Sugarcane centromere sequences and minichromosomes

Abstract

The invention is generally related to Sugarcane mini-chromosomes and recombinant chromosomes containing Sugarcane centromere sequences. In addition, the invention provides for methods of generating Sugarcane plants transformed with these Sugarcane mini-chromosomes. Sugarcane mini-chromosomes with novel compositions and structures are used to transform Sugarcane cells which are in turn used to generate Sugarcane plants. Methods for generating Sugarcane plants include methods for delivering the Sugarcane mini-chromosomes into Sugarcane cell to transform the cell, methods for selecting the transformed cell, and methods for isolating Sugarcane plants transformed with the Sugarcane mini-chromosome or recombinant chromosome.

1 . A polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 204; and   (b) a nucleotide sequence that is at least 98% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 204.   
     
     
         2 . The polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:204. 
     
     
         3 . A nucleic acid comprising an array comprising at least two copies of the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A nucleic acid comprising an array comprising from 2 to 1000 copies of the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the array is from 1 to 200 kb in length. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A sugarcane centromere comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A sugarcane artificial chromosome comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A sugarcane artificial chromosome comprising the sugarcane centromere of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         15 . The sugarcane artificial chromosome of  claim 12 , wherein the sugarcane artificial chromosome comprises an exogenous nucleic acid. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The sugarcane artificial chromosome of  claim 15 , wherein at least one exogenous nucleic acid is operably linked to a heterologous regulatory sequence functional in a sugarcane plant cell. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A vector or cell comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A vector or cell comprising the sugarcane artificial chromosome of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         24 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A cell comprising the vector of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         29 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A sugarcane plant tissue or sugarcane plant comprising the plant cell of  claim 28 . 
     
     
         35 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A sugarcane seed obtained from the sugarcane plant of  claim 28 . 
     
     
         38 . A sugarcane plant progeny comprising a sugarcane artificial chromosome, wherein the plant progeny is the result of breeding a plant of  claim 34  comprising the sugarcane artificial chromosome. 
     
     
         39 . A method of using a sugarcane plant of  claim 34 , wherein the sugarcane plant comprises a sugarcane artificial chromosome comprising an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a recombinant protein, the method comprising growing the plant to produce the recombinant protein. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising the step of harvesting or processing the sugarcane plant.