Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility and method of using same

Abstract

Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A male-fertile plant which is homozygous recessive for ms26, wherein said plant comprises an expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:
 a. A polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 17;   b. A polynucleotide at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 17 and which encodes a functional Ms26 protein; and   c. A polynucleotide encoding a functional MS26 protein having a polypeptide sequence at least 86% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18.   
     
     
         2 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein said plant is maize, rice, or sorghum. 
     
     
         3 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide encodes a functional MS26 protein having a polypeptide sequence at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         4 . The plant of  claim 1 , wherein the heterologous promoter drives male tissue preferred expression of the operably-linked polynucleotide. 
     
     
         5 . A method of restoring male fertility of a male-sterile plant, the method comprising
 a. introducing into a male-sterile plant homozygous recessive for ms26 an expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:
 i. A polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 17; 
 ii. A polynucleotide at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 17, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a functional Ms26 protein; and 
 iii. A polynucleotide encoding a functional MS26 protein, wherein said protein comprises a polypeptide sequence at least 86% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18; and 
   b. growing the plant under conditions which result in expression of the operably-linked polynucleotide and restoration of male fertility.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method restores male fertility to a maize, rice, or sorghum plant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the polynucleotide encodes a functional MS26 protein having a polypeptide sequence at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the heterologous promoter drives male tissue preferred expression of the operably-linked polynucleotide. 
     
     
         9 . A method of controlling male fertility of a plant, comprising silencing expression of a gene native to the plant, wherein the gene comprises a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:
 i. A polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 17;   ii. A polynucleotide at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 17, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a functional Ms26 protein; and   iii. A polynucleotide encoding a functional MS26 protein, wherein said protein comprises a polypeptide sequence at least 86% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18;   
       wherein the plant is male-sterile as a result of the gene silencing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the gene silencing is accomplished by transposon targeting or antisense suppression. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the plant is maize, rice, or sorghum. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the polynucleotide encodes a functional MS26 protein having a polypeptide sequence at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. introducing into the male-sterile plant an expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide operably linked to a heterologous promoter, wherein the operably-linked polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:
 i. A polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 17; 
 ii. A polynucleotide at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 17, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a functional Ms26 protein; and 
 iii. A polynucleotide encoding a functional MS26 protein, wherein said protein comprises a polypeptide sequence at least 86% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18; and 
   b. growing the plant under conditions which result in expression of the operably-linked polynucleotide and restoration of male fertility of the plant.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the plant is maize, rice, or sorghum. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the operably-linked polynucleotide encodes a functional MS26 protein having a polypeptide sequence at least 95% identical to the full length of SEQ ID NO: 18.