Auxin-Repressed, Dormancy-Associated Promoter and Uses Thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions comprise a novel nucleic acid sequence for a promoter which is induced by abiotic stress and the coding sequence natively associated with said promoter sequence. A method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using said promoter sequence is also provided. The methods comprise transforming a plant cell to contain a heterologous nucleotide sequence operably linked to the promoter of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant from said transformed plant cell.

1 . An isolated plant promoter which is induced by abiotic stress and comprises a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         2 . An expression cassette comprising the promoter of  claim 1  and a second polynucleotide operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter is capable of initiating transcription of said linked polynucleotide in a plant transformed with said expression cassette. 
     
     
         3 . A transformation vector comprising the expression cassette of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         4 . A plant, or its parts, stably transformed with the expression cassette of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The plant parts of  claim 4 , wherein said 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. 
     
     
         6 . Transformed seeds of the plant of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         7 . The plant of  claim 4 , 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 4 , 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 . The isolated promoter of  claim 1 , wherein said abiotic stress is due to conditions of drought or plant population density. 
     
     
         12 . A method for selectively expressing a polynucleotide of interest in a plant, said method comprising transforming said plant with a transformation vector comprising an expression cassette, said expression cassette comprising a promoter operably linked to said polynucleotide of interest, wherein said promoter comprises a functional fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said linked polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide involved in phytohormone biosynthesis or regulation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said linked polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide involved in cell cycle regulation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said linked polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide involved in carbohydrate metabolism. 
     
     
         16 . A composition for improving plant tolerance of abiotic stress, comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide, wherein said promoter is induced by abiotic stress and comprises a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein said operably linked polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide involved in phytohormone biosynthesis, phytohormone regulation, cell cycle regulation, or carbohydrate metabolism. 
     
     
         17 . An expression cassette comprising the promoter of  claim 1  operably linked to a first nucleic acid of interest, and a second promoter operably linked to a second nucleic acid of interest. 
     
     
         18 . The expression cassette of  claim 17  wherein said second nucleic acid encodes an insecticidal toxin derived from  Bacillus thuringiensis.    
     
     
         19 . The expression cassette of  claim 17  wherein said second nucleic acid encodes a protein which detoxifies glufosinate. 
     
     
         20 . The expression cassette of  claim 17  wherein said second nucleic acid encodes a protein which detoxifies glyphosate.