Methods for increasing plant growth and yield by using an ictb sequence

Abstract

Compositions and methods for increasing plant growth for higher crop yield are provided. The methods involve the expression of at least one ictB coding sequence in a C4 plant of interest. Further provided are methods for expressing at least one ictB coding sequence and increasing the expression of at least one additional coding sequence of interest selected from CO 2 assimilating sequences, such as those sequences involved in the Calvin Benson cycle, starch synthesis pathway, and C4 carbon shuttle in the plant. C4 plants expressing an ictB sequence are encompassed by the invention. Additionally, plants expressing an ictB sequence and those plants showing increased expression of a sequence of interest are encompassed by the invention. The expression of ictB in the C4 plant and the co-expression of ictB with this additional gene or genes results in yield gains.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for increasing crop yield comprising transforming a plant that utilizes C4 photosynthesis with at least one ictB coding sequence. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ictB coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 544. 
     
     
         3 . A plant having stably incorporated into its genome a construct comprising a promoter that drives expression in a plant operably linked to an ictB coding sequence, wherein said plant utilizes C4 photosynthesis. 
     
     
         4 . The plant of  claim 3 , wherein said ictB coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group of SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 544. 
     
     
         5 . Seed of any one of the plants of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The plant of  claim 3  wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         7 . The plant of  claim 6  wherein said plant is from the genus  Zea.    
     
     
         8 . The plant of  claim 3  wherein said plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ictB coding sequence is selected from the group of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 542, 543, and 580. 
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 3 , wherein said ictB coding sequence is selected from the group of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 542, 543, and 580. 
     
     
         11 . A method for increasing crop yield comprising transforming a plant with an ictB coding sequence and increasing the expression of at least one additional coding sequence involved in CO 2  assimilation, and wherein said additional coding sequence is at least one of SBPase, FBPase, and FBP aldolase. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said ictB coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 536, 544, 546, and 548. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 23, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, and 178. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 15, 25, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, and 200. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, and 221. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 17, 26, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, and 250. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 27, 28, 29, 30, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, and 358. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 31, 32, 33, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, and 390. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 21, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, and, 488. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said additional coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 22, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, and 535. 
     
     
         21 . A plant having stably incorporated into its genome a construct comprising a promoter that drives expression in a plant operably linked to an ictB coding sequence, wherein said plant has increased expression of at least one CO 2  assimilating coding sequence wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence is at least one of SBPase, FBPase, and FBP aldolase. 
     
     
         22 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said ictB coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 536, 544, 546, and 548. 
     
     
         23 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 23, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, and 178. 
     
     
         24 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 15, 25, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, and 200. 
     
     
         25 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, and 221. 
     
     
         26 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 17, 26, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, and 250. 
     
     
         27 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 27, 28, 29, 30, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, and 358. 
     
     
         28 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 31, 32, 33, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, and 390. 
     
     
         29 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 21, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, and, 488. 
     
     
         30 . The plant of  claim 21 , wherein said CO 2  assimilating coding sequence encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 22, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, and 535. 
     
     
         31 . Transformed seed of any one of the plants of  claims 21 - 30 . 
     
     
         32 . The transformed plant of any one of  claims 21 - 30  wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         33 . The transformed plant of any one of  claims 21 - 30  wherein said plant is a dicot.