Stem Rust Resistance Gene

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transgenic plant which has integrated into its genome an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which confers resistance to one or more races of Puccinia gram in is r. sp. tTitici, such as the Ug99 group of races Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici.

1 .- 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which comprises amino acids having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, an amino acid sequence which is at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or a biologically active fragment thereof, wherein the polypeptide confers resistance to one or more races of  Puccinia graminis , wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to a promoter. 
     
     
         56 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , wherein the polypeptide comprises amino acids having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, an amino acid sequence which is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or a biologically active fragment thereof. 
     
     
         57 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , wherein the polypeptide comprises amino acids having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, an amino acid sequence which is at least 97% identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or a biologically active fragment thereof. 
     
     
         58 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , wherein the polypeptide comprises amino acids having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, an amino acid sequence which is at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or a biologically active fragment thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55  which comprises one or more further exogenous polynucleotides encoding another plant pathogen resistance polypeptide. 
     
     
         60 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , wherein the polypeptide comprises one, more or all of a coiled coil (CC) domain, an nucleotide binding (NB) domain and a leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain. 
     
     
         61 . The chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , wherein the biologically fragment is the leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain or the coiled coil (CC) domain of the polypeptide having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, or an amino acid sequence which is at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         62 . A chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an LRR domain which comprises 5 to 20 repeats of the sequence xxLxLxxxx (SEQ ID NO:8) from amino acids having a sequence as provided in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to a promoter. 
     
     
         63 . A method of producing a plant, the method comprising the steps of
 i) introducing the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55  into a cell of a plant,   ii) regenerating a plant from the cell,   
       thereby producing the plant. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  which further comprises harvesting seed from the plant. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63  which further comprises producing one or more progeny plants from the plant. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein plant is a cereal plant. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein plant is a wheat plant. 
     
     
         68 . A method of producing a plant, the method comprising the steps of
 i) crossing two parental plants, wherein at least one plant comprises the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 ,   ii) screening one or more progeny plants from the cross for the presence or absence of the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct, and   iii) selecting a progeny plant which comprise the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct, thereby producing the plant.   
     
     
         69 . A method for identifying a plant comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , the method comprising the steps of
 i) obtaining a nucleic acid sample from a plant, and   ii) screening the sample for the presence or absence of the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct,   
       wherein presence of the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct indicates that the plant is resistant to  Puccinia graminis.    
     
     
         70 . A method of producing a plant part, the method comprising,
 a) growing a plant comprising a chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , and   b) harvesting the plant part.   
     
     
         71 . A method of producing flour, wholemeal, starch or other product obtained from seed, the method comprising;
 a) obtaining seed comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , and   b) extracting the flour, wholemeal, starch or other product.   
     
     
         72 . A method of preparing a food product, the method comprising mixing seed comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , or flour, wholemeal or starch from the seed, with another food ingredient. 
     
     
         73 . Use of a plant comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 , or part thereof comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct, as animal feed, or to produce feed for animal consumption or food for human consumption. 
     
     
         74 . Flour or wholemeal comprising the chimeric vector or nucleic acid construct of  claim 55 .