Abstract: The invention provides for the regulation of opine synthesis and catabolism providing improved nitrogen responsiveness, utilizing opine synthase and oxidase nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation and characterization of a maize gene, RAMOSA3 (RA3), responsible for meristem development and inflorescence development including branching. The gene, gene product, and regulatory regions may be used to manipulate branching, meristem growth, inflorescence development and arrangement, and ultimately to improve yield of plants. The invention includes the gene and protein product as well as the use of the same for temporal and spatial expression in transgenic plants to alter plant morphology and affect yield in plants. The invention also includes the gene and protein product for SISTER OF RAMOSA3 (SRA).

Abstract: A plant comprising a modified Flowering Locus (FT) polynucleotide expressing a modified polypeptide exhibits altered flowering time, floral numbers and/or increased seed production. Different mutant sequences conferring different phenotypes are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to nucleic acid sequences encoding proteins that are associated with abiotic stress responses and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In particular, this invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding proteins that confer drought, heat, cold, and/or salt tolerance to plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of manipulating senescence in plants. The invention also relates to vectors useful in such methods, transformed plants with modified senescence characteristics and plant cells, seeds and other parts of such plants.

Abstract: The present invention describes a novel plant hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase gene, (HSD) that is involved in a variety of physiological processes in higher plants. The novel gene product has a degree of similarity to mammalian ?-11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase genes, known to control the conversion of steroids from active to inactive forms. In plants, the over expression of the HSD gene results in transgenic plants with significantly greater biomass and vigor, increased seed yield, increased tolerance to salt and a suppression of ABA mediated seed dormancy.

Abstract: The present invention provides molecular constructs and methods for use thereof, including constructs including heterologous miRNA recognition sites, constructs for gene suppression including a gene suppression element embedded within an intron flanked on one or on both sides by non-protein-coding sequence, constructs containing engineered miRNA or miRNA precursors, and constructs for suppression of production of mature microRNA in a cell. Also provided are transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing such constructs, and methods for their use. The invention further provides transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing recombinant DNA for the ligand-controlled expression of a target sequence, which may be endogenous or exogenous. Also disclosed are novel miRNAs and miRNA precursors from crop plants including maize and soy.

Abstract: Transcription factor polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs, including expression vectors, have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. Transgenic plants transformed with many of these constructs have been shown to have increased tolerance to an abiotic stress (in some cases, to more than one abiotic stress), increased growth, and/or increased biomass. The abiotic stress may include, for example, salt, hyperosmotic stress, water deficit, heat, cold, drought, and/or low nutrient conditions.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods for using favorable functional allele variants to optimize transgene effects and achieve the maximum potential of transgene efficacy. The present disclosure provides heterozygous allelic combinations of the transgene by stacking alleles from different heterotic pools, methods to increase crop yield by driving genes (maize or other species) by using heterozygous promoter allele combinations that consist of differentially regulatory allelic elements from heterotic pools, methods to increase crop yield utilizing transgenic complementary paired alleles controlling plant growth and yield. Plants, plant progeny, seeds and tissues created by these methods are also described. Polynucleotides encoding the alleles are provided for expression in a plant of interest. Expression cassettes, plants, plant cells, plant parts and seeds comprising the sequences of the disclosure are further provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transgenic plant comprising a gene that confers resistance to oxidative stress in said plant, wherein said gene encodes an enzyme that has anti-oxidant activity or an enzyme that produces an antioxidant compound, and wherein said gene is under the control of a regulated promoter functional during the early ontogeny of said plant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the grain filling of a plant, wherein said method comprises overexpressing in said plant a wheat NADH-dependent glutamate synthase, in order to increase the grain weight and/or the grain protein content.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to new bioenergy crops and methods of creating new bioenergy crops. For example, genes encoding microRNAs (miRNAs) are used to create transgenic crops. In some embodiments, over-expression of miRNA is used to produce transgenic perennials, such as trees, with altered lignin content or composition. In some embodiments, the transgenic perennials are Populus spp. In some embodiments, the miRNA is a member of the miR156 family. In some embodiments, the gene is Zea mays Cg1.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a CLE-type 2 polypeptide or a Bax Inhibitor-1 (BI-1) polypeptide or a SEC22 polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a CLE-type 2 polypeptide or a BI-1 polypeptide or a SEC22 polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits compared with control plants. The invention also provides constructs comprising CLE-type 2-encoding nucleic acids, useful in performing the methods of the invention. The invention also provides novel BI-1-encoding nucleic acids and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Protein Of Interest (POI) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of nucleic acid encoding a POI polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits compared with control plants. The invention also provides novel POI-encoding nucleic acids and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the method of the invention.

Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to plant regulatory polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having advantageous properties compared to a reference plant, including improved abiotic stress tolerance. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods to identify related sequences and is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their corresponding encoded polypeptides. The present invention further relates to the uses of these nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides. For example, the nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides could be used in making enzymes or used to make plants, plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having such modulated growth or phenotype characteristics that are altered with respect to wild type plants grown under similar conditions.

