# US 8,569,575 B2 · Plants having enhanced yield-related traits and a method for making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,575 B2 - Document ID: US8569575B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/519,787 - Filed: 2007-12-21 - Published: 2010-03-25 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-12-21 - Assignees: BASF Plant Science GmbH - Applicants: Ana Isabel Sanz Molinero - Inventors: Ana Isabel Sanz Molinero - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569575B2 ## CPC - C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield} - C07K 14/415: 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) - 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) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Yield Enhancing Protein (YEP). The YEP is selected from a Vacuolar Processing Enzyme (VPE) or a CCA1-like polypeptide or a SAP-like polypeptide or a Seed Yield Promoting Factor 1 (SYPF1) polypeptide or a Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) activase (RCA) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding such a YEP, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention also provides hitherto unknown YEP-encoding nucleic acids, and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the methods of the invention. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for enhancing a seed yield-related trait in a plant relative to a control plant, comprising (a) increasing expression in a plant of an isolated nucleic acid, and (b) selecting for a plant having an enhanced seed yield-related trait relative to a corresponding control plant, wherein the isolated nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a Circadian Clock Associated1 (CCA1)-like protein, which comprises a SANT domain having motif 1 of SEQ ID NO: 141 and motif 2 of SEQ ID NO: 142, where the nucleic acid sequence comprises i) the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; ii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; iii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2; or iv) a nucleic acid sequence capable of hybridizing with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent hybridization conditions which comprise hybridization at 65° C. in 1×SSC or at 42° C. in 1×SSC and 50% formamide followed by washing at 50° C. in 2×SSC 65° C. in 0.3×SSC; and wherein said increased expression is effected by introducing and expressing in a plant, plant cell, or plant part said isolated nucleic acid, and wherein said seed yield-related trait comprises any one or more of the following: total seed yield, number of filled seeds, seed fill rate, number of flowers per panicle, harvest index, or thousand kernel weight. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said CCA1-like protein sequence further comprises motif 3 of SEQ ID NO: 143. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid is operably linked to a constitutive promoter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the constitutive promoter comprises a GOS2 promoter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid is of plant origin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said nucleic acid is from a dicotyledonous plant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said nucleic acid is from the family Brassicaceae. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said nucleic acid is from the genus Arabidopsis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said nucleic acid is from Arabidopsis thaliana. ### Claim 10 A method for the production of a transgenic plant having an enhanced seed yield-related trait relative to a corresponding control plant, comprising: (1) introducing and expressing in a plant, of plant cell, or plant part an isolated nucleic acid, wherein the isolated nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid encoding a CCA1-like protein comprising a SANT domain having motif 1 of SEQ ID NO: 141 and motif 2 OF of SEQ ID NO: 142; where the nucleic acid sequence comprises i) the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; ii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; iii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2; or iv) a nucleic acid sequence capable of hybridizing with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent hybridization conditions which comprise hybridization at 65° C. in 1×SSC or at 42° C. in 1×SSC and 50% formamide followed by one or more washes at 65° C. in 0.3×SSC; (2) cultivating the plant cell or plant or part thereof under conditions promoting plant growth and development; and (3) selecting for a plant having an enhanced seed yield-related trait relative to a corresponding control plant, wherein said seed yield-related trait comprises any one or more of the following: total seed yield, number of filled seeds, seed fill rate, number of flowers per panicle, harvest index, or thousand kernel weight. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the enhanced seed yield-related trait is increased seed yield relative to a control plant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said CCA1-like protein sequence further comprises motif 4 of SEQ ID NO: 144. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said CCA1-like protein sequence further comprises motif 5 of SEQ ID NO: 145.