Maize bZIP transcription factors and genes encoding the same and use thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses maize bZIP transcriptional factors, namely, ABP2, ABP4 and ABP9, the genes encoding these factors, and the use thereof. The transcriptional factors are proteins having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, or 6, or proteins derived therefrom by substitution, deletion or addition of one or more amino acid residues of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, or 6, and having the same activity as a protein shown by SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, or 6. The ABP2, ABP4 and ABP9 genes encoding these factors, respectively, are the DNA sequences having an identity of more than 90% with a sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 1, 3 or 5 and the encoded proteins having such same functions. These genes are important for breeding plant varieties with an enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses and for improving plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.

1 . An isolated nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 representing maize bZIP transcriptional factor ABP4.  
     
     
         2 . An expression vector comprising the isolated nucleic acid according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . The expression vector according to  claim 2  wherein said expression vector is pZP212-ABP2.  
     
     
         4 . A cell line transformed with the isolated nucleic acid according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . A chimeric plant expression vector, said vector comprising in the 5′ to 3′ direction: 
 a heterologous promoter that is capable of effecting mRNA transcription in a selected plant cell to be transformed, operably linked to    a structural DNA sequence encoding SEQ ID NO:2 that induces abiotic stress tolerance and operably linked to    a non-translated region of a gene, said region comprises a signal sequence for polyadenylation of mRNA.    
     
     
         6 . A vector capable of introducing at least one regulatory gene encoding a protein into a plant, the vector comprising: 
 (a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or    (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and a promoter operably linked to the nucleotide sequence of (a) or (b).    
     
     
         7 . The vector according to  claim 6 , further comprising a transcription terminator sequence operably linked to the nucleotide sequence of (a) or (b).  
     
     
         8 . The vector according to  claim 6 , further comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a selective marker.  
     
     
         9 . An  Agrobacterium tumefaciens  transformed with the vector according to  claim 6 .  
     
     
         10 . A plant material endued with abiotic stress tolerance by being transformed with an  Agrobacterium tumefaciens  according to  claim 9 , wherein said abiotic stress tolerance is selected from the group consisting of drought tolerance, cold tolerance and Salinity tolerance.  
     
     
         11 . A plant material transformed with a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a protein comprising the sequences, as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2.