Abstract: The disclosure relates to a specific yeast allele of KIN3 that is involved in maximal alcohol accumulation and/or in tolerance to high alcohol levels. Preferably, the alcohol is ethanol. In a preferred embodiment, this specific allele is combined with specific alleles of ADE1 and/or VPS70. More specifically, the disclosure relates to the use of these alleles for the construction and/or selection of high alcohol tolerant yeasts, by stacking of positive alleles, or the selection and construction of low alcohol producing yeasts by stacking of negative alleles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant microorganisms comprising an isobutanol producing metabolic pathway and methods of using said recombinant microorganisms to produce isobutanol. In various aspects of the invention, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise one or more modifications resulting in the reduction in the expression and/or activity of an endogenous transporter protein. In various embodiments described herein, the recombinant microorganisms may be microorganisms of the Saccharomyces clade, Crabtree-negative yeast microorganisms, Crabtree-positive yeast microorganisms, post-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, pre-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, and non-fermenting yeast microorganisms.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for identifying genes that are important determinators of thermotolerance in yeast. The disclosure relates further to genes, identified with the method, especially specific alleles of PRP42 and the use of such alleles to increase thermotolerance. It relates further to recombinant strains transformed with such alleles.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the use of a mutant SSK1 gene encoding a truncated ssk1 protein for the construction of a mutant yeast strain with decreased glycerol production, when compared to the wild-type strain. It relates further to the use of such strains for high-yield bioethanol production, especially in high osmotic media, or on cellulosic hydrolysates, where normal yeast strains do produce a significant amount of glycerol.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the identification of a QTL associated with high ethanol tolerance in Saccharomyces spp. More specifically, it relates to specific alleles of MKT1 and APJ1 possibly combined with a specific allele of SWS2 that are important in obtaining a high ethanol tolerance in Saccharomyces spp. It relates further to the use of such alleles in the construction of high ethanol tolerant strains, and the use of these alleles in screening for ethanol tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase to modulate plant growth. More specifically, it relates to the use of a class II trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, comprising both a synthase and a phosphatase-like part to modulate plant growth. Preferably, the activity of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase is down-regulated to obtain an increased plant biomass yield.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase to modulate plant growth. More specifically, it relates to the use of a class II trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, comprising both a synthase and a phosphatase-like part to modulate plant growth. Preferably, the activity of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase is down-regulated to obtain an increased plant biomass yield.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants, particularly increasing seed yield, by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Class III Trehalose Phosphate Phosphatase (TPP) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a Class III TPP polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention further concerns novel Class III TPP nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences. The invention also provides nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences, and constructs comprising the same, which are useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a eukaryotic organism, for example selected from plants, animals and fungi, showing constitutive, inducible and/or organ specific expression of a specifically modified TPS gene, which comprises the steps of providing a TPS gene; designing a suitable modification to the TPS gene by aligning the gene with the corresponding gene of yeast and establishing which part of the gene extends beyond the 5? terminus of the yeast gene; deleting or inactivating a part of the N-terminal region of the TPS gene extending beyond the 5? terminus of the yeast gene, in order to achieve an increased trehalose-6-phosphate synthase activity; cloning the thus modified gene into an expression vector under the control of a constitutive, inducible and/or organ-specific promoter; transforming a plant cell or tissue with the thus obtained expression vector; and regenerating a complete plant from the transformed plant cell or tissue.

Abstract: A method for genetic mapping in eukaryotic organisms is described, comprising: multiple artificial DNA oligonucleotides being introduced in neutral positions into the genome of a single strain of the organism to create an artificially marked strain. This strain contains many specific markers, either composed solely of the inserted oligonucleotides or composed of inserted oligonucleotide(s) and part of the adjacent DNA sequence. The artificially marked strain is crossed with another strain displaying one or more distinct traits. The DNA of segregants from the cross displaying a specific trait is pooled and the presence of the artificial markers in the pooled DNA is detected. The genetic map position of all genes involved in establishing the trait is indicated by a drop in signal intensity for the artificial markers located closest to these genes. The method allows the use of isogenic strains for genetic mapping.

Abstract: The invention relates to new eukaryotic strains, preferably yeast strains, having the new fil phenotype, i.e. having the unexpected property of conserving good stress resistance in fermentation and/or growth phase, while conserving normal respiratory and fermentation metabolism on fermentable sugars such as glucose.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of proteins facilitating water diffusion or water transport through the cell membrane, preferably aquaporin or aquaporin related proteins to obtain freeze-tolerant eukaryotic cells, preferably yeast cells or plant cells. It relates further to a method for obtaining such cells, and to freeze-tolerant cells, characterized by an enhanced expression level of proteins facilitating water diffusion or water transport through the cell membrane.

Abstract: Transgenic plants or transgenic plant cells having increased stress resistance under environmental or artificial stress conditions are produced by a method comprising the steps of: a) transforming part of a plant or part of a plant cell population with a nucleotide sequence comprising (i) a first nucleotide sequence coding for a eukaryotic environmental or artificial stress resistance protein, or an allele or a homologue thereof, or a catalytically active part of the said protein, the said sequence being operably linked to a promoter, and (ii) one or more restriction sites comprising a second nucleotide sequence, b) applying environmental or artificial stress conditions to the transformed plant or plant cell population obtained in step (a), or its progeny, and c) selecting, from the transformed plant or plant cell population placed under the environmental or artificial stress conditions of step (b), that part of the transformed plant or plant cell population which exhibits an increased stress resistance under