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 . The isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment of  claim 27 , wherein the plant is a  Deschampsia  species. 
     
     
         2 . The isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment according to  claim 1  wherein said  Deschampsia  species is  Deschampsia antarctica.    
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A nucleic acid construct including one or more nucleic acids or nucleic acid fragments according to  claim 27 . 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A plant cell, plant, plant seed or other plant part, including a construct according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of modifying tolerance of freezing and/or low temperature stress in a plant, the method including introducing into the plant an effective amount of a nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment according to  claim 27 . 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A substantially purified or isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment including a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) from a nucleic acid fragment according to  claim 27 . 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An isolated nucleic acid or nucleic acid fragment encoding an ice recrystallization inhibition protein derived from a plant, 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. 
     
     
         29 . A nucleic acid construct including one or more nucleic acids according to  claim 27 . 
     
     
         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. 
     
     
         31 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 27  wherein the IRIP domain includes 15 or 16 tandem repeats of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 141. 
     
     
         32 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 27  wherein the protein further includes three or fewer Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) motifs. 
     
     
         33 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 32  wherein the LRR motif(s) are positioned N-terminal to the IRIP domain. 
     
     
         34 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 32  wherein the amino acid residue motif as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 145 is positioned N-terminal to the LRR motif(s). 
     
     
         35 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 27  wherein the protein includes one or fewer LRR motifs. 
     
     
         36 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 27  wherein an LRR motif includes the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 128 or SEQ ID NO: 143. 
     
     
         37 . An isolated protein encoded by the nucleic acid of  claim 27 . 
     
     
         38 . A method of modifying tolerance of freezing and/or low temperature stress in a plant, the method including introducing into the plant an effective amount of a construct according  claim 10 .