Grg23 epsp synthases: compositions and methods of use

Abstract

Compositions and methods for conferring herbicide resistance or tolerance to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions include polynucleotides encoding herbicide resistance or tolerance polypeptides, vectors comprising those polynucleotides, and host cells comprising the vectors. The nucleotide sequences of the invention can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in organisms, including microorganisms and plants. Compositions also include transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated polynucleotides encoding glyphosate resistance or tolerance polypeptides are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated polynucleotides containing nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, or 35, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, or 34.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:28; and,   b) a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleotide sequence is a synthetic sequence that has been designed for expression in a plant. 
     
     
         3 . A vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The vector of  claim 3 , further comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a heterologous polypeptide. 
     
     
         5 . A host cell that contains the vector of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The host cell of  claim 5  that is a bacterial host cell. 
     
     
         7 . The host cell of  claim 5  that is a plant cell. 
     
     
         8 . A transgenic plant comprising the host cell of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 8 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of maize, sorghum, wheat, sunflower, tomato, crucifers, peppers, potato, cotton, rice, soybean, sugarbeet, sugarcane, tobacco, barley, and oilseed rape. 
     
     
         10 . A transgenic seed comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29; and,   b) a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: SEQ ID NO:28.   
     
     
         12 . The polypeptide of  claim 11  further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a polypeptide with herbicide resistance activity, comprising culturing the host cell of  claim 5  under conditions in which a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide is expressed, said polypeptide being selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29; and, 
 b) a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: SEQ ID NO:28. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method for conferring resistance to an herbicide in a plant, said method comprising transforming said plant with a DNA construct, said construct comprising a promoter that drives expression in a plant cell operably linked with a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:28, and regenerating a transformed plant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said herbicide is glyphosate. 
     
     
         16 . A plant having stably incorporated into its genome a DNA construct comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein having herbicide resistance activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:28; and,   b) a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29;   
       wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a promoter that drives expression of a coding sequence in a plant cell. 
     
     
         17 . The plant of  claim 16 , wherein said plant is a plant cell. 
     
     
         18 . The plant of  claim 16 , wherein said plant is a soybean plant. 
     
     
         19 . The plant of  claim 16 , wherein said plant is a corn plant. 
     
     
         20 . The plant of  claim 16 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of maize, sorghum, wheat, sunflower, tomato, crucifers, peppers, potato, cotton, rice, soybean, sugarbeet, sugarcane, tobacco, barley, and oilseed rape. 
     
     
         21 . A method for increasing vigor or yield in a plant comprising:
 a) introducing into said plant the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:28, 8, 10, 14, 30, 32, or 34;   b) contacting said plant with an effective concentration of glyphosate; and,   c) growing said plant under conditions wherein the temperature is higher than ambient environmental temperature for at least two consecutive hours per day for at least four days following contact with said glyphosate, wherein said days following contact is within the growing season of the plant,   
       wherein the vigor or yield of said plant is higher than the vigor or yield of a plant expressing a glyphosate tolerance EPSP synthase that does not have a temperature optimum higher than ambient environmental temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the temperature in step (c) is about 32° C. to about 60° C. 
     
     
         23 . A method for conferring resistance to glyphosate in a plant comprising:
 a) introducing into said plant the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:28, 8, 10, 14, 30, 32, or 34;   b) contacting said plant with an effective concentration of glyphosate; and,   c) growing said plant under conditions wherein the temperature is higher than ambient environmental temperature for at least two consecutive hours per day for at least four days following contact with said glyphosate, wherein said days following contact is within the growing season of the plant.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the temperature in step (c) is about 32° C. to about 60° C. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the temperature in step (b) is about 37° C.