Manipulation of Plant Polysaccharide Synthases

Abstract

vides compositions and methods for manipulation of plant polysaccharides and plant polysaccharide syntheses. Compositions include novel nucleotide sequences encoding polysaccharide synthases polypeptides, and biologically active variants thereof. Further provided are methods for polysaccharide manipulation using the sequences disclosed herein. One method comprises stably incorporating into the genome of a plant cell, a nucleotide sequence of the present invention operably linked to a heterologous promoter and regenerating a stably transformed plant that expresses the nucleotide sequence.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/494,950 filed Jul. 28, 2006 which claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/260,046 filed Sep. 27, 2002, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,098,380, which claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/325,614 filed Sep. 27, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The present invention relates to polysaccharide production in plants through alteration of the polysaccharide synthesis pathways.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]Cereals constitute a major portion of human nutrition because of the polysaccharides the plants produce. Annually, over one billion tons of cereal grains are harvested, and half the calories consumed by humans are from rice and wheat alone. In addition, grazing animals consume vast amounts of grasses. Although cellulose is the primary polysaccharide of plants, plant cell walls also contain hemicelluloses and pectins (Carpita (1996) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 47:445-476).

[0004]Plant growth is determined by concerted synthesis of cell wall polymers, such as hemicelluloses and pectins. Thus, increased synthesis of one cell wall polymer is expected to cause an increase in the synthesis of the other polymers as well. Increased production of a plant polysaccharide generally accelerates plant growth. Conversely, decreased production of a plant polysaccharide generally inhibits the synthesis of other cell wall polymers and slows plant growth.

[0005]Mature plant cells generally contain about 30-40% hemicellulose. In monocot species, arabinoxylan (also referred to as glucurono-arabinoxylans or pentosan) is the main component of hemicellulose in the cell wall. In contrast, dicot cell walls contain xyloglucan as the primary hemicellulosic polymer (Carpita (1996) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 47:445-476).

[0006]Arabinoxylans are anti-nutritional components of animal feed, yet these polymers constitute 45-65% of the plant cell wall. Arabinoxylans absorb large amounts of water thus increasing the viscosity of the chyme and sequestering other digestible nutrients away from the digestive enzymes (WO 99/67404). In addition, the increased viscosity of the chyme results in sticky feces that contribute to animal hygiene and enteric disturbance problems for the livestock producer (Selinger et al. (1996) Anaerobe 2:263-284). Therefore, in certain circumstances, it would be desirable to lower the concentration of arabinoxylans in plants.

[0007]However, dietary fiber, particularly arabinoxylan, reduces cholesterol and low density lipoprotein levels in humans (WO 99/67,404). In breadmaking, bread quality depends heavily on the consistency of the dough. Dough that lacks viscosity alters the crumb structure of the bread and decreases the volume of bread produced. Arabinoxylan provides the viscous properties of dough (Girhammar et al. (1995) Food Hydrocolloids 9:133-140). Additionally, industries use isolated arabinoxylan preparations as thickeners, emulsifiers, or stabilizers in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, in certain circumstances, it would be desirable to increase the concentration of arabinoxylans in plant.

[0008]The modulation of hemicellulose content can also be utilized to control plant growth. For example, plant growth is determined by concerted synthesis of cell wall polymers. It is expected that increased synthesis of one of the cell wall polymers, such as hemicellulose, will cause an increase in the synthesis of the rest of the polymers as well. It is expected that increased production of arabinoxylan or xyloglucan in vegetative tissue will accelerate plant growth. In contrast, it is expected that decreased production of arabinoxylan will slow plant growth. Additionally, tissue-specific control of hemicellulose productivity is used to modify plant organ growth and development. Early flowering, larger fruit size, or stronger stalk or stem quality is achieved by operably linking a tissue specific promoter to a gene which when expressed increases hemicellulose biosynthesis (U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,638). In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to modulate the arabinoxylan and xyloglucan concentration in crop plants.

[0009]Clearly, modulating the concentrations of polysaccharides in various crops is a desirable goal. However, a direct approach using the enzymes that synthesize polysaccharides has been obscured for some time due to difficulties in isolating and cloning any of the plant polysaccharide synthase genes. Polysaccharide synthase enzymes for the common polysaccharides are estimated to number in the hundreds. Recently, several cellulose-synthase genes have been identified. The cellulose synthase genes share regions of homology that allow the identification of novel genes that participate in polysaccharide synthesis (Cutler et al. (1997) Current Biology 7: R108-R111).

