Plants with enhanced size and growth rate

Abstract

Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The polypeptides of the invention regulate transcription in these plants and have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity that results in increased size, biomass, growth rate, and/or yield as compared to a control plant.

1 . An expression vector comprising:
 (i) recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide sharing a percentage of amino acid identity with any of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 198, 202, 210 or 213; or   (ii) a recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide sharing a percentage of amino acid identity with any of SEQ ID NO: 85-126, 199, 203, 211, or 214; wherein
 when the polypeptide is overexpressed in a plant, the polypeptide regulates transcription and confers at least one regulatory activity resulting in an altered trait in the plant as compared to a control plant; 
 wherein the percentage of amino acid identity of (i) is selected from the group consisting of at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 49%, at least 50%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 72%, at least 78%, at least 79%, and at least 86%; or 
 wherein the percentage of amino acid identity of (ii) is selected from the group consisting of at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 78%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 96%, and 100%. 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The expression vector of  claim 1 , wherein the expression vector encodes a polypeptide comprising any of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 198, 202, 210, or 213. 
     
     
         4 . The expression vector of  claim 1 , wherein the expression vector further comprises a constitutive, inducible, or tissue-specific promoter operably lined to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence. 
     
     
         5 . The expression vector of  claim 4 , wherein the tissue-specific promoter regulates transcription in a tissue selected from the group consisting of floral meristem, epidermis, vascular, shoot apical meristem, embryo, endosperm, and fruit. 
     
     
         6 . The expression vector of  claim 1 , wherein the altered trait is selected from the group consisting of greater yield, greater size, greater biomass, and faster growth rate, as compared to the control plant. 
     
     
         7 . A recombinant host cell comprising the expression vector of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A transgenic plant comprising the expression vector of  claim 1 , wherein when a polypeptide encoded by the expression vector is overexpressed in the transgenic plant, the polypeptide confers at least one regulatory activity resulting in an altered trait selected from the group consisting of greater size, greater biomass, and faster growth rate, as compared to the control plant. 
     
     
         9 . The transgenic plant of  claim 8 , wherein the transgenic plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         10 . The transgenic plant of  claim 9 , wherein the transgenic plant is a member of the family Gramineae. 
     
     
         11 . The transgenic plant of  claim 8 , wherein the transgenic plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         12 . The transgenic plant of  claim 11 , wherein the transgenic plant is a tomato plant. 
     
     
         13 . A transgenic seed comprising the expression vector of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for increasing yield of a plant as compared to yield of a control plant, the method comprising:
 (a) providing an expression vector of  claim 1 ; wherein when a polypeptide encoded by the expression vector is overexpressed in a plant, the polypeptide confers at least one regulatory activity resulting in an altered trait selected from the group consisting of greater size, greater biomass, and faster growth rate, as compared to the control plant; and   (b) transforming a target plant with the expression vector to produce a transgenic plant; wherein the transgenic plant produces greater yield than the wild-type plant.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the methods further comprises the step of:
 (c) selecting a transgenic plant that ectopically expresses the polypeptide.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the expression vector further comprises a constitutive, inducible, or tissue-specific promoter operably lined to the recombinant nucleic acid sequence. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tissue-specific promoter regulates transcription in a tissue selected from the group consisting of floral meristem, epidermis, vascular, shoot apical meristem, embryo, endosperm, and fruit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the expression vector encodes a polypeptide comprising any of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 198, 202, 210, or 213. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method steps further comprise selfing or crossing the transgenic plant with itself or another plant, respectively, to produce transgenic seed. 
     
     
         20 . A method for producing a transgenic plant having greater biomass, growth rate or yield as compared to a control plant, the method comprising:
 (a) providing an expression vector of  claim 1 ; wherein when a polypeptide encoded by the expression vector is overexpressed in a plant, the polypeptide confers at least one regulatory activity resulting in an altered trait selected from the group consisting of greater size, greater biomass, and faster growth rate, as compared to the control plant;   (b) transforming a target plant with the expression vector to produce a transgenic plant; and   (c) optionally, selecting the transgenic plant that has greater biomass, growth rate or yield than the wild-type plant.