Nucleotide sequences encoding fasciated EAR4 (FEA4) and methods of use thereof
AssigneesE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsStephen M Allen, David Peter Jackson, Mai Komatsu, Michael Pautler, Hajime Sakai, Erik Vollbrecht, Rebecca Weeks
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Abstract
Methods and compositions for modulating shoot apical meristem size are provided. Methods are provided for modulating the expression of Fea4 sequence in a host plant or plant cell to modulate agronomic characteristics such as altered size and number of organs, including plant seeds.
Claims4
A method of making a maize plant in which expression of an endogenous FEA4 gene, which encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of at least 98% identity, based on the Clustal W method of alignment, when compared to SEQ ID NO:
- 3, is reduced relative to a control maize plant, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. introducing a mutation into the endogenous FEA4 gene;
- and
- b. detecting the mutation and wherein the maize plant comprising the mutant FEA4 gene has reduced plant height, increased kernel rows, and altered tassel branching, as compared to a wild type maize plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.