[0010]Compositions and methodologies useful in the modulation of polysaccharide levels in plants are needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011]Compositions and methods for modulating plant polysaccharide synthesis are provided. In particular, the present invention provides nucleotide sequences encoding polysaccharide synthase polypeptides. More specifically, the present invention provides the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 or variants thereof. Also provided are amino acid sequences (SEQ ID NOS: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) encoded by the nucleotide sequences of the invention, and biologically active variants thereof.

[0012]Further compositions of the invention include expression cassettes and vectors for expression of these novel sequences in plants. Transformed plant cells, plants, plant tissues, and seed are also provided.

[0013]The invention further provides a method for modulation of polysaccharides, particularly hemicelluloses and pectins in plants. The method comprises stably incorporating into the genome of a plant a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of the invention operably linked to a promoter that drives expression of the sequence in the plant. Modification of plant polysaccharide levels alters the digestability and nutritive value of the plant and improves the sanitation of livestock and poultry that have consumed the plant. Additionally, modification of plant polysaccharide levels alters plant growth and allows extraction of gums.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014]The present invention provides compositions and methods for the modulation of polysaccharides in a plant. Compositions are nucleic acid molecules comprising novel nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides that are involved in polysaccharide synthesis, hereinafter referred to as "polysaccharide syntheses." Specifically, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or 30 or the nucleotide sequences encoding the cDNA insert of the plasmids deposited in a bacterial host as Patent Deposit Nos. PTA-3610, PTA-3612, PTA-3611, or PTA-3613. Further provided are polypeptides having an amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid molecules described herein, for example those set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 29, and fragments and variants thereof. These nucleotide sequences were identified in Zea mays.

[0015]Plasmids containing several of the nucleotide sequences of the invention were deposited with the Patent Depository of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Manassas, Va., on Aug. 7, 2001 and assigned Patent Deposit Nos. PTA-3610, PTA-3612, PTA-3611, or PTA-3613. These deposits will be maintained under the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. These deposits were made merely as a convenience for those of skill in the art and are not an admission that a deposit is required under 35 U.S.C. §112.

[0016]By "polysaccharide synthase" is intended the polypeptides of the invention that are enzymes involved in the synthesis of polysaccharides. By "polysaccharide synthesis" or "synthesis of polysaccharide(s)" is intended any modification to a polymer of monosaccharide residues including, but not limited to, xylose, glucose, arabinose, mannose, and galactose. Such modifications include ligation or formation of any of the various bonds, oxidation, reduction, the addition or deletion of a chemical moiety, particularly glucuronic acid, arabinose, acetyl, galactose, xylose, fucose, mannose, and rhamnose side chains, or any other change that affects the structure or activity of the molecule, including rerouting a polysaccharide from one biosynthetic pathway to another. While the present invention is not bound by any particular mechanism of polysaccharide synthesis, the sequences of the invention may synthesize polysaccharides by catalyzing glycosidic linkages extending the polysaccharide polymer, attaching side chain residues, or modifying the side chains of the polysaccharide. Hence polypeptides having polysaccharide synthase activity are characterized by the ability to accelerate the chemical modification of a polysaccharide molecule. Rerouting a polysaccharide from one biosynthetic pathway to another results in an increase or decrease in the level of another polysaccharide, and hence alters polysaccharide composition of a plant cell, tissue, or organ.

[0017]The polysaccharide synthases of the invention are characterized by their sequence similarity to previously identified enzymes that are known to be involved in polysaccharide synthesis. Such enzymes include, for example, celA1 (Pear et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:12637-12642; Richmond et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 124: 495-498), which is a cellulose synthase-like (Csl) polypeptide. The Csl polypeptides share amino-acid-sequence homology to known cellulose synthases. The Csl polypeptides contain a QxxRW motif, which may form the substrate binding and catalytic sites of these enzymes (Richmond et al. (2000) Plant Physiology 124: 495-498), as well as 3-6 transmembrane domains at the carboxy-terminus and 1-2 transmembrane domains at the amino-terminus. Transmembrane domains anchor polypeptides to membranes, including, for example, the Golgi apparatus membrane. The polypeptides responsible for synthesis of polysaccharides other than cellulose and callose, such as hemicelluloses and pectins, are membrane-associated (WO 99/67404). In fact, polypeptides encoded by several Csl genes have been localized to the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum where synthesis of polysaccharides occurs (Favery et al. (2001) Genes Dev. 15:79-89; Ray et al. (1976) Ber. Deutsch Bot. Ges. Bd. 89:121-146 [cited in WO 99/67404]).

