Author: claimsbot

1. A method for stabilizing connective tissue in a living subject, the method comprising applying an effective amount of a composition directly to the connective tissue in vivo to stabilize the tissue, wherein the composition has a pH between about 4 and about 9, the connective tissue comprises elastin and the composition comprises a compound that interacts with the elastin in the connective tissue to stabilize the connective tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the connective tissue is within a blood vessel.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is a phenolic compound.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound has a hydrophobic region and a plurality of functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is a flavonoid or a flavonoid derivative, a flavolignan or a flavolignan derivative, a phenolic rhizome or a phenolic rhizome derivative, a flavan-3-ol or a flavan-3-ol derivative, a tannin or a tannin derivative, an ellagic acid or an ellagic acid derivative, a procyanidin or a procyanidin derivative, a combination thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is anthocyanins, quercetin, (+)-catechin, (\u2212)-epicatechin, tannic acid, pentagalloylglucose, nobotanin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallotannins, a combination thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is an extract of olive oil, cocoa bean, Camellia, licorice, sea whip, aloe vera, chamomile, a derivative thereof or a combination thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises a delivery vehicle.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises glutaraldehyde.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises gallic acid scavenger, a lipid lowering medication, an anti-bacterial agent, or an anti-fungal agent.
11. A composition for stabilizing elastin containing connective tissue in a living subject comprising a compound and a delivery vehicle wherein the compound is at an effective concentration and interacts with elastin in the connective tissue in vivo to stabilize the connective tissue and the composition has a pH between about 4 and about 9.
12. The composition of claim 11 wherein the connective tissue is within a blood vessel.
13. The composition of claim 11 wherein the compound is a phenolic compound.
14. The composition of claim 11 wherein the compound has a hydrophobic region and a plurality of functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding.
15. The composition of claim 11 wherein the compound is a flavonoid or a flavonoid derivative, a flavolignan or a flavolignan derivative, a phenolic rhizome or a phenolic rhizome derivative, a flavan-3-ol or a flavan-3-ol derivative, a tannin or a tannin derivative, an ellagic acid or an ellagic acid derivative, a procyanidin or a procyanidin derivative, a combination thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
16. The composition of claim 11 wherein the compound is anthocyanins, quercetin, (+)-catechin, (\u2212)-epicatechin, tannic acid, pentagalloylglucose, nobotanin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallotannins, a combination thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
17. The composition of claim 11 wherein the compound is an extract of olive oil, cocoa bean, Camellia, licorice, sea whip, aloe vera, chamomile, a derivative thereof or a combination thereof.
18. The composition of claim 11 further comprises glutaraldehyde.
19. The composition of claim 11 further comprises a gallic acid scavenger, a lipid lowering medication, an anti-bacterial agent, or an anti-fungal agent.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for:
increasing the water use efficiency of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
increasing the rate of growth or biomass production in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
enhancing the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, plant part or a plant;
down-regulating or decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
decreasing the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, plant part or a plant; or
increasing the drought tolerance of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant; or
decreasing the heat resistance or tolerance (e.g., under conditions of drought or increased atmospheric carbon dioxide) of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
comprising:
(a) in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant, increasing the expression andor activity of:
(1) a serine endopeptidase, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, or a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, which is capable of cleaving or cleaves an EPF2 protein (Epidermal patterning factor 2) in a manner such that it facilitates EPF2 binding to an ERECTA receptor,
(2) a serine endopeptidase, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, or a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, gene, cDNA or mRNA (message) encoding a polypeptide with a serine endopeptidase, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, or a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein activity, or
(3) a combination of (1) and (2);

(b) the method of (a), wherein the increasing of expression andor activity of the serine endopeptidase, apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, ATSBT5.2-like protein, or subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, is by:
(1) providing a heterologous serine endopeptidase, apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase expressing nucleic acid, wherein optionally the nucleic acid is a gene, cDNA or message, and expressing the gene, cDNA, message andor protein in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
