Abstract: Threonine is an essential amino acid for humans and in the animal feed industry where its levels in feed rations can significantly impact the cost of production of important meat sources, such as swine and poultry. Threonine as well as essential amino acids lysine and methionine are all synthesized via the aspartate family pathway. Aspartate kinase (AK) is the first enzyme in the pathway, and catalyzes the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of aspartate to form ?-aspartyl phosphate. AK constitutes the main regulatory step controlling the metabolic flux through the pathway, and is subject to end product inhibition by Lys and/or Thr. The current invention provides a method to produce a transgenic high free threonine soybean via the overexpression of feed-back-resistant AK enzymes in developing soybean plants and seeds. These modifications provide a method to enhance both plant nitrogen metabolism and crop growth performance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a corn plant and seed with enhanced levels of protein and amino acids. The invention also relates to DNA constructs that provide expression in transgenic corn cells of an asparagine synthetase enzyme. The DNA constructs are used in a method to produce transgenic corn plants and seeds and to select for plants and seeds with enhanced levels of protein and amino acids.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of plant genetics and biochemistry. More specifically, the invention relates to genes associated with the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway. The present invention provides and includes nucleic acid molecules, proteins, and antibodies associated with the genes of the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway. The present invention also provides methods for utilizing such agents, for example in gene isolation, gene analysis and the production of transgenic plants. Moreover, the present invention includes transgenic plants modified to express proteins associated with the tocopherol pathway. In addition, the present invention includes methods for the production of products from the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway.