Promoter molecules for use in plants

Abstract

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules isolated from Zea mays and Oryza sativa and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides expression constructs containing the nucleic acid molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides transgenic plants and seeds containing the nucleic acid molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants.

1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 95 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         2 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 2 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 70% identity and about 79% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 2 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 80% identity and about 89% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         5 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 2 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 90% identity and about 99% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         6 . A construct comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 95 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 4-9, wherein said promoter is operably linked to a transcribable nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a 3′ transcription termination nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         7 . The construct of  claim 6 , wherein said transcribable nucleic acid molecule is a gene of agronomic interest. 
     
     
         8 . The construct of  claim 6 , wherein said transcribable nucleic acid molecule is a marker gene. 
     
     
         9 . A construct comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9, wherein said promoter is operably linked to a transcribable nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a 3′ transcription termination nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         10 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 70% identity and about 79% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         11 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 80% identity and about 89% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         12 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said isolated nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence which exhibits a substantial percent sequence identity of between about 90% identity and about 99% identity with the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9. 
     
     
         13 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said transcribable nucleic acid molecule is a gene of agronomic interest. 
     
     
         14 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said transcribable nucleic acid molecule is a marker gene. 
     
     
         15 . A transgenic plant stably transformed with a construct comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 95 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 4-9, wherein said promoter is operably linked to a transcribable nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a 3′ transcription termination nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         16 . The transgenic plant of  claim 15 , wherein said plant is a monocotyledonous selected from the group consisting of wheat, maize, rye, rice, oat, barley, turfgrass, sorghum, millet and sugarcane. 
     
     
         17 . The transgenic plant of  claim 15 , wherein said plant is a dicotyledonous plant selected from the group consisting of tobacco, tomato, potato, soybean, cotton, canola, sunflower and alfalfa. 
     
     
         18 . A seed of said transgenic plant of  claim 15 . 
     
     
         19 . A transgenic plant stably transformed with a construct comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4-9, wherein said promoter is operably linked to a transcribable nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a 3′ transcription termination nucleic acid molecule. 
     
     
         20 . The transgenic plant of  claim 19 , wherein said plant is a monocotyledonous selected from the group consisting of wheat, maize, rye, rice, oat, barley, turfgrass, sorghum, millet and sugarcane. 
     
     
         21 . The transgenic plant of  claim 19 , wherein said plant is a dicotyledonous plant selected from the group consisting of tobacco, tomato, potato, soybean, cotton, canola, sunflower and alfalfa. 
     
     
         22 . A seed of said transgenic plant of  claim 19 .