Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for modifying plant growth characteristics by modifying expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a methionine aminopeptidase (MAP protein) and/or by modifying level and/or activity in a plant of a MAP protein. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having modified growth characteristics, which plants have modified expression of a nucleic acid encoding a MAP protein. Particularly the present invention discloses a method to increase yield of a plant, preferably in a cereal such as rice or corn.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for modifying plant growth and development processes by affecting cell cycle regulation comprising modulating expression of members of the plant E2F transcription factor family. More specific the invention relates to methods for stimulating cell division in a plant. The invention further relates to transgenic plants produced by the methods of the invention having altered plant growth and development characteristics compared to their isogenic counterparts. Preferably, the plant characteristics modified by the present invention include enlarged cotyledons, enhanced growth rate, stress resistance and seedling survival, more cells, more tillers, more panicles.

Abstract: Provided are methods for controlling or altering the growth characteristics of a plant or of an organ or tissue or cell of this plant. This method comprises introduction and/or expression of one or more Growth Regulating Proteins functional in a plant or parts thereof and/or one or more DNA sequences encoding such proteins. Another method comprises contacting a plant or plant tissue with the purified Growth Regulated Protein or the active product derived from it. Provided are also DNA sequences encoding plant Growth Regulating Protein(s) as well as 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.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated nucleic acids molecules, designated ICK nucleic acid molecules, which encode novel plant cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. The invention also provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, gene silencing and recombinant expression vectors containing ICK nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and transgenic plants in which an ICK gene has been introduced or disrupted. The invention still further provides isolated ICK proteins, fusion proteins, antigenic peptides and anti-ICK antibodies. Agricultural, diagnostic, and screening methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to T-DNA vectors and methods for obtaining transgenic eukaryotes using said vectors. The transgenic eukaryotes are characterized in that they contain the T-DNA but not the illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequence. This is achieved by modifying the T-DNA borders such that they are more efficiently nicked or such that they allow elimination of illegitimately transferred vector backbone sequences by means of recombination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new Arabidopsis thaliana nucleotide sequence and polypeptide sequence having a molecular weight of about 10.5 kDa.

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 provides a new Arabidopsis thaliana nucleotide sequence and polypeptide sequence having a molecular weight of about 10.5 kDa.

Abstract: A gelling cell culture medium useful for forming a three dimensional matrix for cell culture in vitro is prepared by copolymerizing an acrylamide derivative with a hydrophilic comonomer to form a reversible (preferably thermally reversible) gelling linear random copolymer in the form of a plurality of linear chains having a plurality of molecular weights greater than or equal to a minimum gelling molecular weight cutoff, mixing the copolymer with an aqueous solvent to form a reversible gelling solution and adding a cell culture medium to the gelling solution to form the gelling cell culture medium. Cells such as chondrocytes or hepatocytes are added to the culture medium to form a seeded culture medium, and temperature of the medium is raised to gel the seeded culture medium and form a three dimensional matrix containing the cells. After propagating the cells in the matrix, the cells may be recovered by lowering the temperature to dissolve the matrix and centrifuging.