Sugar and Lipid Metabolism Regulators in Plants III

Abstract

Isolated nucleic acids and proteins associated with lipid and sugar metabolism regulation are provided. In particular, lipid metabolism proteins (LMP) and encoding nucleic acids originating from Arabidopsis thaliana are provided. The nucleic acids and proteins are used in methods of producing transgenic plants and modulating levels of seed storage compounds. Preferably, the seed storage compounds are lipids, fatty acids, starches or seed storage proteins.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a transgenic plant having a modified level of a seed storage compound or seed yield comprising, transforming a plant cell with an expression vector comprising a lipid metabolism protein (LMP) nucleic acid and generating from the plant cell a transgenic plant,
 wherein the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide that functions as a modulator of a seed storage compound or seed yield in the plant, and   wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid sequence comprising   a) the isolated nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   b) an isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   c) a nucleic acid having of least 60 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleic acid of a) or b);   d) an isolated nucleic acid having at least 70% sequence identity with the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   e) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   f) a first nucleic acid that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a second nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid of a) or b); or   g) a nucleic acid complementary to the nucleic acid of a) or b).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid having at least 90% sequence identity with the nucleic acid of a) or b). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid having at least 95% sequence identity with the nucleic acid of a) or b). 
     
     
         4 . A method of modulating a level of a seed storage compound or seed yield in a plant comprising, modifying the expression of a LMP nucleic acid in the plant, wherein the LMP nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid sequence comprising
 a) the isolated nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   b) an isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   c) a nucleic acid having of least 60 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleic acid of a) or b);   d) an isolated nucleic acid having at least 70% sequence identity with the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   e) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   f) a first nucleic acid that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a second nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid of a) or b); or   g) a nucleic acid complementary to the nucleic acid of a) or b).   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plant is transgenic. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plant is not transgenic. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide that contains a dehydrogenase domain. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 or encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14. 
     
     
         9 . A transgenic plant made by the method of  claim 1 , wherein expression of the LMP nucleic acid in the plant results in a modified level of a seed storage compound or seed yield in the plant as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         10 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant. 
     
     
         11 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the plant is a monocotyledonous plant. 
     
     
         12 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the plant is an oil producing species. 
     
     
         13 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed, canola, linseed, soybean, sunflower, maize, oat, rye, barley, wheat, sugarbeet, tagetes, cotton, oil palm, coconut palm, flax, castor and peanut. 
     
     
         14 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the level of the seed storage compound or seed yield is increased. 
     
     
         15 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the seed storage compound is selected from the group consisting of a lipid, a fatty acid, a starch and a seed storage protein. 
     
     
         16 . A seed produced by the transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the plant is true breeding for a modified level of the seed storage compound as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         17 . A seed oil produced by the seed of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         18 . A transgenic plant cell, plant, part thereof, or progeny therefrom comprising an isolated nucleic acid comprising
 a) the isolated nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   b) an isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   c) a nucleic acid having of least 60 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleic acid of a) or b);   d) an isolated nucleic acid having at least 70% sequence identity with the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 13;   e) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14;   f) a first nucleic acid that hybridizes under stringent conditions to a second nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid of a) or b); or   g) a nucleic acid complementary to the nucleic acid of a) or b).   
     
     
         19 . A seed produced by the transgenic plant of  claim 18 , wherein the plant is true breeding for a modified level of the seed storage compound or seed yield as compared to a corresponding wild type variety of the plant. 
     
     
         20 . The transgenic plant or part thereof of  claim 18 , wherein the part thereof comprises a seed.