Polynucleotide Encoding a Maize Herbicide Resistance Gene and Methods for Use

Abstract

This invention relates to polynucleotide sequences encoding a gene that can confer resistance to at least one herbicide. It further relates to plants and seeds of plants carrying chimeric genes comprising said polynucleotide sequences, which enhance or confer resistance to at least one herbicide, and methods of making said plants and seeds. The invention further presents sequences that can be used as molecular markers that in turn can be used to identify the region of interest in corn lines resulting from new crosses and to quickly and efficiently select the best lines for breeding strategies by avoiding sensitive lines.

1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising: 
 (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of conferring resistance to at least two herbicides, wherein each herbicide is a member of a different class of herbicides selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) the ALS-inhibiting class;  
 (ii) the pigment synthesis-inhibiting class;  
 (iii) the PPO-inhibiting class;  
 (iv) the PS II-inhibiting class; and  
 (v) the synthetic auxin class  
 wherein the polypeptide has an amino acid sequence of at least 85% identity, when compared to SEQ ID NO:1 based on the Needleman-Wunsch alignment algorithm, or  
   (b) a complement of the nucleotide sequence, wherein the complement and the nucleotide sequence consist of the same number of nucleotides and are 100% complementary.    
     
     
         2 . The polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 have at least 90% identity based on the Needleman-Wunsch alignment algorithm.  
     
     
         3 . The polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 have at least 95% identity based on the Needleman-Wunsch alignment algorithm.  
     
     
         4 . The polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         5 . A vector comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         6 . A recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1  operably linked to at least one regulatory sequence.  
     
     
         7 . A plant cell comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         8 . A plant comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         9 . A seed comprising the recombinant DNA construct of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 8 , wherein said plant is a monocot.  
     
     
         11 . The plant of  claim 10 , wherein said monocot is selected from the group consisting of maize, wheat, barley, oats, switchgrass, sorghum, and rice.  
     
     
         12 . The plant of  claim 8 , wherein said plant is a dicot.  
     
     
         13 . The plant of  claim 12 , wherein said dicot is selected from the group consisting of soybean, canola, potato, cotton, and sunflower.  
     
     
         14 . The plant of  claim 8 , wherein said plant further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide with glyphosate N-acetyltransferase activity.