Switchgrass promoter and uses thereof

Abstract

The subject application provides polynucleotides, compositions thereof and methods for regulating gene expression in a plant. Polynucleotides disclosed herein comprise novel sequences for a promoter that initiates transcription of an operably linked nucleotide sequence. Thus, various embodiments of the invention comprise the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 or fragments thereof that are capable of driving the expression of an operably linked nucleic acid sequence.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest, wherein said promoter:
 a) comprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1;   b) comprises a fragment of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said fragment initiates/drives transcription of said operably linked heterologous polynucleotide sequence in a plant cell; or   c) comprises a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or a fragment thereof, wherein said nucleotide sequence or fragment initiates/drives transcription of said operably linked heterologous polynucleotide sequence in a plant cell.   
     
     
         2 . A vector comprising the DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . A plant cell having stably incorporated into its genome the DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The plant cell of  claim 3 , wherein said plant cell is from a monocot. 
     
     
         5 . The plant cell of  claim 3 , wherein said plant cell is from a dicot. 
     
     
         6 . The plant cell of  claim 3 , wherein said plant cell is from a fern. 
     
     
         7 . A plant having stably incorporated into its genome the DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         9 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein said plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         10 . The plant of  claim 7 , wherein the heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest encodes a gene product that confers herbicide, salt, heat, cold, flood, drought, pathogen, or insect resistance. 
     
     
         11 . A fern having stably incorporated into its genome the DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The fern of  claim 11 , wherein the heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest encodes a gene product that confers herbicide, salt, heat, cold, flood, drought, pathogen, or insect resistance. 
     
     
         13 . A transgenic seed comprising the DNA construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A transgenic spore, gametophyte or zygote comprising a DNA construct according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A method for expressing a nucleotide sequence in a plant, said method comprising introducing into a plant a DNA construct, said DNA construct comprising a promoter and operably linked to said promoter a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest, wherein said promoter comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2;   b) a nucleotide sequence comprising a fragment of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said fragment initiates transcription in a plant cell; and   c) a nucleotide sequence comprising a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 or a fragment thereof, wherein said sequence initiates transcription in the plant cell.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said plant is a dicot. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said plant is a monocot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said plant is a fern. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heterologous nucleotide sequence encodes a gene product that confers herbicide, salt, heat, cold, flood, drought, pathogen, or insect resistance. 
     
     
         20 . A method for introducing a nucleotide sequence into a plant cell comprising introducing into a plant cell a DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest, wherein said promoter comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2;   b) a nucleotide sequence comprising a fragment of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said fragment initiates transcription in a plant cell; and   c) a nucleotide sequence comprising a sequence having at least 70% sequence identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 or a fragment thereof, wherein said sequence initiates transcription in the plant cell.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said plant cell is from a monocot. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said plant cell is from a dicot.