# US 2013/0160164 A1 · Crop grain filling gene (gif1) and the applications thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0160164 A1
- Document ID: US20130160164A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/711,479
- Filed: 2012-12-11
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-30
- Assignees: Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Inventors: Zuhua He; Hongxia Zhang; Bei Li; Hua Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130160164A1

## CPC

- C12N 15/8262: {involving plant development}
- C07K 14/415: from plants
- C12N 15/8245: {involving modified carbohydrate or sugar alcohol metabolism, e.g. starch biosynthesis}
- C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield}
- C12N 15/8279: {for biotic stress resistance, pathogen resistance, disease resistance}
- Y02A 40/146: Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Novel crop grain filling genes (GIF1) and the applications thereof are presented in the invention. The GIF1 genes can be applied to control grain filling, enhance crop yield or quality, or improve disease resistance or storage stability of crop grains. A method for improving crops is also presented in the invention. The GIF1 genes shows valuable potentials in controlling crop yield, quality, storage, and resistance to diseases.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An isolated crop grain filling protein, wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 or 10; or
(b) a polypeptide derived from the polypeptide of (a) by substitution, deletion or addition of one or several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 or 10 and having the activity of promoting crop grain filling.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An isolated polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) a polynucleotide encoding the crop grain filling protein of claim 1; or
(ii) a polynucleotide complementary to the polynucleotide of (i).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The polynucleotide of claim 2, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 or 10.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The polynucleotide of claim 2, wherein the polynucleotide having a sequence selected from a group consisting of:
(1) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or 9;
(2) a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 or 11; or
(3) a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of (1) or (2).

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A vector containing the polynucleotide of claim 2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A genetically engineered host cell containing the vector of claim 5.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A use of the crop grain filling protein of claim 1 or the encoding gene thereof in:
regulating crop grain filling;
regulating sugar metabolism or accumulation in crop grains; or
improving the disease resistance or storage stability of crop grains.

### Claim 8

A method for improving crops, wherein the method comprises:
enhancing the expression of the crop grain filling gene in the crop.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

A method for preparing transgenic plants, wherein the method comprises the step of: introducing the polynucleotide of claim 2 into plant cells or tissues, culturing the plant cells or tissues, and regenerating them to plants.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An agonist or antagonist for the crop grain filling protein of claim 1 or the encoding gene thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

A genetically engineered host cell is integrated in its genome with the polynucleotide of claim 2.