) and genes therefor

13:

• The method according to claim 1, wherein the TOR interacting protein comprises:
• (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 36, SEQ ID NO:
• 34, SEQ ID NO:
• 8, SEQ ID NO:
• 6, SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 10, SEQ ID NO:
• 4, SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 18, SEQ ID NO:
• 20, SEQ ID NO:
• 22, SEQ ID NO:
• 24, SEQ ID NO:
• 26, SEQ ID NO:
• 28, SEQ ID NO:
• 30, SEQ ID NO:
• 32, SEQ ID NO:
• 38, SEQ ID NO:
• 40, SEQ ID NO:
• 42 or SEQ ID NO:
• 79;
• or (ii) a conservatively substituted amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 36, SEQ ID NO:
• 34, SEQ ID NO:
• 8, SEQ ID NO:
• 6, SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 10, SEQ ID NO:
• 4, SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 18, SEQ ID NO:
• 20, SEQ ID NO:
• 22, SEQ ID NO:
• 24, SEQ ID NO:
• 26, SEQ ID NO:
• 28, SEQ ID NO:
• 30, SEQ ID NO:
• 32, SEQ ID NO:
• 38, SEQ ID NO:
• 40, SEQ ID NO:
• 42 or SEQ ID NO:
• 79.

14:

• The method according to claim 1, wherein the TOR interacting protein comprises the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 36, SEQ ID NO:
• 34, SEQ ID NO:
• 8, SEQ ID NO:
• 6, SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 10, SEQ ID NO:
• 4, SEQ ID NO:
• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 18, SEQ ID NO:
• 20, SEQ ID NO:
• 22, SEQ ID NO:
• 24, SEQ ID NO:
• 26, SEQ ID NO:
• 28, SEQ ID NO:
• 30, SEQ ID NO:
• 32, SEQ ID NO:
• 38, SEQ ID NO:
• 40, SEQ ID NO:
• 42 or SEQ ID NO:
• 79.

19:

• A method of altering a phenotype in a plant, said method comprising silencing a native nucleic acid molecule comprising (i) a nucleic acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 35, SEQ ID NO:
• 33, SEQ ID NO:
• 7, SEQ ID NO:
• 5, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 9, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 13, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, SEQ ID NO:
• 19, SEQ ID NO:
• 21, SEQ ID NO:
• 23, SEQ ID NO:
• 25, SEQ ID NO:
• 27, SEQ ID NO:
• 29, SEQ ID NO:
• 31, SEQ ID NO:
• 37, SEQ ID NO:
• 39, SEQ ID NO:
• 41 or SEQ ID NO:
• 78;
• or (ii) a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 35, SEQ ID NO:
• 33, SEQ ID NO:
• 7, SEQ ID NO:
• 5, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 9, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 13, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, SEQ ID NO:
• 19, SEQ ID NO:
• 21, SEQ ID NO:
• 23, SEQ ID NO:
• 25, SEQ ID NO:
• 27, SEQ ID NO:
• 29, SEQ ID NO:
• 31, SEQ ID NO:
• 37, SEQ ID NO:
• 39, SEQ ID NO:
• 41 or SEQ ID NO:
• 78 or a codon degenerate nucleotide sequence thereof,
• said nucleic acid molecule encoding a TOR interacting protein which interacts with a target of rapamycin (TOR) protein under conditions whereby silencing the native nucleic acid molecule produces an altered phenotype compared to a phenotype of a wild-type plant grown under the same conditions, wherein the altered phenotype comprises a defective embryo, embryo fatality, a developmental deficiency, male sterility or female sterility and wherein the TOR interacting protein is a protein other than TOR.

21:

• An isolated or purified polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 20, SEQ ID NO:
• 26, SEQ ID NO:
• 30, SEQ ID NO:
• 36 or SEQ ID NO:
• 42 or at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 8 or SEQ ID NO:
• 16.

23:

• An isolated or purified polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 8, SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 20, SEQ ID NO:
• 26, SEQ ID NO:
• 30, SEQ ID NO:
• 36 or SEQ ID NO:
• 42.

24:

• An isolated or purified nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7 or SEQ ID NO:
• 41;
• or at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 25 or SEQ ID NO:
• 35;
• or at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 19 or SEQ ID NO:
• 29.

27:

• An isolated or purified nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 19, SEQ ID NO:
• 25, SEQ ID NO:
• 29, SEQ ID NO:
• 35 or SEQ ID NO:
• 41, or a codon degenerate nucleotide sequence thereof.

28:

• A plant cell, plant seed or plant having introduced therein a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 5, SEQ ID NO:
• 7, SEQ ID NO:
• 9, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 13, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, SEQ ID NO:
• 19, SEQ ID NO:
• 21, SEQ ID NO:
• 23, SEQ ID NO:
• 25, SEQ ID NO:
• 27, SEQ ID NO:
• 29, SEQ ID NO:
• 31, SEQ ID NO:
• 33, SEQ ID NO:
• 35, SEQ ID NO:
• 37, SEQ ID NO:
• 39 or SEQ ID NO:
• 41, said nucleotide molecule encoding a TOR interacting protein which interacts with a target of rapamycin (TOR) protein, expression of the nucleic acid molecule altering growth and development of the cell, seed or plant in comparison to a cell, seed or plant in which the nucleic acid molecule is not introduced.

30:

• The plant cell, plant seed or plant according to claim 28, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1, SEQ ID NO:
• 3, SEQ ID NO:
• 5, SEQ ID NO:
• 7, SEQ ID NO:
• 9, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 13, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, SEQ ID NO:
• 19, SEQ ID NO:
• 21, SEQ ID NO:
• 23, SEQ ID NO:
• 25, SEQ ID NO:
• 27, SEQ ID NO:
• 29, SEQ ID NO:
• 31, SEQ ID NO:
• 33, SEQ ID NO:
• 35, SEQ ID NO:
• 37, SEQ ID NO:
• 39 or SEQ ID NO:
• 41, or a codon degenerate nucleotide sequence thereof.