Methods And Compositions For Providing Resistance To Glufosinate

Abstract

Compositions and methods comprising polynucleotides and polypeptides that confer glufosinate resistance to a host cell are provided. Further provided are nucleic acid constructs, host cells, plants, plant cells, explants, seeds and grain having the sequence that confer glufosinate resistance. Various methods of employing these sequences are provided. Such methods include, for example, methods for producing a host cell, plant, plant cell, explant or seed having glufosinate resistance, and methods of controlling weeds in a field containing a crop employing the plants and/or seeds disclosed herein.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide or a recombinant DNA comprising multiple expression cassettes, wherein at least one expression cassette comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having:
 (a) at least 97% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to a host cell;   (b) at least 99% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to a host cell; or   (c) at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to a host cell;   wherein said expression cassette comprises a heterologous promoter operably linked to the nucleotide sequence.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide or recombinant DNA of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7, 9, or 11. 
     
     
         3 . A polynucleotide construct comprising the recombinant DNA of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . A host cell comprising the recombinant DNA of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . A plant cell comprising a heterologous polynucleotide comprising multiple expression cassettes, wherein at least one expression cassette comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 7 or 11 or at least 96% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to the cell. 
     
     
         6 . The plant cell of  claim 5 , wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 7, 9, or 11. 
     
     
         7 . The plant cell of  claim 5 , wherein the plant cell exhibits enhanced resistance to glufosinate as compared to a wild type plant cell of the same species, strain or cultivar. 
     
     
         8 . The plant cell of  claim 5 , wherein said plant cell is from a monocot. 
     
     
         9 . The plant cell of  claim 5 , wherein said plant cell is from a dicot. 
     
     
         10 . A plant comprising a plant cell of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         11 . A plant explant comprising a plant cell of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         12 . A transgenic seed comprising the heterologous polynucleotide produced by the plant of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         13 . A method of producing a cell comprising a heterologous polynucleotide comprising multiple expression cassettes, wherein at least one expression cassette encodes for a polypeptide which confers glufosinate resistance to the cell, comprising transforming said cell with:
 a) an isolated polynucleotide or a recombinant DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 7, or 11 or at least 96% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to the cell; or,   b) a recombinant polynucleotide construct comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 7, or 11 or at least 96% identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein said polypeptide confers glufosinate resistance to the cell.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said polynucleotide construct further comprises at least one polynucleotide sequence of interest. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one polynucleotide sequence of interest comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide conferring insect resistance, disease resistance, herbicide resistance, sterility, agronomically valuable grain characteristics, and/or a non-agronomic commercial product. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , where said cell is a plant cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said plant cell is from a monocot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said plant cell is from a dicot. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selecting a plant cell which is resistant to glufosinate by growing the transgenic plant or plant cell in the presence of a concentration of glufosinate under conditions where the polypeptide is expressed at an effective level, whereby the transgenic plant cell grows at a rate that is discernibly greater than the cell would grow if it did not contain the nucleic acid construct. 
     
     
         20 . A method for controlling weeds in a field containing a crop comprising:
 (a) applying to an area of cultivation, a crop or a weed in an area of cultivation a sufficient amount of glufosinate to control weeds without significantly affecting the crop; and,   (b) planting the field with the plant of  claim 10  or a transgenic seed produced from said plant.