Ozone -induced gene expression in plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to new DNA sequences, a method for producing new plants which contain a new DNA sequence, the coding sequence thereof being expressed after ozone induction. The invention also relates to said new plants and the use of DNA sequences to produce ozone-responsive gene expression in plants and plant cells. Moreover, it relates to a new promoter, the specificity thereof being increased by removal of the ozone response capacity thereof.

1 . Plant DNA sequence:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   ACTTTTCGAG CCCCTTGAAC TGGAAATTAA TACATTTTCC 
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   ACTTGACTTT TGAAAAGGAG GCAATCCCAC GGGAGGGAAG 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   CTGCTACCAA CCTTCGTAAT GTTAATGAAA TCAAAGTCAC 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   TCAATGTCCG AATTTCAAAC CTCANCAACC CAATAGCCAA 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   T. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         2 - 37 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         38 . Promotor region of the stilbene-synthase gene Vstl from grapevine which lacks at least the DNA-sequence, as set forth in  claim 1 , with the exception of a promotor region which only consists of 3 1  base pairs from base pair −140 or from base pair −40, and which is present in fusion with the reporter gene β-glucuronidase from  E. coli.    
     
     
         39 . Promotor region, as set forth in  claim 38 , which comprises only the sequence range from the start of the translation to base pair −270.  
     
     
         40 . Promotor region, as set forth in  claim 38 , which still conveys a pathogen-induced gene expression in plant cells.  
     
     
         41 . Transgenic plants which, due to the absence (present in the natural state) DNA-sequence ACTTTTCGAG CCCCTTGAAC TGGAAATTAA TACATTTTCC ACTTGACTTT TGAAAAGGAG GCAATCCCAC GGGAGGGAAG CTGCTACCAA CCTTCGTAAT GTTAATGAAA TCAAAGTCAC TCAATGTCCG AATTTCAAAC CTCANCAACC CAATAGCCAA T, or due to the lack of at least one fragment thereof no longer show an ozone-inducible expression of the naturally ozone-inducible gene.  
     
     
         42 . Plants, as set forth in  claim 41 , in which the ozone-inducible expression of disease-resistant genes is greatly reduced.  
     
     
         43 . Plants, as set forth in  claim 41 , in which the ozone-inducible expression of stilbene-synthase genes, particularly that of the Vst1-gene from grapevine is greatly reduced.  
     
     
         44 . Plant cells, including protoplasts, which, due to the absence (present in the natural state) of the DNA sequence  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   ACTTTTCGAG CCCCTTGAAC TGGAAATTAA TACATTTTCC 
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   ACTTGACTTT TGAAAAGGAG GCAATCCCAC GGGAGGGAAG 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   CTGCTACCAA CCTTCGTAAT GTTAATGAAA TCAAAGTCAC 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   TCAATGTCCG AATTTCAAAC CTCANCAACC CAATAGCCAA 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   T, 
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
       or due to a lack of at least one fragment thereof, no longer show an ozone-inducible expression of the naturally ozone-inducible gene.  
     
     
         45 . Methods for producing transgenic plants or plant cells in which the ozone-inducible expression of naturally one-inducible, defensive genes is greatly reduced or eliminated by deleting the DNA-sequence, as set forth in  claim 1 , or at least a fragment thereof in the defensive gene which naturally contains said DNA sequence.  
     
     
         46 . Processes, as set forth in  claim 45 , in which the ozone-inducible expression of stilbene genes is greatly reduced or eliminated.  
     
     
         47 . Processes, as set fort in  claim 45 , in which the ozone-inducible expression of the Vst1-gene from grapevine is greatly reduced or eliminated.  
     
     
         48 . Methods for removing the ozone-inducibility of naturally ozone-inducible defensive genes which naturally contain the DNA-sequence, as set forth in  claim 1 , by deleting or inactivation of the DNA sequence, as set forth in the plant DNA sequence: 
 ACTTTTCGAG CCCCTTGAAC TGGAAATTAA TACATTTTCC ACTTGACTTT TGAAAAGGAG GCAATCCCAC GGGAGGGAAG CTGCTACCAA CCTTCGTAAT GTTAATGAAA TCAAAGTCAC TCAATGTCCG AATTTCAAAC CTCANCAACC CAATAGCCAA T, or at least a fragment thereof.    
     
     
         49 . A process, as set forth in  claim 48 , in which the gene is a stilbene-synthase gene.  
     
     
         50 . A process, as set forth in  claim 48 , in which the gene is the Vstl-gene from grapevine.  
     
     
         51 . The use of the promotor region, as set forth in  claim 38 , to produce greater pathogen-inducible but not ozone-inducible resistance to disease in transgenic plants.