Hydroperoxide lyase gene from maize and methods of use

Abstract

Compositions and methods for enhancing disease resistance, and modulating levels of flavor molecules in plants are provided. The compositions comprise nucleotide sequences encoding maize HPL genes. The methods comprise expressing hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) genes in plants, plant cells, and plant tissues. Expression cassettes comprising the HPL sequences of the invention are provided, as well as transformed plant cells, plant tissues, and plants.

That which is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for modulating expression of hydroperoxide lyase in a transformed plant relative to an untransformed plant, said method comprising transforming a plant cell with at least one nucleotide sequence encoding a maize hydroperoxide lyase protein, and regenerating a stably transformed plant from said transformed plant cell, wherein said stably transformed plant has modulated hydroperoxide lyase expression relative to said untransformed plant, and wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a promoter that drives expression in said transformed plant, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         5 . A transformed plant cell having stably incorporated into its genome at least one nucleotide sequence encoding a hydroperoxide lyase protein, said nucleotide sequence operably linked to a heterologous promoter that drives expression in a plant cell, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         6 . The transformed plant cell of  claim 5 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         7 . The transformed plant cell of  claim 6 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         8 . The transformed plant cell of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         9 . A transformed plant having stably incorporated into its genome at least one nucleotide sequence encoding a hydroperoxide lyase protein, said nucleotide sequence operably linked to a promoter that drives expression in a plant cell, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         10 . The transformed plant of  claim 9 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         11 . The transformed plant of  claim 10 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         12 . The transformed plant of  claim 11 , wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         13 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         14 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         15 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 14 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid has at least 80% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         16 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 15 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid has at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.  
     
     
         17 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 16 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid has at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide that has hydroperoxide lyase activity.