[0018]The novel polysaccharide synthases of the invention have several features in common with Csl polypeptides known in the art. These novel polypeptides contain the QxxRW motif and at least 4 transmembrane domains. The nucleotide sequences of the invention (SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29) encode polypeptides that contain 6 transmembrane domains. The Golgi localization of the polypeptides encoded by the polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequences of the invention suggests these polysaccharide synthases are more likely to synthesize polysaccharides such as hemicelluloses or pectins rather than cellulose or callose (Richmond et al. (2000) Plant Physiology 124: 495-498). This CS1F class of genes is responsible for making the xylan backbone of arabinoxylan, and in so doing provides for changes in maize stalk and other tissues. Hence, the sequences of the invention may find use in the modulation of polysaccharide levels, thereby altering overall polysaccharide composition of a plant cell, tissue, or organ.

[0019]Polysaccharides predominate in the cell wall of plants and are grouped in several classes, including hemicellulose and pectin. The hemicellulose class of polysaccharides cannot be extracted from the plant cell wall with water or chelating agents, but can be extracted with aqueous alkali. The hemicelluloses include polysaccharides selected from the group comprised of xylans, glucuronoxylans, arabinoxylans, arabinogalactans 11, glucomannans, xyloglucans, mixed-link glucans, and galactomannans. Xylans contain a backbone of (1,4)-linked xylose residues with side chains present in varying amounts. In glucuronoxylans, glucuronic acid side chains predominate, although the compound may contain arabinose and acetyl side chains also. In arabinoxylans, arabinose side chains predominate. Glucomannans contain glucose and xylose linked by 1,4-glycosidic bonds, and galactose side chains are possible. Xyloglucans contain a backbone of (1,4)-linked glucose residues with xylose side chains, although galactose, fucose, and arabinose side chains are possible.

[0020]The pectin class of polysaccharides can be extracted from the plant cell wall with hot aqueous solutions of chelating agents or with hot dilute acid. Pectin includes polysaccharides rich in galacturonic acid, rhamnose, arabinose, and galactose, such as polygalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonans, and some arabinans, galactans, and arabinogalactans. Polygalacturonans consist primarily of galacturonic acid. Rhamnogalacturonans consist predominantly of galacturonic acid and rhamnose, although some forms may have up to four additional types of sugar. Galactans are polymers of galactose.

[0021]The quantity and complexity of plant polysaccharides has slowed development in the understanding of their biosynthetic pathways. The quantity and permutations of linkages, side chain patterns, and various backbones in polysaccharides suggests that the number of polysaccharide synthases is substantial. Numerous polysaccharide synthesis enzymatic activities have been identified including, but not limited to, xyloglucan alpha, 1-2 fucosyltransferase; galactinol synthase; KOJAK; sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase; fructan:fructan 1-fructosyltransferase; and Suc:fructan-6-fructosyltransferase. See Wulff et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 122:867-877; Sprenger et al. (2000) Plant J. 21:249-258; Favery et al. (2001) Genes Dev. 15:79-89; Reid (2000) Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 3:512-516; Hellwege et al. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 15:8699-8704; Muller et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 123:265-274; Geshi et al. (2000) Planta 210:622-629, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,638, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0022]The invention encompasses isolated or substantially purified nucleic acid or protein compositions. An "isolated" or "purified" nucleic acid molecule or protein, or biologically active portion thereof, is substantially or essentially free from components that normally accompany or interact with the nucleic acid molecule or protein as found in its naturally occurring environment. Thus, an isolated or purified nucleic acid molecule or protein is substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. Preferably, an "isolated" nucleic acid is free of sequences (preferably protein encoding sequences) that naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5' and 3' ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated nucleic acid molecule can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb, or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequences that naturally flank the nucleic acid molecule in genomic DNA of the cell from which the nucleic acid is derived. A protein that is substantially free of cellular material includes preparations of protein having less than about 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% (by dry weight) of contaminating protein. When the protein of the invention or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, preferably culture medium represents less than about 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-protein-of-interest chemicals.

