# US 7,612,258 B2 · Nucleic acid molecules associated with plant cell proliferation and growth and uses thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,612,258 B2 - Document ID: US7612258B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/717,562 - Filed: 2007-03-13 - Published: 2007-07-19 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2000-12-21 - Assignees: Monsanto Technology LLC - Inventors: Steve Sichuan He; Stanton B. Dotson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612258B2 ## CPC - C07K 14/415: from plants - C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield} - C12N 15/8289: {Male sterility} - C12N 15/829: {Female sterility} - Y02A 40/146: Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants - 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) - 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 present invention provides a gene encoding an ANT-like polypeptide comprising in the N-terminal to C-terminal direction two AP2 DNA binding domains followed in the C-terminal by an amino acid subsequence selected from the group consisting of Xaa-Ser-Ser-Ser-Arg-Glu (SEQ ID NO:25), Xaa-Ser-Asn-Ser-Arg-Glu (SEQ ID NO:26), and Asn-Ser-Ser-Ser-Arg-Asn (SEQ ID NO:27), wherein Xaa is an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of Gly, Ala, Val, Leu, and Ile. Such a gene encoding an ANT-like polypeptide can be over-expressed in a transgenic plant to provide agronomically desired traits based on increased size of selected plant organs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A recombinant DNA molecule that comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction: (a) a first DNA polynucleotide that comprises a promoter that functions in plants, operably linked to; (b) a second DNA polynucleotide that encodes an ANT protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, operably linked to; (c) a 3′ transcription termination DNA polynucleotide; wherein said first DNA polynucleotide is heterologous to said second DNA polynucleotide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A plant cell containing in its genome the recombinant DNA molecule of claim 1. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A plant containing in its genome the recombinant DNA molecule of claim 1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A propagule of said plant of claim 3, wherein the propagule contains the recombinant DNA molecule. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of producing a plant that has increased organ size, comprising the steps of: a) inserting into the genome of a plant cell the recombinant DNA molecule according to claim 1, b) obtaining a transformed plant cell, c) regenerating a plant from said plant cell, and d) selecting a plant with increased organ size as compared to a control plant. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A plant with increased organ size produced by the method of claim 5. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The plant of claim 3 wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of corn, soy, canola, wheat, cotton, tomato, and potato. ### Claim 8 A recombinant DNA molecule that comprises, in the 5′ to 3′ direction: (a) a first DNA polynucleotide that comprises a promoter that functions in plants, operably linked to; (b) a second DNA polynucleotide that encodes a protein having two AP2 DNA binding domains and at least 90% amino acid identity to SEQ ID NO:6, wherein expression of the protein in a plant results in increased plant organ size as compared to a wild type plant, operably linked to; (c) a 3′ transcription termination DNA polynucleotide; wherein said first DNA polynucleotide is heterologous to said second DNA polynucleotide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The recombinant DNA molecule of claim 8, wherein the second DNA polynucleotide has a sequence that can hybridize under conditions of 2.0× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 65° C. followed by a wash of 0.2×SSC at 65° C. for about 20 minutes to another nucleic acid sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:6. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A plant cell containing in its genome the recombinant DNA molecule of claim 8. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A plant containing in its genome the recombinant DNA molecule of claim 8. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A propagule of said plant of claim 11, wherein the propagule contains the recombinant DNA molecule. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The plant of claim 11 wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of corn, soy, canola, wheat, cotton, tomato, and potato. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A method of producing a plant that has increased organ size, comprising the steps of: a) inserting into the genome of a plant cell the recombinant DNA molecule according to claim 8, b) obtaining a transformed plant cell, c) regenerating a plant from said plant cell, and d) selecting a plant with increased organ size as compared to a control plant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A plant with increased organ size produced by the method of claim 14. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA molecule of claim 1, wherein the second DNA polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:5. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The plant of claim 3, wherein the second polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:5. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the second polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:5. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The recombinant DNA molecule of claim 8, wherein the second DNA polynucleotide encodes a protein having at least 98% amino acid identity to SEQ ID NO:6. ### Claim 20 An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide having two AP2 DNA binding domains and at least 90% amino acid identity to SEQ ID NO:6, wherein expression of the polypeptide in a plant results in increased plant organ size as compared to a wild type plant. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 20, wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide having at least 98% amino acid identity to SEQ ID NO:6. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 20, wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes SEQ ID NO:6. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 22, wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises SEQ ID NO:5. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) A plant containing in its genome the nucleic acid molecule according to claim 22. ### Claim 25 (depends on 8) The recombinant DNA molecule of claim 8, wherein the protein encoded by the second DNA polynucleotide further comprises SEQ ID NO:26 as a subsequence, wherein SEQ ID NO:26 is located C-terminal to the two AP2 DNA binding domains. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The recombinant DNA molecule of claim 25, wherein the protein encoded by the second DNA polynucleotide further comprises SEQ ID NO:30 as a subsequence, wherein SEQ ID NO:30 is located C-terminal to the two AP2 DNA binding domains. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 20, wherein the organ is a root, shoot, or seed.