Alteration of Plant Embryo/Endosperm Size During Seed Development

Abstract

Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments useful for altering embryo/endosperm size during seed development are disclosed along with a method of controlling embryo/endosperm size during development in plants using such recombinant constructs.

1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising:
 (a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide involved in altering embryo/endosperm size during seed development, said polypeptide having at least 80% amino acid sequence identity, based on the Clustal V method of alignment, when compared to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, and 53; or   (b) a nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:25 wherein said sequence comprises at least one of the following modifications:
 (i) nucleotide 271 is a T residue instead of a C; 
 (ii) nucleotide 110 is a T residue instead of a G; or 
 (iii) nucleotide 75 is deleted; or 
   (c) a nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:34 wherein
 (i) nucleotides 4473 through 4829 correspond to a first exon, and 
 ii) nucleotides 5661 through 6110 correspond to a second exon, and
 further wherein the nucleotides of (c) (i) and/or (c)(ii) encode a polypeptide involved in altering embryo/endosperm size during seed development; or 
 
   (d) a nucleic acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:72; or   (e) a full complement of (a), (b), (c), (d), or SEQ ID NO:34; or   (f) all or part of a non-coding or coding region of the isolated polynucleotide comprising sequences of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), or SEQ ID NO:34 for use in co-suppression or antisense suppression of endogenous nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides involved in altering embryo/endosperm size during seed development.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the amino acid sequence identity is at least 85%. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the amino acid sequence identity is at least 90%. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the amino acid sequence identity is at least 95%. 
     
     
         5 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the amino acid sequence identity is 100%. 
     
     
         6 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein the nucleotide sequence corresponds to any of the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, and 72. 
     
     
         7 . A recombinant DNA construct comprising the isolated polynucleotide of any one of  claims 1 - 6  operably linked to at least one regulatory sequence. 
     
     
         8 . A plant comprising in its genome the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . Seeds and progeny thereof obtained from the plant of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . Oil obtained from the seeds of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . The plant of  claim 8  wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, millet, rye, soybean, canola, wheat, barley, oat, beans, and nuts. 
     
     
         12 . Transformed plant tissue or plant cells comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         13 . The transformed plant tissue or plant cells of  claim 12  wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, corm, sorghum, millet, rye, soybean, canola, wheat, barley, oat, beans, and nuts. 
     
     
         14 . A method of altering embryo/endosperm size during seed development in a plant comprising:
 (a) transforming plant cells or plant tissue with the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 7 ;   (b) regenerating transgenic plants from the transformed plant cells or plant tissue of (a);   (c) obtaining seeds and progeny thereof from the transgenic plants of (b) having altered embryo/endosperm size based on a comparison of embryo/endosperm size of seeds obtained from non-transformed plants.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, millet, rye, soybean, canola, wheat, barley, oat, beans, and nuts. 
     
     
         16 . A method of mapping genetic variations related to controlling embryo/endosperm size and/or altering oil phenotype in plants comprising:
 (a) crossing two plant varieties; and   (b) evaluating genetic variations with respect to
 (i) a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:25, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 and 72; or 
 (ii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 29, 31, 33, 37., 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, and 53; 
   
       in progeny plants resulting from the cross of step (a) wherein the evaluation is made using a method selected from the group consisting of RFLP analysis, SNP analysis, and PCR-based analysis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, millet, rye, soybean, canola, wheat, barley, oat, beans, and nuts. 
     
     
         18 . A method of molecular breeding to control embryo/endosperm size and/or altering oil phenotype in plants comprising:
 (a) crossing two plant varieties; and   (b) evaluating genetic variations with respect to
 (i) a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:25, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 and 72; or 
 (ii) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 29, 31, 33, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46; 
   
       in progeny plants resulting from the cross of step (a) wherein the evaluation is made using a method selected from the group consisting of RFLP analysis, SNP analysis, and PCR-based analysis. 
     
     
         19 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, sorghum, millet, rye, soybean, canola, wheat, barley, oat, beans, and nuts.