Cytokinin Receptor Variants and Their Use

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This invention relates to novel cytokinin receptor protein variants in plants that show reduced binding to the plant hormone cytokinin. By introducing targeted mutations or deletions in specific amino acids of the CHASE domain (the cytokinin-binding region of the receptor), or even deleting the domain, these receptor variants can be expressed in plants through genetic engineering. Plants transformed with these receptor variants exhibit enhanced agronomic traits, such as larger seeds, improved seed filling, faster germination, reduced seed loss, and increased root mass and branching, without undesirable side effects on shoot or reproductive growth.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Generation of crop varieties with larger seeds and increased seed yield for higher agricultural productivity.
• Breeding of drought-tolerant or nutrient-efficient crops through enhanced root systems for improved water and nutrient uptake.
• Production of plants with rapid germination and better early growth, improving crop establishment.
• Development of rootstocks in grafted plants or trees with superior root architecture for use in horticulture and forestry.
• Application in phytoremediation to engineer plants with high root biomass for removing toxins and stabilizing soil.
• Modifying ornamental plants for larger seeds, superior vigor, or custom root traits.
• Controlling wood properties or flowering time in forestry or crop species by altering cytokinin-responsive processes.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Increased crop yield due to larger seeds and improved seed quality.
• Enhanced drought and nutrient stress resistance via a more robust root system.
• Reduced germination time, leading to faster crop establishment and higher uniformity.
• Ability to finely tune plant traits by targeting expression to specific tissues (root, seed, etc.), avoiding negative side effects.
• Broader applicability across a wide range of crops, including both monocots and dicots.
• Potential to improve sustainability and resource efficiency in agriculture through better water and nutrient uptake.
• Opportunities for use in bioremediation and soil stabilization due to increased root biomass.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to cytokinin receptor protein variants exhibiting a reduced binding to cytokinin, to polynucleotides encoding these cytokinin receptor protein variants, to vectors and cells comprising these polynucleotides, and to transgenic plants comprising these polynucleotides, vectors, and cells. The invention further relates to a process for making these transgenic plants and to the use of these transgenic plants for producing seeds of enhanced size, with enhanced seed filling, with reduced seed loss and/or with more rapid germination, and/or a live root system with increased root mass, root length and/or root branching. The invention also relates to a method for enhancing the seed size, seed filling, with reduced seed loss and/or with more rapid germination and/or the root mass, the root length and/or root branching of a plant and to seeds obtainable by the methods of the present invention.