The invention provides recombinant DNA molecules useful for providing efficient expression of proteins in transgenic plants, as well as compositions and methods for using the recombinant DNA molecules. In particular embodiments, the invention provides recombinant DNA molecules and constructs comprising sequences encoding transit peptides and operably linked sequences conferring herbicide tolerance.

Polypeptides and recombinant DNA molecules useful for conferring tolerance to AOPP herbicides, phenoxy acid herbicides, and pyridinyloxy acid herbicides are provided in the present invention, as well as herbicide tolerant transgenic plants, seeds, cells, and plant parts containing the recombinant DNA molecules, as well as methods of using the same.

Compositions and methods for agrobacterium-mediated chloroplast transgene expression are provided.

The application generally relates to chloroplast targeting of nuclear-encoded proteins of interest in microalgae. Provided herein are expression cassettes comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a chloroplast targeting peptide operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein of interest, wherein said chloroplast targeting peptide comprises the bipartite targeting sequence of the phosphoribulokinase of Nannochloropsis gaditana (NgPRK BTS). The invention further provides vectors comprising the expression cassettes, and microalgae having stably incorporated or transiently expressed into their nuclear genomes an expression cassette described above. Methods are also provided for the production of a protein of interest in the chloroplast of a microalga, as well as methods for modulating chloroplast pathways.

The disclosure relates to modification of a heat resistant cytoplasmic heat stable 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) enzyme by fusing the cytoplasmic 6PGDH enzyme in frame to a plastid-targeting sequence. This modification allows the import of the cytoplasmic 6PGDH enzyme into plastids of a plant cell. Polynucleotides encoding and expressing the modified cytoplasmic 6PGDH enzymes are provided. The disclosure further provides transgenic plants and seeds containing the disclosed polynucleotides and expressing the modified cytoplasmic 6PGDH enzymes during development. The invention further relates to methods for developing a transgenic plant that has increased heat resistance and yield during heat stress.

Compositions for chemical and/or genetic modification of chloroplasts of plants include a functionalized nanoparticle composition linked to a chloroplast-targeting peptide and a functionalized single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) composition complexed with a nucleic acid cassette encoding a plastid-specific ribosomal RNA operon (prrn). Methods for chemically and/or genetically modifying chloroplasts of plants include administering these chloroplast-targeted compositions to the leaves of live plants.

The invention provides specific transgenic cotton plants, plant material and seeds, characterized in that these products harbor a specific herbicide tolerance transformation event at a specific location in the cotton genome. Tools are also provided which allow rapid and unequivocal identification of the event in biological samples.

The application generally relates to chloroplast targeting of nuclear-encoded proteins of interest in microalgae. Provided herein are expression cassettes comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a chloroplast targeting peptide operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein of interest, wherein said chloroplast targeting peptide comprises the bipartite targeting sequence of the phosphoribulokinase of Nannochloropsis gaditana (NgPRK BTS). The invention further provides vectors comprising the expression cassettes, and microalgae having stably incorporated or transiently expressed into their nuclear genomes an expression cassette described above. Methods are also provided for the production of a protein of interest in the chloroplast of a microalga, as well as methods for modulating chloroplast pathways.

Described herein are chimeric polypeptides that include one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Additional aspects of the present disclosure provide genetically altered plants having a chimeric polypeptide including one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Further aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered plants having a stabilized polypeptide including two or more RBMs and one or both of an algal Rubisco-binding membrane protein (RBMP) and a Rubisco small subunit (SSU) protein. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such chimeric polypeptides and plants, as well as cultivating these genetically altered plants.

Antimicrobial OeDef1-, MtDef6-, or OeDef7-type peptides and proteins are disclosed along with compositions comprising the OeDef1-, MtDef6-, or OeDef7-type peptides and proteins and transgenic or genetically edited plants or microorganisms that express the OeDef1-, MtDef6-, or OeDef7-type peptides and proteins to inhibit growth of pathogenic microbes. Such OeDef1-, Mt-Def6-, or OeDef7-type peptides and proteins, compositions, plants, and microorganisms can provide for inhibition of microbial growth.