Abstract: Nucleic acids and encoded phosphofructokinases (PFKs) are provided. A method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression of nucleic acids encoding PFKs is provided. Plants with modulated expression of the nucleic acids encoding PFKs have enhanced yield-related traits as compared with control plants.

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: Provided is a crystal of a florigen activation complex, including a florigen, a 14-3-3 protein, and a bZIP transcription factor bound to each other. In addition, flowering of a plant is regulated by controlling mechanisms of interactions among those proteins utilizing the crystal. These are achieved as follows. With attention focused on the fact that Hd3a is bound to FD1 via GF14c to form a florigen activation complex, a crystal of the florigen activation complex is produced, conformational information is obtained through the use of the crystal of the florigen activation complex, and the flowering of a plant is regulated by controlling mechanisms of interactions among the florigen and the like utilizing such conformational information.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Protein Of Interest (POI) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a POI polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits compared with control plants. The invention also provides novel POI-encoding nucleic acids and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Protein of Interest (POI) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a POI polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits as compared with control plants. The invention also provides novel POI-encoding nucleic acids and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and regards various polynucleotides, polypeptides and methods that may be employed to enhance yield in transgenic plants. Specifically the transgenic plants may exhibit any one of the traits consisting of increased yield, increased tolerance to abiotic stress, increased cell growth and increased nutrient use efficiency.

Abstract: Methods and materials for modulating biomass levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding biomass-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased biomass levels and plant products produced from plants having increased biomass levels.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for modulating plant development are provided. Polynucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase polypeptides are provided. The sequences can be used in a variety of methods including modulating root development, modulating floral development, modulating leaf and/or shoot development, modulating seed size and/or weight, modulating tolerance under abiotic stress, and modulating resistance to pathogens. Polynucleotides comprising CKX promoters are also provided. The promoters can be used to regulate expression of a sequence of interest. Transformed plants, plant cells, tissues, and seed are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a rapid and efficient method and assay for monitoring yield enhancement in a plant using a measure of silk number. The plant is transformed with a prospective gene associated with yield enhancement. The transformed plant is grown along with non-transformed control plants until silk growth is apparent. The change in the number of silks in the transformed plant correlated to the change in yield for the plant. Therefore, changes in yield enhancement can be estimated in the transformed plant prior to harvest of mature plant tissues.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing a plant with enhanced or suppressed growth through introduction of a mutated gene and a plant including such a mutated gene. This invention provides a method for producing a plant with enhanced growth or suppressed growth. Such method includes a step of introducing a gene encoding a chimeric myosin protein into a host plant so as to transform the host plant, wherein the chimeric myosin protein comprises: a neck domain, a coiled-coil domain, and a globular tail domain from a myosin protein involved in cytoplasmic streaming of a donor plant; and a motor domain from a myosin protein other than the myosin protein of the host plant, which has sliding velocity that is higher or lower, respectively, than that of the myosin protein involved in cytoplasmic streaming of the donor plant.

Abstract: The invention provides the disclosure of a novel plant/algae/cyanobacteria photosynthesis, biomass production, and productivity pathway involving low carbon dioxide inducible (LCI) proteins. According to the invention, the activity of one or more LCI proteins may be modulated to increase the same under conditions where such proteins are typically repressed. According to the invention, modulation of LCI protein activity was able to increase biomass production by as much as 80% under elevated CO2 conditions. The invention includes methods, and genetically modified plants/algae/cyanobacteria, cells, plant parts and tissues.

Abstract: Methods and materials for modulating (e.g., increasing or decreasing) low light tolerance in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding polypeptides that confer plants with tolerance to low light are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased low light tolerance and plant products produced from plants having increased low light tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing various economically important yield-related traits in plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding an POI (Protein Of Interest) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a POI polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention also provides hitherto unknown POI-encoding nucleic acids, and constructs comprising the same, useful in performing the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a poly(A)-RRM or a Q-rich polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a poly(A)-RRM or a Q-rich polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding an importin or a yield-related polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding an importin or a yield-related polypeptide, which plants have enhanced yield-related traits relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to protein complexes based on AN3-interactors, more specifically interactors that are plant variants subunits of the SWI/SNF complex, and proteins that interact with those subunits, preferably in an AN3 free protein complex. It relates further to the use of the complexes to promote plant growth, and to a method for stimulating the complex formation, by overexpressing at least one, preferably at least two members of a complex.

Abstract: Polynucleotides are disclosed which are capable of enhancing growth, yield under water-limited conditions, and/or increased tolerance to an environmental stress of a plant transformed to contain such polynucleotides. Also provided are methods of using such polynucleotides and transgenic plants and agricultural products, including seeds, containing such polynucleotides as transgenes.

Abstract: Polynucleotides encode polypeptides for increasing the rate of growth of plants. Introduction of the polynucleotides into plants produces plants having altered characteristics, such as increased growth, increased leaf area and reduced fertility. Expression of polypeptides in plants or plant cells promotes cell division. Expression of the polynucleotides in plants in the antisense orientation produces plants that are sterile or have smaller leaves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase in plants or plant parts, preferably in seeds, embryos and/or cotyledons. The methods result in increases in: yield, growth of seedlings, early vigor, and stress tolerance. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.

