Glyphosate resistance enhancement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new method for improving glyphosate resistance of a plant. The method encompasses providing one or more specific mutations in a specific nucleotide sequence, in a said plant. In comparison to a plant not manipulated according to the method, the plant obtained by the method displays (improved) glyphosate resistance. Also provided are a (transgenic) plant including a seed thereof and a plant product that can be obtained by the method according to the invention.

1 . A nucleotide sequence that encodes an EPSPS enzyme, that confers glyphosate resistance to a plant, characterized in that the nucleotide sequence comprises at least one mutation that corresponds to a change of an amino acid at position 44. 
     
     
         2 . The nucleotide sequence according to  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid that is changed at position 44 is Asparagine. 
     
     
         3 . The nucleotide sequence according to  claim 1 , wherein the amino acid at position 44 is changed into an Aspartic Acid. 
     
     
         4 . The nucleotide sequence according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the nucleotide sequence comprises at least one further mutation that on its own renders said nucleotide sequence to encode an EPSPS enzyme that confers glyphosate resistance to a plant. 
     
     
         5 . The nucleotide sequence according to  claim 4 , wherein an amino acid is changed at position 101 from  Glycine  and/or an amino acid is changed at position 106 from Proline and/or wherein an amino add is changed at position 179 from Serine. 
     
     
         6 . The nucleotide sequence according to  claim 5 , wherein the amino acid at position 101 is changed into an Alanine and/or the amino acid at position 106 is changed into a Leucine and/or the amino acid at position 179 is changed into an Asparagine. 
     
     
         7 . An EPSPS enzyme that confers glyphosate resistance to a plant, encoded by the nucleotide sequence of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The EPSPS enzyme according to  claim 7 , wherein the EPSPS enzyme is derived from a bacterium or a plant. 
     
     
         9 . The EPSPS enzyme according to  claim 7 , wherein the EPSPS enzyme is expressed in a plant. 
     
     
         10 . A vector comprising a nucleotide sequence according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A host comprising the vector of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         12 . A plant or transgenic plant or part thereof comprising a nucleotide sequence and/or fragment of said nucleotide sequence comprising the mutation as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A seed derived from a plant or transgenic plant or part thereof according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for providing a glyphosate resistant plant (cell), the method comprising:
 a. providing a plant (cell) that comprises a nucleotide sequence that encodes an EPSPS enzyme, characterized in that the nucleotide sequence comprises at least one mutation that corresponds to a change of an amino acid at position 44.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the amino add that is changed at position 44 is Asparagine. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the amino acid at position 44 is changed into an Aspartic Acid. 
     
     
         17 . A method for providing a plant (cell) with resistance to glyphosate, the method comprising:
 a. providing a plant (cell) that comprises a nucleotide sequence that encodes an EPSPS enzyme, characterized in that the nucleotide sequence comprises at least one mutation that corresponds to a change of an amino acid at position 44, and at least one further mutation that on its own renders said nucleotide sequence to encode an EPSPS enzyme that confers glyphosate resistance to a plant.   
     
     
         18 . A method for providing a plant (cell) with resistance to glyphosate, the method comprising:
 a. providing a plant (cell) that comprises a nucleotide sequence that encodes an EPSPS enzyme;   b. providing a mutation as defined in  claim 1  in said nucleotide sequence of step a).   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the mutation is introduced into the nucleotide sequence by introducing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the nucleotide sequence of step a) and comprising at least one mismatch with respect to the nucleotide sequence of step a), wherein the position of the mismatch corresponds to the position of a mutation as defined in step b). 
     
     
         20 . A method for enhancing glyphosate resistance of a plant (cell), the method comprising:
 a. providing a plant (cell) that comprises a nucleotide sequence that encodes an EPSPS enzyme that confers glyphosate resistance to a plant;   b. providing a mutation as defined in  claim 1  in said nucleotide sequence of step a).   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein step b) of providing a mutation in said nucleotide sequence of step a), in said plant (cell) of step a) is performed by introduction of at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the nucleotide sequence of step a) and comprising at least one mismatch with respect to the nucleotide sequence of step a), wherein the position of the mismatch corresponds to the position of a mutation as defined in step b). 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein an amino acid is changed at position 44 from Asparagine, and/or wherein an amino acid is changed at position 101 from  Glycine  and/or an amino acid is changed at position 106 from Proline and/or wherein an amino acid that is changed at position 179 from Serine. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the amino acid at position 44 is changed into Aspartic Acid and/or the amino acid at position 101 is changed into an Alanine and/or the amino acid at position 106 is changed into a Leucine and/or the amino acid at position 179 is changed into an Asparagine. 
     
     
         24 . A method for generating a plant product, the method comprising:
 a. processing the plant or part thereof of  claim 12  by cooking, grinding, drying, milling, baking, cutting, sieving, flaking, peeling, soaking, washing, heating, cooling, crushing, or wetting, to obtain a plant product.   
     
     
         25 - 29 . (canceled)