Maize promoters

Abstract

The invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions are nucleotide sequences for tissue-independent or constitutive promoters for genes encoding actin-2, enolase, Gos-2 and L41. A method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the promoter sequences disclosed herein is provided. The method comprises transforming a plant cell with a nucleotide sequence operably linked to one of the promoters of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant from the transformed plant cell.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A promoter that drives expression, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         2 . The promoter of  claim 1 , wherein said expression is constitutive.  
     
     
         3 . An expression cassette comprising a promoter and a nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter drives expression of said nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         4 . The expression cassette of  claim 3 , wherein expression of said nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter alters phenotype of a plant transformed with said expression cassette.  
     
     
         5 . A transformation vector comprising the expression cassette of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         6 . A transformed plant cell having stably incorporated into its genome an expression cassette comprising a promoter and a nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter drives expression of said nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         7 . A transformed plant having stably incorporated into its genome an expression cassette comprising a promoter and a nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter drives expression of said nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         8 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said plant is a monocot.  
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said monocot is maize.  
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said plant is a dicot.  
     
     
         11 . Transformed seed of the plant of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         12 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said promoter is a maize promoter.  
     
     
         13 . A method for expressing a nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, said method comprising transforming a plant cell with a transformation vector comprising an expression cassette, said expression cassette comprising a promoter and a nucleotide sequence operably linked to said promoter, wherein said promoter drives expression of said nucleotide sequence in a plant cell, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions.    
     
     
         14 . A method for expressing a nucleotide sequence in a plant, said method comprising transforming a plant cell according to the method set forth in  claim 13 , and further comprising regenerating a transformed plant from said plant cell, wherein said plant has stably incorporated into its genome said expression cassette.  
     
     
         15 . A promoter that drives expression, said promoter comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1;    c) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and    d) a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 under stringent conditions.