(2) increasing of expression andor activity of a homologous serine endopeptidase-expressing, ATSBT5.2-expressing, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing, or endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid, wherein optionally the nucleic acid is a gene, cDNA or message; or,
(3) a combination of (1) and (2);

thereby:
increasing the water use efficiency of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
increasing the rate of growth or biomass production in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
enhancing the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
down-regulating or decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
decreasing the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
increasing the drought tolerance of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant; or
decreasing the heat resistance or tolerance of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant,
wherein optionally the plant is, or the guard cell, plant cell, plant part or plant organ, is isolated andor derived from: (i) a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous plant; (ii) wheat, oat, rye, barley, rice, sorghum, maize (corn), tobacco, a legume, a lupins, potato, sugar beet, pea, bean, soybean (soy), a cruciferous plant, a cauliflower, rape (or rapa or canola), cane (sugarcane), flax, cotton, palm, sugar beet, peanut, a tree, a poplar, a lupin, a silk cotton tree, desert willow, creosote bush, winterfat, balsa, ramie, kenaf, hemp, roselle, jute, or sisal abaca; or, (c) a species from the genera Anacardium, Arachis, Asparagus, Atropa, Avena, Brassica, Citrus, Citrullus, Capsicum, Carthamus, Cocos, Coffea, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Daucus, Elaeis, Fragaria, Glycine, Gossypium, Helianthus, Heterocallis, Hordeum, Hyoscyamus, Lactuca, Linum, Lolium, Lupinus, Lycopersicon, Malus, Maniotahot, Majorana, Medicago, Nicotiana, Olea, Oryza, Panieum, Pannisetum, Persea, Phaseolus, Pistachia, Pisum, Pyrus, Prunus, Raphanus, Ricinus, Secale, Senecio, Sinapis, Solanum, Sorghum, Theobromus, Trigonella, Triticum, Vicia, Vitis, Vigna or Zea.
2. A method for:
up-regulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
decreasing the water use efficiency of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
decreasing or desensitizing the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
upregulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
increasing the uptake of CO2 in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant;
decreasing drought tolerance in a guard cell, a root cell, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, a plant leaf, a plant organ, a plant part or a plant; or
increasing the heat resistance or tolerance (e.g., under conditions of drought or increased atmospheric carbon dioxide);
comprising:
(a) in a cell of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant, decreasing the expression andor activity of:
(1) a nucleic acid expressing a serine endopeptidase, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, or a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, which is capable of cleaving or cleaves EPF2 protein (Epidermal patterning factor 2) in a manner such that it facilitates EPF2 binding to an ERECTA receptor; or
(2) a serine endopeptidase, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase like protein, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase or an endopeptidase, or
a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, gene, cDNA or mRNA (message) encoding a polypeptide with a serine endopeptidase, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase or an endopeptidase activity;

(b) the method of (a), wherein the decreasing of expression andor activity of the serine endopeptidase, apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase-like protein, ATSBT5.2-like protein or endopeptidase, is by:
(1) providing a heterologous antisense, iRNA, miRNA or artificial microRNA (miRNA) inhibitory to: a serine endopeptidase-encoding, an ATSBT5.2-like protein-encoding, an apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase-like protein-encoding, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-encoding or endopeptidase-encoding nucleic acid, or to decrease or abrogate the expression or activity of a gene, cDNA or mRNA, or any nucleic acid or compound inhibitory to the expression of the serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase; and, expressing the inhibitory nucleic acid or compound, or the heterologous antisense, iRNA, miRNA or artificial microRNA (miRNA), in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
(2) decreasing of expression andor activity of a homologous serine endopeptidase-encoding, ATSBT5.2-like protein-encoding, apoplastic subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase-like protein-encoding, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-encoding or endopeptidase-encoding nucleic acid, wherein optionally the nucleic acid is a gene, cDNA or mRNA; or,
(3) a combination of (1) and (2);

thereby:
up-regulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
decreasing the water use efficiency of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
increasing the rate of growth or biomass production in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
decreasing or desensitizing the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
up-regulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in the guard cell of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
increasing the uptake of CO2 in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
decreasing the drought tolerance of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant; or
increasing the heat resistance or tolerance of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant,
