4587

Inhibition of two potato genes can be used to produce plants with greater tuber yields without affecting plant growth.

Researchers from Iowa State University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research have jointly demonstrated increased tuber yields in potato by inhibiting the potato genes StBEL11 and StBEL29.
Potato BEL1-like genes encode transcription factors that work in tandem with KNOTTED1-types to regulate the expression of many genes. Potato StBEL5 functions as a long-distance mRNA signal that is transcribed in leaves and moves into roots and stolons to stimulate growth. StBEL11 and StBEL29 are most closely related to StBEL5, and like StBel5 function as mobile RNAs.  However, over-expression of StBEL11 and StBEL29 produces plants with suppressed tuberization, in contrast to StBel5 which enhances tuberization. RNA suppression lines of StBEL11 and StBEL29 exhibit enhanced overall tuber yield with no effect on shoot growth. Thus, RNA suppression of StBEL11 and StBEL29 can be used to produce plants with greater overall tuber yields without affecting overall plant growth.

• Increased yield.

• Demonstrated inhibition using RNA suppresion

• Potential for inhibition by gene editing

• RNAi technology already in use commercially for potatoes

Potato Crop Improvement

1. The Mobile RNAs, StBEL11 and StBEL29, Suppress Growth of Tubers in Potato.  Plant Mol Biol. 2017 Apr;93(6):563-578. doi: 10.1007/s11103-016-0582-4. Epub 2017 Jan 13.  Ghate TH,  Sharma P,  Kondhare KR,  Hannapel DJ and Banerjee AK.

2. Review: Multiple Mobile mRNAs Signals Regulate Tuber Development in Potato Plants (Basel). 2017 Feb 10;6(1). pii: E8. doi: 10.3390/plants6010008. David H. Hannapel and Anjan K. Banerjee

Patent(s) applied for