Abstract: Provided are isolated polynucleotides encoding a polypeptide at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 799, 488-798, 800-813, 4852-5453, 5460, 5461, 5484, 5486-5550, 5553, and 5558-8091; and isolated polynucleotide comprising nucleic acid sequences at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 460, 1-459, 461-487, 814-1598, 1600-1603, 1605-1626, 1632-1642, 1645-4850 or 4851. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs comprising same, isolated polypeptides encoded thereby, transgenic cells and transgenic plants comprising same and methods of using same for increasing yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, abiotic stress tolerance, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant. Also provided are isolated polynucleotides comprising the nucleic acid sequence set forth by SEQ ID NO:8096, wherein the isolated polynucleotide is capable of regulating expression of at least one polynucleotide sequence operably linked thereto.

Abstract: Provided are DNA sequences encoding a novel type of AP2 domain-containing transcription factor as well as methods for obtaining similar sequences. Also described are methods for obtaining plants with improved growth and enhanced stress tolerance, particularly tolerance to osmotic and dehydration stress, such methods comprising expression of such DNA sequences in a plant or parts thereof. Further described are diagnostic compositions comprising the aforementioned DNA sequences and the use of such sequences in plant breeding and/or agriculture.

Abstract: Methods and materials for modulating biomass levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding biomass-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased biomass levels and plant products produced from plants having increased biomass levels.

Abstract: A plant with modified flower morphology is produced by suppressing a function of a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity of plants. More particularly, a plant with modified flower morphology is produced by the steps of obtaining a transformed cell by introducing a chimeric DNA in which a DNA encoding a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity and a functional peptide converting a transcription factor into a transcription repressor are fused; and regenerating a transformed plant from the transformed cell.

Abstract: Five novel plant transcription terminators MYB2, KTI1, PIP1, EF1A2, and MTH1 are isolated from soybean and their functions in the regulation of RNA transcription and processing in plants are described.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated NUE (nitrogen utilization efficiency) nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.

Abstract: Transgenic plants having increased growth rate and increase yield are disclosed, and methods for making the same. In one embodiment, the method comprises: transforming a plant or plant cell with a nucleic acid molecule comprising a plant kinase and/or phosphatase gene selected from NG6, NG21, NG24, NG28, and NG32, and over-expressing said kinase and/or phosphatase gene in the plant or plant cell.

Abstract: The invention provides a wheat cell, part, tissue culture or whole plant comprising at least one disrupted KRP gene of the present invention. The present invention also provides methods of increasing weight, size, and/or number of one or more organs, and/or yield of a wheat plant by utilizing the disrupted KRP genes of the present invention. Furthermore, methods of breeding wheat plants to produce new wheat plants having increased weight, size, and/or number of one or more organs, and/or yield are provided. The present invention provides isolated Kinase Inhibitor Protein (KIP) Related Protein (KRP) polynucleotide sequences and isolated KRP polypeptide sequences and methods of their use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rice (Oryza sativa)-induced Oryza sativa modifier of plant type (OsMPT) protein which is involved in adjusting tillering angle or angle of attachment between a leaf and a stem, a gene encoding the protein, a recombinant plant expression vector including the gene, a plant transformed by the recombinant plant expression vector, a method for modifying architectures of plants by adjusting the level of the gene in the cells thereof, to a method for manufacturing an architecturally modified plant transformed by the gene, to a plant with increased yield which is manufactured by the method, and to a composition containing the gene for modifying the architectures of plants and increasing the yield thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for obtaining plants that exhibit useful traits by transient suppression of the MSH1 gene of the plants. Methods for identifying genetic loci that provide for useful traits in plants and plants produced with those loci are also provided. In addition, plants that exhibit the useful traits, parts of the plants including seeds, and products of the plants are provided as well as methods of using the plants.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for regulating the development of apical bud formation in a plant comprising the step of modulating the expression of PtFD1 or a protein having substantial identity to PtFD1, in the plant. Transgenic poplar trees that either overexpress PtFD1 or that down regulate PtFD1 are also provided. Also provided are methods for identifying the regulatory targets of PtFD1.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transgenic plant on which a useful phenotype is conferred by regulating expression of pseudo-response regulator (PRR) genes with an approach that is different from deletion of PRR genes. According to the present invention, there is provided a transgenic plant into which a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising a CCT motif and a pseudo-receiver domain which is a common motif of plant pseudo-response regulator genes, a fusion polynucleotide of said polynucleotide and a polynucleotide encoding at least one transcription activation domain of a transcription factor, or a recombinant vector comprising said polynucleotide or fusion polynucleotide has been introduced.

Abstract: Methods for modulating plants using optimized ZmME293 down-regulation constructs are disclosed. Also disclosed are nucleotide sequences, constructs, vectors, and modified plant cells, as well as transgenic plants displaying increased seed and/or biomass yield, improved tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought or high plant density, improved nitrogen utilization efficiency, increased ear number and/or reduction in time to scenescence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of transgenic plants with novel phenotypes, especially plants with enhanced drought tolerance. Provided are SHINE proteins and nucleic acid sequences encoding these, which are useful in conferring novel phenotypes to plants.

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.