[0023]Fragments and variants of the disclosed nucleotide sequences and polysaccharide synthase polypeptides encoded thereby are also encompassed by the present invention. By "fragment" is intended a portion of the nucleotide sequence or a portion of the amino acid sequence and hence polypeptide encoded thereby. Fragments of a nucleotide sequence may encode protein fragments that retain the activity of polysaccharide synthase polypeptides and hence function in polysaccharide synthesis. Alternatively, fragments of a nucleotide sequence that are useful as hybridization probes generally do not encode protein fragments retaining the activity of polysaccharide synthases. Furthermore, fragments used to decrease the activity of a polypeptide involved in polysaccharide synthesis using antisense or cosuppression technology also may not encode a polypeptide having the activity of polysaccharide synthases. However, expression of such fragments does result in a decrease in activity of a polypeptide involved in polysaccharide synthesis.

[0024]Generally, fragments of a nucleotide sequence will retain biological activity or encode a polypeptide that retains biological activity wherein "biological activity" is defined as any activity or function of the sequences of the invention, including, but not limited to: hybridization capability, the ability to prime synthesis, the ability to be specifically labeled, cellular activity, enzymatic activity, antigen activity, and binding activity. Thus, fragments of a nucleotide sequence of the invention may range from at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, or up to 1919 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 1; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, or up to 1569 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:3, the coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, or up to 1673 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:5; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, or up to 1611 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:7, the coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:5; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, or up to 1221 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:9; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, or up to 1065 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:11, the coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9; or at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, or up to 1899 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:13; at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, or up to 1587 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:15, the coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:13, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2500, or up to 2551 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 17, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, or up to 1740 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:19, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, or up to 1834 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO:21, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, or up to 2432 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 23, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, or up to 1190 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 25, at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300 or up to 2351 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 27, or at least about 16 nucleotides, about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, or up to 2318 nucleotides for SEQ ID NO: 29. Alternatively, a nucleic acid molecule that is a fragment of a polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequence of the present invention comprises a nucleotide sequence consisting of nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1900, 1900-1919 of SEQ ID NO: 1; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1569 for SEQ ID NO:3; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1673 of SEQ ID NO:5; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1611 of SEQ ID NO:7; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1221 of SEQ ID NO:9; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1065 of SEQ ID NO:11; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1899 of SEQ ID NO:13; nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1587 of SEQ ID NO:15, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1900, 1900-2000, 2000-2100, 2100-2200, 2200-2300, 2300-2400, 2400-2500, 2500-2551 of SEQ ID NO:17, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1740 of SEQ ID NO: 19, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1834 of SEQ ID NO: 21, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1900, 1900-2000, 2000-2100, 2100-2200, 2200-2300, 2300-2400, 2400-2432 of SEQ ID NO: 23, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1190 of SEQ ID NO: 25, nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1900, 1900-2000, 2000-2100, 2100-2200, 2200-2300, 2300-2351 of SEQ ID NO: 27, or nucleotides 1-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, 600-700, 700-800, 800-900, 900-1000, 1000-1100, 1100-1200, 1200-1300, 1300-1400, 1400-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1700, 1700-1800, 1800-1900, 1900-2000, 2000-2100, 2100-2200, 2200-2300, 2300-2318 of SEQ ID NO:29.

[0025]A fragment of a polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequence that encodes a biologically active portion of a polysaccharide synthase polypeptide of the invention will encode at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, or up to 522 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4; at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, or up to 536 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 8; at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, or up to 354 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO:10 or SEQ ID NO:12; at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, or up to 528 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO:14 or SEQ ID NO:16, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, or up to 720 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 18, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, or up to 537 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 20, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 or up to 572 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 22, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, or up to 727 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 24, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or up to 264 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 26, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, or up to 741 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 28, at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 or up to 590 contiguous amino acids present in SEQ ID NO: 30. Fragments of a polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequence that are useful as hybridization probes or PCR primers generally need not encode a polypeptide that retains polysaccharide synthase activity.

