Genetically engineered plants that express a quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase

Abstract

Genetically engineered plants that express a quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase (MQO) are provided. The plant comprises a modified gene for the quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase. The modified gene comprises (i) a promoter and (ii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding the quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase. The promoter is non-cognate with respect to the nucleic acid sequence encoding the quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase. The modified gene is configured such that transcription of the nucleic acid sequence is initiated from the promoter and results in expression of the quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase. The plants can express the quinone-utilizing malate dehydrogenase in mitochondria of cells of the plants. Conversion of malate to oxaloacetate in the mitochondria can be increased, resulting in increased crop performance and/or seed, fruit or tuber yield. Methods and compositions for making the plants also are provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.