Rice Promoters

Abstract

The present invention provides several promoters isolated from Oryza sativa , which promoters are capable of driving and/or regulating the expression of an operably linked nucleic acid in a plant. The expression patterns of the promoters according to the present invention have been studied in Oryza sativa and some of the promoters displayed specific activity in particular cells, tissues or organs of the plant, while others displayed constitutive expression throughout substantially the whole plant. Some promoters showed weak expression, while others were strongly active.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An isolated promoter capable of driving and/or regulating expression, comprising:
 (a) an isolated nucleic acid as given in any one of SEQ ID NO 1 to 22 or the complement of any one of SEQ ID NO 1 to 22;   (b) an isolated nucleic acid having at least 90% sequence identity with any of the DNA sequences as given in any one of SEQ ID NO 1 to 22;   (c) an isolated nucleic acid specifically hybridizing under stringent conditions with any of the DNA sequences as given in any one of SEQ ID NO 1 to 22;   (d) an isolated nucleic acid as defined in any one of (a) to (c), which is interrupted by an intervening sequence; or   (e) a fragment of any of the nucleic acids as defined in (a) to (d), which fragment is capable of driving and/or regulating expression.   
     
     
         20 . A promoter according to claim  1 , which is a hybrid promoter comprising at least one part of a promoter as defined in claim  1  and further comprising another part of a promoter. 
     
     
         21 . A genetic construct comprising:
 (a) An isolated promoter as defined in claim  1 , and   (b) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence operably linked to said promoter of (a); and optionally   (c) a 3′ transcription terminator.   
     
     
         22 . A host cell comprising an isolated promoter as defined in claim  1  and which is selected from a bacteria, algae, fungi, yeast, plant, insect and animal host. 
     
     
         23 . A method for driving and/or regulating expression of a nucleic acid in a plant or plant cell, comprising:
 (a) operably linking said nucleic acid to any one of the isolated nucleic acids as defined in claim  1 , and   (b) introducing the resultant genetic construct into a plant or plant cell.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein said expression is constitutive or tissue-specific. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of rice, maize, wheat, barley, millet, oats, rye, sorghum, soybean, sunflower, canola, sugarcane, alfalfa, bean, pea, flax, lupinus, rapeseed, tobacco, tomato, potato, squash, papaya, poplar and cotton.