[0026]Thus, a fragment of a polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequence may encode a biologically active portion of a polysaccharide synthase polypeptide, or it may be a fragment that can be used as a hybridization probe or PCR primer using methods disclosed below. A biologically active portion of a polysaccharide synthase polypeptide can be prepared by isolating a portion of one of the nucleotide sequences of the invention, expressing the encoded portion of the polysaccharide synthase polypeptide (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro), and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the polysaccharide synthase polypeptide.

[0027]Variants of the novel nucleotide sequences or polypacchaide synthase polypeptides encoded thereby are also encompassed by the present invention. By "variants" is intended substantially similar sequences. For nucleotide sequences, conservative variants include those sequences that, because of the degeneracy of the genetic code, encode the amino acid sequence of one of the polysaccharide synthase polypeptides of the invention. Naturally occurring allelic variants such as these can be identified with the use of well-known molecular biology techniques, as, for example, with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and hybridization techniques as outlined below. Variant nucleotide sequences also include synthetically derived nucleotide sequences, such as those generated, for example, by using site-directed mutagenesis but which still encode a polysaccharide synthase polypeptide of the invention. Generally, variants of a particular nucleotide sequence of the invention will have at least about 65%, 70%, generally at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, preferably at least about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, and more preferably at least about 98%, 99% or more sequence identity to that particular nucleotide sequence as determined by sequence alignment programs described elsewhere herein using default parameters.

[0028]By "variant" protein is intended a protein derived from the native protein by deletion (so-called truncation) or addition of one or more amino acids to the N-terminal and/or C-terminal end of the native protein; deletion or addition of one or more amino acids at one or more sites in the native protein; or substitution of one or more amino acids at one or more sites in the native protein. Variant proteins encompassed by the present invention are biologically active, that is they continue to possess a desired biological activity of the native protein, particularly, polysaccharide synthesis activity as described herein. Such variants may result from, for example, genetic polymorphism or from human manipulation. Biologically active variants of a native polysaccharide synthase protein of the invention will have at least about 50%, 60%, 65%, 70%, generally at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, preferably at least about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, and more preferably at least about 98%, 99% or more sequence identity to the amino acid sequence for the native protein as determined by sequence alignment programs described elsewhere herein using default parameters. A biologically active variant of a protein of the invention may differ from that protein by as few as 1-15 amino acid residues, as few as 1-10, such as 6-10, as few as 5, as few as 4, 3, 2, or even 1 amino acid residue.

[0029]The proteins of the invention may be altered in various ways including amino acid substitutions, deletions, truncations, and insertions. Methods for such manipulations are generally known in the art. For example, amino acid sequence variants of the polysaccharide synthase polypeptides can be prepared by mutations in the DNA. Methods for mutagenesis and nucleotide sequence alterations are well known in the art. See, for example, Kunkel (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:488-492; Kunkel et al. (1987) Methods in Enzymol. 154:367-382; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,192; Walker and Gaastra, eds. (1983) Techniques in Molecular Biology (MacMillan Publishing Company, New York) and the references cited therein. Guidance as to appropriate amino acid substitutions that do not affect biological activity of the protein of interest may be found in the model of Dayhoff et al. (1978) Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure (Natl. Biomed. Res. Found., Washington, D.C.), herein incorporated by reference. Conservative substitutions, such as exchanging one amino acid with another having similar properties, may be preferable.

[0030]Thus, the genes and nucleotide sequences of the invention include both the naturally occurring sequences as well as mutant forms. Likewise, the proteins of the invention encompass both naturally occurring proteins as well as variations and modified forms thereof. Such variants will continue to possess the desired polysaccharide synthase activity. Obviously, the mutations that will be made in the DNA encoding the variant must not place the sequence out of reading frame and preferably will not create complementary regions that could produce secondary mRNA structure. See EP Patent Application Publication No. 75,444.

[0031]The deletions, insertions, and substitutions of the protein sequences encompassed herein are not expected to produce radical changes in the characteristics of the protein. However, when it is difficult to predict the exact effect of the substitution, deletion, or insertion in advance of doing so, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the effect will be evaluated by routine screening assays. That is, the activity can be evaluated by UDP-substrate binding studies, including a test battery assay to determine optimal substrates. See, for example, Pear et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:12637-12642; Geshi et al. (2000) Planta 210:622-629; Wulff et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 122:867-877) herein incorporated by reference.

