Compositions and methods of use of acc oxidase polynucleotides and polypeptides
AssigneePioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
InventorsXiaoming Bao, Jeffrey Habben, Sabrina Humbert
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Abstract
Compositions and methods reduce the expression of endogenous ACC oxidase genes to improve an agronomic characteristic of a crop plant, which may be maize. Yield increase and drought tolerance due to reduction in the endogenous ACC oxidase levels are observed. ACC oxidase genes are identified in maize, rice, and Arabidopsis genomes.
Claims28
A method of improving abiotic stress tolerance in a crop plant, the method comprising reducing the expression of an ACC oxidase gene in the crop plant and growing the crop plant in a plant growing environment, wherein the crop plant is exposed to an abiotic stress.
An abiotic stress tolerant transgenic maize plant comprising in its genome a recombinant nucleic acid that down regulates the expression of an endogenous ACO gene, wherein the ACO gene comprises a polynucleotide that encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 21-30.
A method of increasing grain yield of a crop plant under drought conditions, the method comprising reducing the levels of ethylene in the crop plant, wherein the reduction in ethylene levels are not accompanied by a reduction in ACC levels within the crop plant and growing the crop plant in a crop growing condition, wherein the crop plant is exposed to drought stress and thereby increasing the grain yield of the crop plant.
A gene down regulation construct comprising an isolated nucleic acid that is transcribed into a plurality of interfering RNA transcripts, wherein the interfering RNA transcripts reduce the expression of a plurality of polynucleotide sequences that encode a plurality of polypeptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 21-30, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and 71 or an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide thereof.
A method of down regulation of an endogenous ACC oxidase gene in a maize plant, the method comprising expressing a recombinant nucleic acid construct that reduces the expression of the endogenous ACC oxidase gene selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 1-20 or an allelic variant of the sequences thereof.
A method of selecting a maize plant from a population of maize plants for increased drought tolerance, the method comprising screening a population of plants for a reduced expression of an ACO gene selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 1-20 or an allelic variant of the sequences thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.