# US 9,434,957 B2 · Methods of improving drought tolerance and seed production in rice

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- Number: US 9,434,957 B2
- Document ID: US9434957B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/866,401
- Filed: 2013-04-19
- Published: 2014-01-02
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-28
- Assignees: The Penn State Research Foundation
- Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation
- Inventors: Sarah Assmann; Angel Ferrero-Serrano; David Chakravorty
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434957B2

## CPC

- C12N 15/8261: {with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield}
- C07K 14/415: from plants
- C12N 9/14: Hydrolases (3)
- C12N 9/16: acting on ester bonds (3.1)
- C12N 15/8218: {Antisense, co-suppression, viral induced gene silencing [VIGS], post-transcriptional induced gene silencing [PTGS]}
- C12N 15/8241: {Phenotypically and genetically modified plants via recombinant DNA technology}
- C12N 15/8273: {for drought, cold, salt resistance}
- C12Y 306/05002: Small monomeric GTPase (3.6.5.2)
- 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)
- C12Y: ENZYMES
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

The invention provides for compositions and methods for producing plants that have higher yield in drought conditions by manipulating the G-proteins such as the rice alpha subunit gene, RGA1. In particular, the present invention provides for plants, varieties, lines, and hybrids, as well as plant tissues and plant seeds that contain modified G-protein activity, particularly RGA1 activity to engineer drought tolerance and improved seed production in plants, as well as improved tolerance to high density planting

## Claims

### Claim 1

A genetically modified plant with improved seed production in drought conditions and/or improved survival at high planting densities compared to the seed production in drought conditions and/or survival at high planting densities, respectively, of a corresponding plant with no such modification, said modification comprising a heterologous polynucleotide that reduces G-protein activity in said plant, wherein said heterologous polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a nucleotide sequence which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; or
(b) a nucleotide sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:5, wherein said sequence comprises a deletion of nucleotides 3241 and 3242 compared to SEQ ID NO:5;
said modified plant having reduced G-protein activity when compared to a non-modified plant in the same conditions, said G-protein comprising G-protein alpha subunit (Gα).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The modified plant of claim 1 wherein said G-protein protein activity is created by introducing an inhibition construct to said plant or an ancestor thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Seed of the plant of claim 1. wherein said seed comprises the heterologous polynucleotide that reduces G-protein activity in a plant produced from said seed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said plant is a maize, cotton, soybean, wheat, barley, rice, rye, oat or sorghum plant.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said plant is a rice plant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said modification is a loss of function modification.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said plant includes a heterologous construct that inhibits expression of a G-protein alpha subunit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said plant includes a G-protein alpha subunit expression cassette that is an inhibitory cassette.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plant of claim 1 wherein said G-protein alpha subunit sequence is SEQ ID NO: 1 or 5.