Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for increasing plant yield by increasing activity in a plant of an Os-MADS18-like polypeptide or a homologue thereof. One such method comprises introducing into a plant an OsMADS18-like nucleic acid or variant thereof. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having introduced therein an OsMADS18-like nucleic acid or variant thereof, which plants have increased yield relative to corresponding wild type plants. The present invention also concerns constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Provided are DNA sequences encoding cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor(s) as well as to methods for obtaining the same. Furthermore, vectors comprising said DNA sequences are described, wherein the DNA sequences are operatively linked to regulatory elements allowing expression in prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic host cells. In addition, proteins encoded by said DNA sequences, antibodies to said proteins and methods for their production are provided. Furthermore, regulatory sequences which naturally regulate the expression of the above described DNA sequences are described. Also described is a method for controlling or altering growth characteristics of a plant and/or a plant cell comprising introduction and/or expression of one or more cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor(s) functional in a plant or parts thereof and/or one or more DNA sequences encoding such proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining polynucleic acids comprising coding sequences and/or genes involved in environmental stress resistance in plants, comprising the preparation of a cDNA library comprising coding sequences from siliques, introducing said coding sequences in yeast cells in a functional format and screening for polynucleic acids leading to an enhanced tolerance or resistance to environmental stress conditions in said transformed yeast cells. The present invention further relates to an isolated polynucleic acid obtainable by such a method as listed in Table 1 as well as recombinant polynucleic acid comprising the same. The present invention further relates to an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleic acid of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of plant molecular biology. In particular, it describes the use of a regulatory nucleic acid sequence of the rice gene GOS2 for the regulation of gene expression in plant cells derived from plants other than monocotyledonous plants. The use of the regulatory sequence of the present invention results in constitutive expression with expression levels similar to that of CaMV 35S. The present invention also relates to vectors and host cells comprising these nucleic acid sequences. The invention further relates to transgenic cells and plants comprising these sequences and to methods for obtaining such cells and plants.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for increasing plant yield, particularly seed yield, comprising introducing into a plant a nucleic acid encoding a CDKD or a functional variant thereof. The invention also provides transgenic plants produced by the methods of the invention and provides constructs useful in methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for improving the yield of plants by introducing into a plant a nucleic acid encoding a cyclin D3 protein under the control of a promoter capable of preferentially expressing the nucleic acid in shoots. The invention also relates to transgenic plants comprising a nucleic acid encoding a cyclin D3 protein under the control of a promoter capable of preferentially expressing the nucleic acid in shoots, which plants have improved yield relative to corresponding wild type plants. The invention also concerns constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for modifying the growth characteristics of plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a GRUBX protein and/or modulating activity and/or levels in a plant of a GRUBX protein. The present invention furthermore provides novel GRUBX proteins and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The invention also relates to constructs comprising GRUBX encoding nucleic acids, and transgenic plants having modified growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a GRUBX protein.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics, comprising increasing, in a monocotyledonous plant, expression of a nucleic acid encoding an NHX protein and/or increasing activity of an NHX protein, wherein said plant is grown under non-salt stress conditions.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics by increasing expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a CCS52 protein and/or by increasing level and/or activity in a plant of a CCS52 protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, such as increased plant size, increased organ size or increased number of organs, which plants have increased expression of a nucleic acid encoding a CCS52 protein.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for modifying the growth characteristics of plants by modifying expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a 2xC2H2 zinc finger protein and/or modifying level and/or activity in a plant of a 2xC2H2 zinc finger protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having modified growth characteristics, which plants have modified expression of a nucleic acid encoding a 2xC2H2 zinc finger protein. For example yield of crop plants are improved by the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to at least partially purified protein, capable of modulating the DNA replication in plants, muteins thereof, DNA coding therefor and to a method to confer to one or more plant cells the capacity to provide such a protein or mutein. The invention also relates to plants, comprising the said DNA and the progeny thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing expression of a transgene using the 5? untranslated region (5?UTR) of a GOS2 gene, or part of such 5?UTR, comprising the first intron. The 5?UTR is integrated in or at the 5? end of a nucleic acid of interest and is combined with a plant expressible promoter. The nucleic acid provided may be used in methods for modifying growth characteristics of transgenic plants relative to corresponding wild type plants.

Abstract: The invention provides a method that allows the construction of a chimeric and/or modified and/or reconstructed DNA molecule from two DNA fragments in a defined order and orientation, and to clone the molecule one step in a suitable vector using site specific recombination. No initial step of classical cloning via restriction enzymes is needed, in contrast to the classical recombination systems. This method allows the reliability of the recombination method for cloning with the flexibility of PCR to introduce modifications in the insert sequence. Moreover, this method allows the construction of chimerical DNA molecules associating two different elements, such as promoter-gene association or fusion proteins.

Abstract: Provided are DNA sequences encoding cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor(s) as well as to methods for obtaining the same. Furthermore, vectors comprising said DNA sequences are described, wherein the DNA sequences are operatively linked to regulatory elements allowing expression in prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic host cells. In addition, proteins encoded by said DNA sequences, antibodies to said proteins and methods for their production are provided. Furthermore, regulatory sequences which naturally regulate the expression of the above described DNA sequences are described. Also described is a method for controlling or altering growth characteristics of a plant and/or a plant cell comprising introduction and/or expression of one or more cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor(s) functional in a plant or parts thereof and/or one or more DNA sequences encoding such proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining polynucleic acids comprising coding sequences and/or genes involved in environmental stress resistance in plants, comprising the preparation of a cDNA library comprising coding sequences from siliques, introducing said coding sequences in yeast cells in a functional format and screening for polynucleic acids leading to an enhanced tolerance or resistance to environmental stress conditions in said transformed yeast cells. The present invention further relates to an isolated polynucleic acid obtainable by such a method as listed in Table 1 as well as recombinant polynucleic acid comprising the same. The present invention further relates to an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleic acid of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to at least partially purified protein, capable of modulating the DNA replication in plants, muteins thereof, DNA coding therefor and to a method to confer to one or more plant cells the capacity to provide such a protein or mutein. The invention also relates to plants, comprising the said DNA and the progeny thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new Arabidopsis thaliana nucleotide sequence and polypeptide sequence having a molecular weight of about 10.5 kDa. Modulation of the expression of the polypeptides encoded by the nucleotide sequences according to the invention has an advantageous influence on plant cell division characteristics especially on the endoreduplication whereby plant cell size and storage capacity of plant cells is influenced.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for controlling plant cell growth comprising modulating the level and or catalytic activity of a cell cycle control protein in a plant cell for a time and under conditions sufficient to control cell division. Preferably, the cell cycle control protein is p34.sup.cdc2 or p34.sup.cdc2 -like molecule having a cyclin related kinase function and the plant is a monocotyledonous plant or dicotyledonous plant. The present invention is also directed to other cell cycle control proteins, so termed since they function similarly to p34.sup.cdc2 or control p34.sup.cdc2 activity. Such proteins include p13.sup.suc1, cyclin, cdc25, and the products of nim1, wee1 and mik-1 or combinations thereof, separately, or together with p34.sup.cdc2.