wherein optionally the plant is, or the guard cell, plant cell, plant part or plant organ, is isolated andor derived from: (i) a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous plant; (ii) wheat, oat, rye, barley, rice, sorghum, maize (corn), tobacco, a legume, a lupins, potato, sugar beet, pea, bean, soybean (soy), a cruciferous plant, a cauliflower, rape (or rapa or canola), cane (sugarcane), flax, cotton, palm, sugar beet, peanut, a tree, a poplar, a lupin, a silk cotton tree, desert willow, creosote bush, winterfat, balsa, ramie, kenaf, hemp, roselle, jute, or sisal abaca; or, (c) a species from the genera Anacardium, Arachis, Asparagus, Atropa, Avena, Brassica, Citrus, Citrullus, Capsicum, Carthamus, Cocos, Coffea, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Daucus, Elaeis, Fragaria, Glycine, Gossypium, Helianthus, Heterocallis, Hordeum, Hyoscyamus, Lactuca, Linum, Lolium, Lupinus, Lycopersicon, Malus, Maniotahot, Majorana, Medicago, Nicotiana, Olea, Oryza, Panieum, Pannisetum, Persea, Phaseolus, Pistachia, Pisum, Pyrus, Prunus, Raphanus, Ricinus, Secale, Senecio, Sinapis, Solanum, Sorghum, Theobromus, Trigonella, Triticum, Vicia, Vitis, Vigna or Zea.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein or subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, comprises an amino acid sequence having between about 75% to 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with
(a) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72;
(b) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;
(c) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53; or
(d) a processed form or a \u201cmature\u201d form, or a form lacking a signal sequence of a protein of (a), (b) or (c).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein or subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, is encoded by a nucleotide sequence comprising or consisting of:
(a) the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO:1; or
(b) any of the nucleotide sequences encoding any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72;
(c) any of the nucleotide sequences encoding an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53; or
(d) a processed form or a \u201cmature\u201d form, or a form lacking a signal sequence of a protein of (a), (b) or (c).
5. (canceled)
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the serine endopeptidase-expressing, ATSBT5.2-like protein-expressing, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing or endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid, is operably linked to a plant expressible promoter, an inducible promoter, a constitutive promoter, a root specific promoter, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell specific promoter, a guard cell specific promoter, a drought-inducible promoter, a stress-inducible promoter or a guard cell active promoter, wherein optionally the nucleic acid is a gene, a cDNA or an mRNA.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the:
up-regulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
decreasing of the water use efficiency of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant; or
decreasing or desensitizing of the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant; or
upregulating or increasing of the carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in the guard cell, root cell, stomatal lineage stage-specific cell, plant leaf, plant organ, plant part or plant;
comprises:
(1) providing:
(i) a nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of a serine endopeptidase-expressing, ATSBT5.2-like protein-expressing, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing or endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid; andor
(ii) a nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of a serine endopeptidase, an ATSBT5.2-like protein, a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, or an endopeptidase gene, cDNA or mRNA,
wherein optionally the inhibitory nucleic acid is an antisense, an iRNA, an siRNA, a micro RNA or miRNA or an artificial micro RNA;

(2) expressing the nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of the serine endopeptidase-expressing, the ATSBT5.2-like protein-expressing, the subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing or the endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid, gene, cDNA or mRNA in a guard cell; andor, expressing a nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of the serine endopeptidase-expressing, the ATSBT5.2-like protein-expressing, the subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing or the endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid, gene, cDNA or mRNA or transcript,
thereby up-regulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in a guard cell; decreasing the water use efficiency of a guard cell, a plant, plant leaf, plant organ or plant part; or decreasing (desensitizing) the carbon dioxide (CO2) sensitivity of a plant, plant leaf, plant organ or plant part; or upregulating or increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) andor water exchange in a guard cell of a plant, plant leaf, plant organ or plant part.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of a CO2 sensor protein-expressing nucleic acid comprises:
(a) a nucleotide sequence of at least about 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 or more nucleotides having at least about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% or more sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence encoding a serine endopeptidase, a ATSBT5.2-like polypeptide, a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein, or an endopeptidase,
and optionally the nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having between about 75% and 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with
(i) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72; or
(ii) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4; or
(iii) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53; or

(b) a partial or complete complementary sequence of the nucleotide sequence (a).
