Herbicide-resistant sunflower plants, polynucleotides encoding herbicide-resistant acetohydroxy acid synthase large subunit proteins, and methods of use

Abstract

Herbicide-resistant sunflower plants, isolated polynucleotides that encode herbicide resistant and wild type acetohydroxyacid synthase large subunit (AHASL) polypeptides, and the amino acid sequences of these polypeptides, are described. Expression cassettes and transformation vectors comprising the polynucleotides of the invention, as well as plants and host cells transformed with the polynucleotides, are described. Methods of using the polynucleotides to enhance the resistance of plants to herbicides, and methods for controlling weeds in the vicinity of herbicide-resistant plants are also described.

1 - 82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . An isolated, recombinant, mutagenized, or synthetic polynucleotide, or a complement thereof, said polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an AHASL1 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6. 
     
     
         84 . The polynucleotide of  claim 83 , wherein the nucleotide sequence is as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or 5. 
     
     
         85 . A vector comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 83  operably linked to a promoter. 
     
     
         86 . A host cell transformed with the polynucleotide of  claim 83 . 
     
     
         87 . The host cell of  claim 86 , wherein the host cell is a plant cell capable of growing into a plant. 
     
     
         88 . A method for selecting for the plant cell of  claim 87 , wherein the method comprises:
 (a) exposing the plant cell to an herbicide at a concentration that inhibits the growth of an untransformed plant cell; and   (b) identifying the plant cell by its ability to grow in the presence of the herbicide.   
     
     
         89 . A plant comprising plant cells having the polynucleotide of  claim 83 . 
     
     
         90 . The plant of  claim 89 , wherein the plant is a descendant of line MUT28, a representative sample of seed of line MUT28 having been deposited under ATCC Patent Deposit Number PTA-6084, wherein the descendant comprises plant cells having the polynucleotide. 
     
     
         91 . The plant of  claim 90 , wherein the plant comprises the herbicide-tolerance characteristics of line MUT28. 
     
     
         92 . The plant of  claim 91 , wherein the herbicide-tolerance characteristics is non-transgenic. 
     
     
         93 . A seed of the plant of  claim 90 . 
     
     
         94 . The seed of  claim 93 , wherein the seed is treated with an herbicide. 
     
     
         95 . The seed of  claim 94 , wherein the herbicide is an imidazolinone herbicide. 
     
     
         96 . The seed of  claim 94 , wherein the herbicide is:
 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidiazolin-2-yl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid;   5-ethyl-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-(methoxymethyl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-methylnicotinic acid;   mixtures of methyl 6-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-m-toluate and methyl 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-p-toluate; or   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         97 . The seed of  claim 94 , wherein the herbicide is: chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, thifensulfuron methyl, tribenuron methyl, bensulfuron methyl, nicosulfuron, ethametsulfuron methyl, rimsulfuron, triflusulfuron methyl, triasulfuron, primisulfuron methyl, cinosulfuron, amidosulfuron, flazasulfuron, imazosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron ethyl, halosulfuron, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         98 . The seed of  claim 94 , wherein the herbicide is selected from the group consisting of imidazolinone herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, triazolopyrimidine herbicides, pyrimidinyloxybenzoate herbicides, sulfonylamino-carbonyltriazolinone herbicides, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         99 . A method for controlling weeds in the vicinity of a plant, the method comprising:
 applying an effective amount of an herbicide to the weeds and to the plant, wherein the plant is the plant of  claim 90 .   
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the herbicide is:
 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidiazolin-2-yl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid;   5-ethyl-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-(methoxymethyl)-nicotinic acid;   2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-5-methylnicotinic acid;   mixtures of methyl 6-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-m-toluate and methyl 2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)-p-toluate; or   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the herbicide is: chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, thifensulfuron methyl, tribenuron methyl, bensulfuron methyl, nicosulfuron, ethametsulfuron methyl, rimsulfuron, triflusulfuron methyl, triasulfuron, primisulfuron methyl, cinosulfuron, amidosulfuron, flazasulfuron, imazosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron ethyl, halosulfuron, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the herbicide is selected from the group consisting of imidazolinone herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, triazolopyrimidine herbicides, pyrimidinyloxybenzoate herbicides, sulfonylamino-carbonyltriazolinone herbicides, and mixtures thereof.