Engineering plants for efficient uptake and utilization of urea to improve crop production
AssigneePioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
InventorsRAJEEV GUPTA, Zhenglin Hou, Dale F. Loussaert, Bo Shen, Lawrence Kent Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides polynucleotides and related polypeptides related to urea uptake. The invention provides genomic sequences for urea transporter, urease and glutamine synthetase genes. Urea transporters, urease and glutamine synthetase are responsible for controlling nitrogen utilization efficiency in plants. Urea transporter, urease or glutamine synthetase sequences are provided for improving grain yield and plant growth. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.
Claims36
An isolated polynucleotide that modulates urea assimilation selected from the group consisting of:
- a. a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity, as determined by the GAP algorithm under default parameters, to the full length sequence of a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 224-250, 300, 302 and 321, wherein the polypeptide functions as a modifier of urea uptake;
- b. a polynucleotide that is at least 80% identical as determined by the GAP algorithm to a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
- 224-250, 300, 302 and 321;
- c. a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
- 224-250, 300, 302 and 321;
- and
- d. a polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotide of (a), (b) or (c).
A method of increasing the urea assimilation activity in a plant cell, comprising:
- a. providing a nucleotide sequence encoding a urea transporter having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
- 1-223, 251-299, 301 and 322;
- b. linking the nucleotide to one or more nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of:
- an additional urea transporter, a urease and a glutamine synthase;
- and
- c. introducing the nucleotide sequence of step (a) and the optionally linked sequences of (b) into the plant cell, wherein urea assimilation in the plant cell is increased.
A method of modifying urea uptake comprising:
- a. transforming a corn plant with a high affinity urea transporter and a low affinity urea transporter;
- and
- b. expressing the low affinity and high affinity urea transporters whereby urea uptake the transgenic plant is improved as compared to a control plant.
A method of increasing yield by applying a nitrogen source to a plant at or during the reproductive stage, the method comprising:
- (a) growing the plant to a reproductive stage;
- and
- (b) providing a foliar application of urea to the plant, wherein the plant is capable of utilizing the foliar application of urea through the expression of one or more urea transporters in the leaf, whereby the yield of the plant is increased.
A method of reducing nitrogen loss from an agricultural production environment, the method comprising:
- (a) growing a plant that is capable of utilizing urea as a direct nitrogen source from the soil or through a foliar application;
- (b) providing an urea containing nutrient source to the plant;
- (c) growing the plant and thereby reducing the loss of nitrogen from the agricultural production environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.