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of a serine endopeptidase-expressing, a ATSBT5.2-like polypeptide-expressing, a subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein-expressing, or an endopeptidase-expressing nucleic acid comprises:
(a) a nucleotide sequence of at least about 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 or more nucleotides having at least about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% or more sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, or a nucleic acid encoding an amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:43 or SEQ ID NO:45; or
(b) a partial or complete complementary sequence of the nucleotide sequence (a).
10-21. (canceled)
22. A method for increasing the number of stomatal pores compared to the total number of cells, or increasing the stomatal density, stomatal index andor stomatal size, in a plant, plant part, a plant organ, a plant leaf, comprising:
decreasing the expression of a serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein-encoding gene, cDNA or mRNA or transcript in the plant, guard cell, plant cell, plant leaf, plant organ or plant part, by expressing a nucleic acid inhibitory to the expression of the serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein-expressing nucleic acid, gene, cDNA or mRNA or transcript, as described in claim 2, in the plant, guard cell, plant cell, plant leaf, plant organ, or plant part,
thereby increasing the stomatal density, stomatal index andor stomatal size in the epidermis of the plant, plant part, plant organ or plant leaf,
and optionally the decreasing of the expression occurs in the plant guard cell or in a precursor cell thereof.
23. A method for decreasing the number of stomatal pores compared to the total number of cells, or decreasing the stomatal density, stomatal index andor stomatal size, in a plant, plant part, a plant organ, a plant leaf, comprising:
expressing or increasing the expression of a serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein-encoding gene, cDNA or mRNA or transcript, as described in claim 1 in the plant, guard cell, plant cell, plant leaf, plant organ or plant part
thereby decreasing the stomatal density, stomatal index andor stomatal size in the epidermis of the plant, plant part, plant leaf, plant organ,
and optionally the expression or increase in expression occurs in the plant guard cell.
24-28. (canceled)
29. A transgenic guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ, comprising:
(a) an heterologous serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein-expressing nucleic acid; or
wherein optionally the nucleic acid, gene or transcript is operably linked to a plant expressible promoter, an inducible promoter, a constitutive promoter, a root specific promoter, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell specific promoter, a guard cell specific promoter, a drought-inducible promoter, a stress-inducible promoter or a guard cell active promoter;
and optionally the nucleic acid, gene or transcript is stably integrated into the genome of the guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ, or is contained in an episomal vector in the guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ.
30. A transgenic guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ, comprising:
(a) (1) a heterologous nucleic acid that is inhibitory to an serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein-expressing nucleic acid;
wherein optionally the inhibitory nucleic acid is operably linked to a plant expressible promoter, an inducible promoter, a constitutive promoter, a root specific promoter, a stomatal lineage stage-specific cell specific promoter, a guard cell specific promoter, a drought-inducible promoter, a stress-inducible promoter or a guard cell active promoter;
and optionally the inhibitory nucleic acid is stably integrated into the genome of the guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ, or is contained in an episomal vector in the guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ,
and optionally the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises an antisense RNA, siRNA, miRNA or an iRNA or an artificial micro RNA.
31. (canceled)
32. The guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ of claim 29, wherein the nucleic acid encoding a ATSBT5.2-like protein encodes a serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein comprising an amino acid sequence having between 75% and 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with
(a) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72;
(b) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;
(c) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53; or
(d) a processed form or a \u201cmature\u201d form, or a form lacking a signal sequence of a protein of (a), (b) or (c).
33. The guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ of claim 29, wherein the serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein is encoded by a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
34. The guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ of claim 30, wherein the nucleic acid, which when transcribed yields an inhibitory nucleic acid to the expression of a ATSBT5.2-like protein-expressing nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 or more nucleotides having at least 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% or more sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence encoding serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein comprising an amino acid sequence having between 75% and 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with
(a) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72,
wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises an inhibitory ribonucleic acid, an siRNA, an miRNA or an artificial micro RNA; or
(b) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4; or
(c) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53; or
(d) a complete or partial complement thereof.
