Nucleotide sequences and corresponding polypeptides conferring improved nitrogen use efficiency characteristics in plants
Methods and materials for modulating low-nitrogen tolerance levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding low nitrogen tolerance-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased low-nitrogen tolerance levels and plant products produced from plants having increased low-nitrogen tolerance levels.
1. A method of producing a plant, said method comprising
growing a plant cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid, said exogenous nucleic acid comprising a regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having 90 percent or greater sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:917, or wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a polynucleotide sequence having 90 percent or greater sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:916;
selecting a plant produced from said plant cell for having an increased level of low-nitrogen tolerance as compared to the corresponding level of low-nitrogen tolerance of a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:917, or wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:916.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a prior step of introducing into a plant cell the exogenous nucleic acid.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:917.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:917, or wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:916.
6. A transgenic plant comprising a plant cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid, said exogenous nucleic acid comprising a regulatory region operably linked to a nucleotide sequence, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having 90 percent or greater sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:917, or wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a polynucleotide sequence having 90 percent or greater sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:916,
wherein the transgenic plant is selected for having an increased level of low-nitrogen tolerance as compared to the corresponding level of low-nitrogen tolerance of a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid.
7. The transgenic plant of claim 6 , wherein said plant is a member of a species selected from the group consisting of Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Sorghum bicolor (sorghum, sudangrass), Miscanthus giganteus (miscanthus), Saccharum sp. (energycane), Poplus balsamifera (poplar), Zea mays (corn), Glycine max (soybean), Brassica napes (canola), Triticum aestivum (wheat), Gossypium hirsutum (cotton), Oryza sativa (rice), Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Medicago saliva (alfalfa), Beta vulgaris (sugarbeet), and Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet).
8. A product comprising plant tissue from the transgenic plant according to claim 7 , wherein the plant tissue has been produced from a plant that has been selected for having an increased level of low-nitrogen tolerance as compared to the corresponding level of low-nitrogen tolerance of a control plant that does not comprise said nucleic acid or a progeny thereof, and wherein the product comprises the exogenous nucleic acid.