Chimeric promoters for use in plants

Abstract

The present invention provides polynucleotide molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides expression constructs containing the polynucleotide molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides transgenic plants and seeds containing the polynucleotide molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants.

1 . A chimeric promoter comprising a caulimovirus promoter enhancer, which is a Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter enhancer, fused with a rice actin gene promoter to form said chimeric promoter, wherein the chimeric promoter comprises a sequence at least 99% identical to nucleotides 13 through 1193 of SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         2 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A construct comprising the chimeric promoter of  claim 1 , wherein said chimeric promoter is operably linked to a transcribable polynucleotide molecule operably linked to a 3′ transcription termination polynucleotide molecule. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The construct of  claim 9 , wherein said transcribable polynucleotide molecule is a gene of agronomic interest. 
     
     
         13 . The construct of  claim 12 , wherein said gene of agronomic interest is a yield gene. 
     
     
         14 . A transgenic plant stably transformed with the construct of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A seed of said transgenic plant of  claim 14 , wherein the seed comprises the construct. 
     
     
         18 - 23 . (canceled)