35-37. (canceled)
38. The guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ of claim 29, wherein the plant is or the guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ is isolated andor derived from: (i) a dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous plant; (ii) wheat, oat, rye, barley, rice, sorghum, maize (corn), tobacco, a legume, a lupins, potato, sugar beet, pea, bean, soybean (soy), a cruciferous plant, a cauliflower, rape (or rapa or canola), cane (sugarcane), flax, cotton, palm, sugar beet, peanut, a tree, a poplar, a lupin, a silk cotton tree, desert willow, creosote bush, winterfat, balsa, ramie, kenaf, hemp, roselle, jute, or sisal abaca; or, (c) a species from the genera Anacardium, Arachis, Asparagus, Atropa, Avena, Brassica, Citrus, Citrullus, Capsicum, Carthamus, Cocos, Coffea, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Daucus, Elaeis, Fragaria, Glycine, Gossypium, Helianthus, Heterocallis, Hordeum, Hyoscyamus, Lactuca, Linum, Lolium, Lupinus, Lycopersicon, Malus, Maniotahot, Majorana, Medicago, Nicotiana, Olea, Oryza, Panieum, Pannisetum, Persea, Phaseolus, Pistachia, Pisum, Pyrus, Prunus, Raphanus, Ricinus, Secale, Senecio, Sinapis, Solanum, Sorghum, Theobromus, Trigonella, Triticum, Vicia, Vitis, Vigna or Zea.
39. A method for increasing or decreasing the stomatal cell density in a plant, plant part or plant organ, comprising providing cells of a guard cell, plant, plant cell, plant tissue, plant seed or fruit, plant part or plant organ with a recombinant gene, wherein the recombinant gene is selected from an expression increasing recombinant gene or an expression inhibiting recombinant gene as described in claim 29 for
a. regulating carbon dioxide and water exchange in a plant;
b. regulating water uptake or water loss in a plant;
c. regulating water use efficiency or drought tolerance in a plant;
d. regulating biomass accumulation in a plant; or
e. regulating leaf temperature and transpiration in a plant.
40-42. (canceled)
43. A chimeric DNA comprising the following operably linked fragments:
(a) a plant-expressible promoter;
(b) a DNA region heterologous to said plant-expressible promoter which when transcribed yields an RNA, said RNA either:
i. encoding an amino acid sequence having between 75% and 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72; or
ii. comprising at least 19 consecutive nucleotides having at least 94% sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having between 75% and 100% sequence identity, or 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or more, or complete (100%) sequence identity, with an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72; and optionally also comprising at least the complement of said 19 consecutive nucleotides; and

(c) optionally a transcription termination and polyadenylation signal functional in plant cells.
44. A method for making a plant cell with altered stomatal density, stomatal index andor stomatal size, said method comprising providing a cell of a plant as set forth in claim 29.
45. (canceled)
46. A method for altering the stomatal cell density, comprising selecting a plant comprising a substitution, deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides in an endogenous gene encoding an ATSBT5.2-like protein.
47-50. (canceled)
51. A plant comprising a modified endogenous gene encoding a serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein comprising an amino acid sequence having between about 75% and 100% sequence identity with
(a) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, SEQ ID NO:31, SEQ ID NO:32, SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, SEQ ID NO:58, SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:67, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71 or SEQ ID. No.72; or
(b) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4; or
(c) an amino acid sequence comprising or consisting any one of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:40 or SEQ ID NO:53;
wherein said endogenous gene comprises a substitution, deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides in an endogenous gene encoding a serine endopeptidase, ATSBT5.2-like protein, subtilisin-like serine endopeptidase family protein or endopeptidase protein and wherein said plant and wherein said substitution, deletion or insertion results in the translation of a non-functional protein or a truncated protein or no protein at all from said endogenous gene,
and optionally the plant is selected from
(a) wheat, oat, rye, barley, rice, sorghum, maize (corn), tobacco, a legume, a lupins, potato, sugar beet, pea, bean, soybean (soy), oilseed rape, a cauliflower, rape (or raga or canola), cane (sugarcane), flax, cotton, palm, sugar beet, peanut, a tree, a poplar, a lupin, a silk cotton tree, desert willow, creosote bush, winterfat, balsa, ramie, kenaf, hemp, roselle, jute, or sisal abaca; or,
(b) a species from the genera Anacardium, Arachis, Asparagus, Atropa, Avena, Brassica, Citrus, Citrullus, Capsicum, Carthamus, Cocos, Coffea, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Daucus, Elaeis, Fragaria, Glycine, Gossypium, Helianthus, Heterocallis, Hordeum, Hyoscyamus, Lactuca, Linum, Lolium, Lupinus, Lycopersicon, Malus, Maniotahot, Majorana, Medicago, Nicotiana, Olea, Oryza, Panieum, Pannisetum, Persea, Phaseolus, Pistachia, Pisum, Pyrus, Prunus, Raphanus, Ricinus, Secale, Senecio, Sinapis, Solanum, Sorghum, Theobromus, Trigonella, Triticum, Vicia, Vitis, Vigna or Zea.
