The present invention relates to a method for increasing the expression and/or promoting correct folding of a heterologous polypeptide of interest in a plant cell, comprising co-expressing the heterologous polypeptide of interest with a polypeptide encoding a mammalian chaperone protein. The invention also relates to plant cells and plants, which either transiently or stably, co-express the heterologous polypeptide of interest and the chaperone protein.

The disclosure provides novel corn, tomato, and soybean U6, U3, U2, U5, and 7SL snRNA promoters which are useful for CRISPR/Cas-mediated targeted gene modifications in plants. The disclosure also provides methods for use for U6, U3, U2, U5, and 7SL promoters in driving expression of sgRNA polynucleotides which function in a CRISPR/Cas system of targeted gene modification in plants. The disclosure also provides methods of genome modification by insertion of blunt-end DNA fragments at a site of genomic cleavage.

The present disclosure relates to the targeting of transcriptional activators to specific loci in plants to activate transcription of the targeted loci. Specifically, the present disclosure provides methods and compositions for using guided (e.g. RNA-guided) transcriptional activators to activate transcription of specific loci in plants.

Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic, saprophytic fungus that infects maize and other fatty acid-rich food and feed crops and produces toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites known as aflatoxins. In vitro studies showed a five-fold increase in antifungal activity of AGM182 (vs. tachyplesin1) against A. flavus. Transgenic maize plants expressing AGM182 under maize Ubiquitin-1 promoter were produced through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. PCR products confirmed integration of the AGM182 gene, while RT-PCR of maize RNA confirmed the presence of AGM182 transcripts. Maize kernel screening assay using a highly aflatoxigenic A. flavus strain (AF70) showed up to 72% reduction in fungal growth in the transgenic AGM182 seeds compared to isogenic negative control seeds.

Recombinant DNA molecules and constructs including sequences derived from Tripsacum dactyloides are provided, which are useful for modulating gene expression in plants. Transgenic plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds are also provided, comprising a recombinant DNA molecule operably linked to a heterologous transcribable DNA molecule, as well as methods of their use.

Method of increasing protein content in a eukaryotic cell comprising an NF-YC4 gene comprising modifying the transcriptional repressor binding site; method of producing a plant with increased protein content comprising crossing and selecting for increased protein content; method of increasing resistance to a pathogen or a pest in a plant cell or plant comprising an NF-YC4 gene comprising modifying the transcriptional repressor binding site, alone or in further combination with expressing QQS in the plant cell or plant; method for producing a plant with increased resistance to a pathogen or a pest comprising crossing and selecting for increased resistance to the pathogen or the pest; a cell, collection of cells, tissue, organ, or organism, such as a plant, in which the NF-YC4 gene comprises a promoter comprising a transcriptional repressor binding site that has been modified so that the transcriptional repressor cannot prevent transcription of the NF-YC4; plants and hybrids thereof; and seeds.

A method for increasing the efficiency of homologous recombination-based gene editing in a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention includes optimizing temperature and photoperiod conditions during tissue culture of plant cells, expressing factors required for homology-directed DNA repair (HDR) and factors for increasing the HDR efficiency by using a multiple replicon, or regulating the HDR pathway or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway.

A method to prevent, inhibit or treat soft rot in a vegetable, fruit or ornamental plant is provided, as well as compositions comprising one or more isolated quorum quenching lactonases.

The invention provides recombinant DNA molecules and constructs, as well as their nucleotide sequences, useful for modulating gene expression in plants. The invention also provides transgenic plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds comprising the recombinant DNA molecules operably linked to heterologous transcribable DNA molecules, as are methods of their use.

Compositions and methods are provided for the introduction and the regulated expression of genes in plants. Compositions include promoter constructs that provide a level of activity useful for the regulated expression of site-specific recombinases, while avoiding premature excision. Further provided are isolated polynucleotides encoding novel babyboom polypeptides, expression cassettes, and plants comprising the same. Methods for the introduction of genes into plants are provided, including methods for plastid transformation and methods for the transformation of tissues from mature seeds and leaves.