# US 2014/0157457 A1 · Plant protease > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157457 A1 - Document ID: US20140157457A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/974,143 - Filed: 2013-08-23 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-25 - Assignees: Plant Bioscience Limited; Universidad Nacional De La Plata; Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Cientificas Y Tecnicas - Applicants: Plant Bioscience Limited; Universidad Nacional De La Plata; Consejo Nacional De Investigaciones Cientificas Y Tecnicas - Inventors: Juan Jose Guiamet; Dana Ethel Martinez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157457A1 ## CPC - C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield} - C12N 9/63: {derived from plants} - 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) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract The application relates to methods for increasing plant yield and transgenic plants with increased yield using a plant protease. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof wherein the activity of a SASP polypeptide is inactivated, repressed or down-regulated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the plant has increased yield. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the expression of a gene encoding a SASP polypeptide is inactivated, repressed or down-regulated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 3 wherein the gene encoding a SASP polypeptide is from wheat, rice, brassica or zea mays. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 3 wherein the SASP gene encoding a SASP polypeptide comprises a nucleic acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 1, a functional variant, homologue or orthologue thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 5 wherein the functional variant, homologue or orthologue comprises a nucleic acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7 or 9. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the endogenous SASP gene carries a functional mutation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, a plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 wherein expression of the endogenous SASP gene is silenced. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, a plant or a part thereof according to a claim 1 derived from a crop plant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, a plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 derived from a monocotyledonous plant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant cell, a plant or a part thereof according to claim 1 derived from a dicotyledonous plant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A transgenic plant tissue, plant, harvested plant material or propagation material of a plant comprising the plant cell according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A transgenic plant cell tissue, plant, harvested plant material or propagation material of a plant according to claim 12 wherein said plant is a brassica, wheat, rice or maize. ### Claim 14 A method for making a transgenic plant with increased yield comprising inactivating, repressing or down-regulating the activity of a senescence associated subtilisin protease (SASP) polypeptide in a plant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14 wherein the method comprises inactivating, repressing or down-regulating the expression of a gene encoding a SASP polypeptide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein the gene encoding a SASP polypeptide is from wheat, rice, brassica or zea mays. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14 wherein the SASP gene comprises a nucleic acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 1, a functional variant, homologue or orthologue thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17 wherein the functional variant, homologue or orthologue comprises a nucleic acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7 or 9. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14 wherein said method comprises introducing a functional mutation in a gene encoding a SASP protein or peptide in a plant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method according to claim 19 wherein said mutation is introduced using T-DNA insertion or chemical mutagenesis. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20 comprising using TILLING. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14 comprising silencing of the SASP gene. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A method according to claim 22 comprising introducing a RNAi, snRNA, dsRNA, siRNA, miRNA, ta-siRNA or cosuppression molecule which targets the SASP gene into a plant. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) A method for increasing yield comprising making a plant with increased yield as in claim 14. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) A plant obtained or obtainable by the method of claim 14. ### Claim 26 An isolated nucleic acid comprising a sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 1, a functional variant, homologue or orthologue thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) An isolated nucleic acid comprising according to claim 26 wherein the functional variant, homologue or orthologue comprises SEQ ID No. 9. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) An expression cassette comprising an isolated nucleic acid according to claim 26. ### Claim 29 A plant cell, plant or a part thereof with increased yield wherein the activity of a SASP polypeptide is inactivated, repressed or down-regulated and wherein said plant has been generated by methods that do not solely rely on traditional breeding.