Abstract: Acetyl esterase producing bacterial strains or functional mutants thereof and methods of using acetyl esterase producing bacterial strains as forage additives are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for modulating levels of at least one organic sulfur compound in plants are provided. Also provided are plants and seeds produced by the methods. The methods comprise stably transforming a plant with a DNA construct encoding a cystathionine gamma synthase enzyme, a serine acetyl transferase enzyme and/or other sulfur assimilating enzymes capable of altering the level of at least one organic sulfur compound.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated nucleic acids and their encoded polypeptides that are involved in enhancing the essential amino acid content of a plant. The polypeptide may be derived from a protease inhibitor, and more specifically, a chymotrypsin inhibitor. Chymotrypsin inhibitors that may be modified for use in the invention are present in many plant species. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) was initially used to obtain the chymotrypsin inhibitor modified for use in the present invention. Other plant species that may be used as a source for chymotrypsin inhibitor for use in the present invention include Zea Mays, Vicia faba, Cucurbita maxima, Canavalia lineata, Vigna angularis, Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana sylvestris, Sambucus nigra, Momordica charantia, Solanum tuberosum, Lycopersicon peruvianum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Amaranthus caudatus and Arabidopsis thalania. Optionally there is also a decrease in protease inhibitory activity of the polypeptide.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated nucleic acids and their encoded proteins that are involved in starch biosynthesis. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, transgenic plants, and antibody compositions. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering the amount and/or morphology of starch in plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to the genetic manipulation of plants, particularly to the expression of galactomannan biosynthetic genes in transformed plants. Nucleotide sequences for the GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase genes and methods for their use are provided. The sequences find use in the production of gum in plants. A nucleic acid encoding a GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase from maize is taught, as are plants and plant cells transformed with it.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions are nucleotide sequences for seed-preferred promoters isolated from genes for end1 and end2. A method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the disclosed promoter sequences is provided. The method comprises transforming a plant cell to comprise a heterologous nucleotide sequence operably linked to one of the promoters of the invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant from the transformed plant cell.