Methods and compositions for increasing invertase activity in plants

• US 10,428,338 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Fillatti, Joanne J., Froman, Byron, Mroczka, Andrew, Peel, Gregory John
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Jason Deveau
• Application Number:
  US15/922,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20180282743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/60 Isolated nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8218 Antisense, co-suppression, viral induced gene silencing [VIGS], post-transcriptional induced gene silencing [PTGS]
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8245 involving modified carbohydrate or sugar alcohol metabolism, e.g. starch biosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8266 Abscission; Dehiscence; Senescence
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8295 Cytokinins
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2431 Beta-fructofuranosidase (3.2.1.26), i.e. invertase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01026 Beta-fructofuranosidase (3.2.1.26), i.e. invertase

Abstract

The present invention provides novel compositions for use to enhance crop performance. Specifically, the present invention provides for increased invertase activity, increased sugar content and/or delayed senescence plants. The present invention also provides for combinations of compositions and methods that increase invertase activity, increase sugar content and/or delay senescence in plants.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

(i) a polynucleotide molecule that comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to a plant INVINH1 gene or transcript of said plant gene, wherein said polynucleotide molecule is not operably linked to a promoter or to a viral vector; and

, (ii) a transfer agent comprising an organosilicone preparation that conditions a surface of a plant to permeation by the polynucleotide molecule into cells of the plant.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

12-64, and 65, or wherein said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to SEQ ID NOs;

1-11.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide molecule is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecule.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein;

(a) said plant is a Capsicum plant, said gene or said transcript is a INVINH1 gene or transcript, and said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

12 and 13, or said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to SEQ ID NO;

1;

(b) said plant is a Glycine plant, said gene or said transcript is a INVINH1 gene or transcript, and said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

14-33 and 34, or said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

2-4 and 5;

(c) said plant is a Nicotiana plant, said gene or said transcript is a INVINH1 gene or transcript, and said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

35-39 and 40, or said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

6-7 and 8;

(d) said plant is a Solanum plant, said gene or said transcript is a INVINH1 gene or transcript, and said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs;

41-50 and 65, or said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

9 and 10;

(e) said plant is a Vitis plant, said gene or said transcript is a INVINH1 gene or transcript, and said polynucleotide molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

51 and 52, or said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to SEQ ID NO;

11;

or

(f) said plant is a Capsicum plant or a Nicothiana plant and said polynucleotide molecule comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to the group consisting of SEQ ID NO;

53-63 and 64.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition comprises a combination of two or more of said polynucleotide molecules.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises one or more additional polynucleotide molecules that are identical or complementary to a different target gene or transcript thereof.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein said polynucleotide molecule is at least 18 to about 24, about 25 to about 50, about 51 to about 100, about 101 to about 300, about 301 to about 500, or at least about 500 or more residues in length.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises a non-polynucleotide herbicidal molecule, a polynucleotide herbicidal molecule, a polynucleotide that suppresses an herbicide target gene, an insecticide, a fungicide, a nematocide, or a combination thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises a non-polynucleotide herbicidal molecule.

10. A method for topically applying to a plant surface the composition of claim 1, the method comprising spraying the composition onto the surface of a plant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the composition is sprayed onto the surface of a plant with a boom that extends over a crop, a boomless sprayer, an agricultural sprayer, a crop dusting airplane, a pressurized backpack sprayer, a track sprayer, or a laboratory sprayer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the agricultural sprayer is adapted for directional, broadcast, or banded spraying.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plant surface is the surface of one or more plant parts selected from the group consisting of a leaf, flower, stem, tassel, meristem, pollen, and ovule.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plant surface is the underside of a leaf.

15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the plant INVINH1 gene is a tomato INVINH1 gene.

16. The composition of claim 15, wherein said dsRNA polynucleotide comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to SEQ ID NO:

9.

17. The composition of claim 16, wherein one strand of said dsRNA polynucleotide molecule is complementary to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

41, 42, and 65.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the plant INVINH1 gene is a tomato INVINH1gene.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said dsRNA polynucleotide comprises at least 18 contiguous nucleotides that are identical or complementary to SEQ ID NO:

9.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein one strand of said dsRNA polynucleotide molecule is complementary to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

41, 42, and 65.