52-80. (canceled)

1. A method of optimizing information provided on a network including virtual machine host devices, comprising:
intercepting a message from a network-based management server to at least one of the virtual machine host devices on the network;
accessing the information for at least one virtual machine running on the virtual machine host device; and
utilizing the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one virtual machine
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein accessing the information further comprises accessing the information from a database.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein accessing the information further comprises issuing a request to the at least one virtual machine and utilizing a response from the at least one virtual machine to respond to the messages from the network-based management server.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein utilizing the response from the at least one virtual machine further comprises at least one of filtering, modifying, deleting and reordering the response from the at least one virtual machine prior to responding to the messages from the network-based management server.
5. The method according to claim 3 wherein utilizing the response from the at least one virtual machine further comprises aggregating the response from the at least one virtual machine prior to responding to the message from the network-based management server.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein accessing the information further comprises interfacing with a virtual machine manager to acquire the information.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the information is network-based management information including resource information pertaining to the virtual machine host devices.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises grouping a plurality of virtual machines on the virtual machine host devices into at least one class of virtual machine, accessing the information for the at least one class of virtual machine running on the virtual machine host device and utilizing the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one class of virtual machine.
9. A system for optimizing information provided on a network including virtual machine host devices, comprising:
a virtual machine running on at least one of the virtual machine host devices; and
a management virtual machine capable of intercepting messages from a network-based management server to the virtual machine, the management virtual machine capable of accessing information pertaining to the virtual machine and utilizing the information to respond on behalf of the virtual machine.
10. The system according to claim 9 further comprising a virtual machine manager capable of obtaining the information pertaining to the virtual machine.
11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the virtual machine manager includes the management virtual machine.
12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the management virtual machine responds to the network management messages with one of information retrieved from a database and information obtained in response to queries to the virtual machine.
13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the management virtual machine at least one of filters, modifies, deletes and reorders the information obtained in response to the queries prior to responding to the network management messages.
14. The system according to claim 12 wherein the management virtual machine aggregates the information prior to responding to the messages from the network-based management servers.
15. The system according to claim 11 wherein the information is network-based management information including resource information pertaining to the virtual machine host devices.
16. The system according to claim 11 wherein the management virtual machine is further capable of grouping a plurality of virtual machines on the virtual machine host devices into at least one class of virtual machine, accessing the information for the at least one class of virtual machine running on the virtual machine host device and utilizing the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one class of virtual machine.
17. A method of optimizing information provided by a virtual machine host device, comprising:
grouping virtual machines on the virtual machine host device into at least one class;
intercepting a message from a network-based management server to the at least one class of virtual machines;
accessing the information for the at least one class of virtual machines; and
utilizing the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one class of virtual machine
18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the class includes one of a class based on operating system type and a class based on application type.
19. A system for optimizing information provided on a network including virtual machine host devices, comprising:
a class of virtual machines running on at least one of the virtual machine host devices, the class of virtual machines comprising a plurality of virtual machines; and
a management virtual machine capable of intercepting messages from a network-based management server to the class of virtual machines, the management virtual machine capable of accessing information pertaining to the class of virtual machines and utilizing the information to respond on behalf of the class of virtual machines.
20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the class of virtual machines includes at least one of a class of virtual machines based on operating system type and a class of virtual machines based on application type.
21. An management virtual machine residing on a virtual machine host device, comprising:
a module capable of intercepting messages to virtual machines residing on the virtual machine host device;
an interface capable of retrieving information pertaining to the virtual machines;
and
a module capable of utilizing the information to respond to the messages on behalf of the virtual machines.
22. The management virtual machine according to claim 21 wherein the information is network-based management information and includes resource information pertaining to the virtual machine host device.
