US 11,873,499 B2
Methods of increasing nutrient use efficiency
Xiangdong Fu, Beijing (CN); Shan Li, Beijing (CN); Kun Wu, Beijing (CN); Yonghang Tian, Beijing (CN); and Qian Liu, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to INSTITUTE OF GENETICS AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Beijing (CN)
Appl. No. 16/969,656
Filed by Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (CN)
PCT Filed Feb. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/050376
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 13, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/158911, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 22, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. PCT/CN2018/076831 (WO), filed on Feb. 14, 2018; and application No. PCT/CN2018/087850 (WO), filed on May 22, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0071191 A1, Mar. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. C12N 15/82 (2006.01); C07K 14/415 (2006.01)
CPC C12N 15/8261 (2013.01) [C07K 14/415 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
 
1. A genetically altered plant, part thereof or plant cell, wherein the plant is characterised by an increase in at least one of nitrogen uptake and/or nitrogen assimilation and/or nitrogen use efficiency compared to a control plant, wherein
a) the genetically altered plant, part thereof or plant cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a GRF4 nucleic acid, wherein the GRF4 nucleic acid encodes a GRF polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6; or
b) the genetically altered plant, part thereof or plant cell comprises at least one mutation in a GRF4 promoter operably linked to a gene encoding SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6, wherein the GRF4 promoter comprises SEQ ID NO: 7 or 8; and wherein the mutation is a T to A substitution at position −884 or −878 from the GRF4 start codon ATG of an open reading frame for a polypeptide with SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6; and a C to T substitution at position 847 or −841 from the GRF4 start codon ATG of the open reading frame for the polypeptide with SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6; and a C to T substitution at position-801 or −795 from the GRF4 start codon ATG of the open reading frame for the polypeptide with SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6,
and wherein the control plant does not comprise the nucleic acid construct of a) or the at least one mutation of b).