Seed-preferred promoter from maize

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition and method for regulating expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. The composition is a novel nucleic acid sequence for a seed-preferred promoter. A method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the promoter sequence is also provided. The method comprises transforming a plant cell to contain a heterologous nucleotide sequence operably linked to the seed-preferred promoter of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant from the transformed plant cell.

1 . An isolated promoter that drives transcription in a seed-preferred manner, wherein said promoter comprises a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide comprising a functional variant or fragment of at least 20 contiguous nucleotides of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO 1;    c) a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO 1, wherein the % sequence identity is based on the entire sequence and is determined by BESTFIT analysis under default parameters, and wherein the polynucleotide is from a plant other than barley; and    d) any polynucleotide the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a) or b) under stringent conditions, wherein stringent conditions include hybridization at 42° C. in a solution of 50%(w/v) formamide, 6×SSC, 0.5% SDS, 100 μg/ml salmon sperm, washing with 0.5% SDS and 0.1×SSC at 65° C. for 30 minutes and repeating.    
     
     
         2 . A polynucleotide of  claim 1  isolated from maize.  
     
     
         3 . An expression cassette comprising a promoter of  claim 1  and a nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter is capable of initiating transcription and expression of said nucleotide sequence in a seed of a plant transformed with said expression cassette.  
     
     
         4 . A transformation vector comprising an expression cassette of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         5 . A plant, or its parts, stably transformed with an expression cassette of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         6 . The plant parts of  claim 5  wherein the plant parts are selected from the group consisting of: cells, protoplasts, cell tissue cultures, callus, cell clumps, embryos, pollen, ovules, seeds, flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, leaves, husks, stalks, roots, root tips, anthers, and silk.  
     
     
         7 . The plant of  claim 5 , wherein said plant is a monocot.  
     
     
         8 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said monocot is maize, barley, wheat, oat, rye, sorghum or rice.  
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 5 , wherein said plant is a dicot.  
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 9 , wherein said dicot is soybean, alfalfa, safflower, tobacco, sunflower, cotton, or canola.  
     
     
         11 . Seeds of the plant of  claim 5  comprising within their genome said expression cassette.  
     
     
         12 . A method for selectively expressing a first nucleotide sequence in a plant seed, said method comprising transforming a plant with a transformation vector comprising an expression cassette, said expression cassette comprising a promoter and a first nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter drives transcription and expression of said first nucleotide sequence in a plant seed, wherein said promoter comprises a second nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide comprising a functional variant or fragment of at least 20 contiguous nucleotides of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO 1;    c) a polynucleotide having at least  80 % sequence identity to SEQ ID NO 1 wherein the % sequence identity is based on the entire sequence and is determined by BESTFIT analysis under default parameters and wherein the polynucleotide is from a plant other than barley; and    d) a polynucleotide that hybridizes to a) or b) under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide involved in fatty acid metabolism.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide involved in protein metabolism.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide involved in carbohydrate metabolism.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide involved in phytohormone biosynthesis.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide involved in cell cycle regulation.