23. The management virtual machine according to claim 21 wherein the interface is capable of retrieving the information from a virtual machine manager.
24. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
intercept a message from a network-based management server to at least one virtual machine host devices on the network;
access the information for at least one virtual machine running on the virtual machine host device; and
utilize the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one virtual machine.
25. The article according to claim 24 wherein the instruction, when executed by the machine, are further capable of accessing the information from a database.
26. The article according to claim 24 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to issue a request to the at least one virtual machine and utilize a response from the at least one virtual machine to respond to the messages from the network-based management server.
27. The article according to claim 26 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to at least one of filter, modify, delete and reorder the response from the at least one virtual machine prior to responding to the messages from the network-based management server.
28. The article according to claim 26 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to aggregate the response from the at least one virtual machine prior to responding to the message from the network-based management server.
29. The article according to claim 24 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to interface with a virtual machine manager to acquire the information.
30. The article according to claim 24 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to group a plurality of virtual machines on the virtual machine host devices into at least one class of virtual machine, access the information for the at least one class of virtual machine running on the virtual machine host device and utilize the information to respond to the message on behalf of the at least one class of virtual machine.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A storage compute device comprising:
a data storage section that facilitates persistently storing host data as data objects;
two or more compute sections that perform computations on the data objects; and
a controller that monitors resource collisions affecting a first of the compute sections, the controller creating a copy of at least one of the data objects to be processed in parallel at a second of the compute sections in response to the resource collisions.
2. The storage compute device of claim 1, wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in a first memory block that can be accessed in parallel with a second memory block that stores the at least one data object.
3. The storage compute device of claim 1, wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in a second storage compute device via a host interface.
4. The storage compute device of claim 1, wherein monitoring the resource collisions comprises counting the resource collisions for each of the data objects, and copying the data objects for which a count of the resource collisions exceeds a threshold.
5. The storage compute device of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the at least one data object and the copy to be marked as read-only after creating the copy.
6. The storage compute device of claim 5, wherein the controller further marks a selected one of the copy and the at least one data object for deletion after an operation affecting the selected data object completes.
7. The storage compute device of claim 6, wherein the controller further performs:
marking the selected data object as reusable; and
reusing the selected data object in response to another resource collision affecting another of the copy and the at least one data object.
8. The storage compute device of claim 6, wherein the controller further performs:
marking the selected data object as reusable;
detecting a modification of another of the copy and the at least one data object; and
marking the selected data object as not reusable.
9. A method comprising:
persistently storing data objects at a storage compute device on behalf of a host, the data objects being internally managed by the storage compute device;
performing computations on the data objects at a compute section of the storage compute device;
monitoring resource collisions affecting at least one of the computations; and
creating a copy of at least one of the data objects to be processed in parallel via a second compute section in response to the resource collisions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in a first memory block that can be accessed in parallel with a second memory block that stores the at least one data object.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in a second storage compute device via a host interface.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the resource collisions comprises counting the resource collisions for each of the data objects, and copying the data objects for which a count of the resource collisions exceeds a threshold.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising marking the at least one data object and the copy as read-only after creating the copy.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising marking a selected one of the copy and the at least one data object for deletion after an operation affecting the selected data object completes.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
marking the selected data object as reusable; and
reusing the selected data object in response to another resource collision affecting another of the copy and the at least one data object.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
marking the selected data object as reusable;
detecting a modification of another of the copy and the at least one data object; and
marking the selected data object as not reusable.
17. A system comprising:
a host processor;
a data bus coupled to the host processor; and
a storage compute device coupled to the data bus and comprising:
a data storage section that facilitates persistently storing data objects on behalf of the host processor, the data objects being internally managed by the storage compute device;
two or more compute sections that perform computations on the data objects; and
a controller that monitors resource collisions affecting a first of the compute sections, the controller creating a copy of at least one of the data objects to be processed in parallel at a second of the compute sections in response to the resource collisions.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in a first memory block that can be accessed in parallel with a second memory block that stores the at least one data object.
19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a second storage compute device, and wherein creating the copy of the at least one data object comprises storing the copy in the second storage compute device via the data bus.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller causes the at least one data object and the copy to be marked as read-only after creating the copy.