Ice recrystallisation inhibition protein or antifreeze proteins from deschampsia, and festuca species of grass

Abstract

The present invention relates to nucleic acids or nucleic acid fragments encoding amino acid sequences for polypeptides involved in tolerance to freezing and/or low temperature stress in plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to nucleic acids or nucleic acid fragments encoding amino acid sequences for ice recrystallisation inhibition proteins (IRIPs) in plants, and the use thereof for the modification of plant response to freezing and/or low temperature stress. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to polypeptides involved in tolerance to freezing and/or low temperature stress in Deschampsia and Festuca species.

1 . A substantially purified or isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment encoding an ice recrystallisation inhibition protein (IRIP) from a  Deschampsia  species, or a functionally active fragment thereof. 
     
     
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         10 . A construct including one or more nucleic acids or nucleic acid fragments according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
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         15 . A plant cell, plant, plant seed or other plant part, including a construct according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         16 . A plant, plant seed or other plant part derived from a plant cell or plant according to  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . A method of modifying tolerance of freezing and/or low temperature stress in a plant, said method including introducing into said plant an effective amount of a nucleic acid construct according  claim 10 . 
     
     
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         27 . The nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment according to  claim 1  wherein the protein is derived from a plant, and wherein the protein includes:
 an IRIP domain including 3 to 32 repeats of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 141; and 
 an amino acid residue motif as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 145. 
 
     
     
         28 . The isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment of  claim 27  wherein the nucleic acid comprises a nucleotide sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-16, 18-21, 23-30, 32-37, 39-45, or 47-53. 
     
     
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         30 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 27 , wherein the protein includes an amino acid sequence selected from the list consisting of: SEQ ID NOs: 17, 22, 31, 38, 46 and 54. 
     
     
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