# US 8,785,616 B2 · Constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 (COP1) nucleic acid sequence from Zea mays and its use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,616 B2 - Document ID: US8785616B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/683,281 - Filed: 2007-03-07 - Published: 2009-01-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2001-08-29 - Assignees: Monsanto Technology LLC - Applicants: Nordine Cheikh; Molian Deng; Philip W. Miller; Nanfei Xu - Inventors: Nordine Cheikh; Molian Deng; Philip W. Miller; Nanfei Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785616B2 ## CPC - C12N 15/8269: {Photosynthesis} - C07K 14/415: from plants - C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield} - 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 to an isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence from a maize plant and the isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence is named as ZmCOP1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the ZmCOP1 nucleic acid sequence to control the shade avoidance response of a crop plant for high density farming and yield enhancement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A recombinant DNA construct comprising: a nucleic acid molecule complementary to a nucleotide sequence encoding all or part of a polypeptide having at least 93% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 13; and a heterologous promoter operably linked to said nucleic acid molecule; wherein, upon transformation into a plant, the presence of said nucleic acid molecule causes reduction of endogenous COP1 mRNA level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein said promoter comprises a light-inducible promoter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 2, wherein said promoter is selected from the group consisting of a cab promoter, an ATHB-2 promoter, and a far red light inducible promoter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 2, wherein said promoter comprises a cab promoter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein said recombinant DNA construct comprises an intron. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 5, wherein said intron comprises a hsp70 intron. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein said nucleotide sequence is isolated from a monocot plant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 7, wherein said nucleotide sequence is isolated from a maize plant. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is complementary to a nucleotide sequence encoding all or a part of a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 13. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is complementary to a nucleotide sequence encoding (i) amino acid position 1 through 411 of SEQ ID NO: 13; (ii) amino acid position 1 through 301 of SEQ ID NO: 13 or (iii) SEQ ID NO:13. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is complementary to a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 12; at least 90% sequence identity to nucleotide residue position 1 through 1233 of SEQ ID NO: 12; or at least 90% sequence identity to nucleotide residue position 1 through 906 of SEQ ID NO: 12. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method for increasing yield of a crop, comprising the steps of: transforming a cell of a crop plant with the recombinant DNA construct of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule of the recombinant DNA construct is overexpressed in said cell; regenerating from said transformed plant cell a transformed crop plant, wherein expression of the nucleic acid molecule of the recombinant DNA construct in cells of the transformed crop plant causes reduction of endogenous COP1 mRNA levels; obtaining seeds from said transformed crop plant and progeny of said transformed crop plant; and planting said seeds at a population density at least 10% higher than normal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The recombinant DNA construct of claim 11, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is complementary to SEQ ID NO:12.