[0032]Variant nucleotide sequences and proteins also encompass sequences and proteins derived from a mutagenic and recombinogenic procedure such as DNA shuffling. With such a procedure, one or more different polysaccharide synthase coding sequences can be manipulated to create a new polysaccharide synthase possessing the desired properties. In this manner, libraries of recombinant polynucleotides are generated from a population of related sequence polynucleotides comprising sequence regions that have substantial sequence identity and can be homologously recombined in vitro or in vivo. For example, using this approach, sequence motifs encoding a domain of interest may be shuffled between a polysaccharide synthase sequences of the invention and other known polysaccharide synthase genes to obtain a new gene coding for a polysacchaide synthase with an improved property of interest, such as an increased K_m. Strategies for such DNA shuffling are known in the art. See, for example, Stemmer (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:10747-10751; Stemmer (1994) Nature 370:389-391; Crameri et al. (1997) Nature Biotech. 15:436-438; Moore et al. (1997) J. Mol. Biol. 272:336-347; Zhang et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:4504-4509; Crameri et al. (1998) Nature 391:288-291; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,793 and 5,837,458.

[0033]The nucleotide sequences of the invention can be used to isolate corresponding sequences from other organisms, particularly other plants, and more particularly other monocots. In this manner, methods such as PCR, hybridization, and the like can be used to identify such sequences based on their sequence homology to the sequences set forth herein. Sequences isolated based on their sequence identity to the entire polysaccharide synthase sequences set forth herein or to fragments thereof are encompassed by the present invention. Such sequences include sequences that are orthologs of the disclosed sequences. By "orthologs" is intended genes derived from a common ancestral gene and which are found in different species as a result of speciation. Genes found in different species are considered orthologs when their nucleotide sequences and/or their encoded protein sequences share substantial identity as defined elsewhere herein. Functions of orthologs are often highly conserved among species.

[0034]In a PCR approach, oligonucleotide primers can be designed for use in PCR reactions to amplify corresponding DNA sequences from cDNA or genomic DNA extracted from any plant of interest. Methods for designing PCR primers and PCR cloning are generally known in the art and are disclosed in Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y.). See also Innis et al., eds. (1990) PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications (Academic Press, New York); Innis and Gelfand, eds. (1995) PCR Strategies (Academic Press, New York); and Innis and Gelfand, eds. (1999) PCR Methods Manual (Academic Press, New York). Known methods of PCR include, but are not limited to, methods using paired primers, nested primers, single specific primers, degenerate primers, gene-specific primers, vector-specific primers, partially-mismatched primers, and the like.

[0035]In hybridization techniques, all or part of a known nucleotide sequence is used as a probe that selectively hybridizes to other corresponding nucleotide sequences present in a population of cloned genomic DNA fragments or cDNA fragments (i.e., genomic or cDNA libraries) from a chosen organism. The hybridization probes may be genomic DNA fragments, cDNA fragments, RNA fragments, or other oligonucleotides, and may be labeled with a detectable group such as ³²P, or any other detectable marker. Thus, for example, probes for hybridization can be made by labeling synthetic oligonucleotides based on the polysaccharide synthase sequences of the invention. Methods for preparation of probes for hybridization and for construction of cDNA and genomic libraries are generally known in the art and are disclosed in Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y.).

[0036]For example, the entire polysaccharide synthase sequences disclosed herein, or one or more portions thereof, may be used as a probe capable of specifically hybridizing to corresponding polysaccharide synthase sequences and messenger RNAs. To achieve specific hybridization under a variety of conditions, such probes include sequences that are unique among polysaccharide synthase sequences and are preferably at least about 10 nucleotides in length, and most preferably at least about 20 nucleotides in length. Such probes may be used to amplify corresponding polysaccharide synthase sequences from a chosen plant by PCR. This technique may be used to isolate additional coding sequences from a desired plant or as a diagnostic assay to determine the presence of coding sequences in a desired plant. Hybridization techniques include hybridization screening of plated DNA libraries (either plaques or colonies; see, for example, Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y.).

[0037]Hybridization of such sequences may be carried out under stringent conditions. By "stringent conditions" or "stringent hybridization conditions" is intended conditions under which a probe will hybridize to its target sequence to a detectably greater degree than to other sequences (e.g., at least 2-fold over background). Stringent conditions are sequence-dependent and will be different in different circumstances. By controlling the stringency of the hybridization and/or washing conditions, target sequences that are 100% complementary to the probe can be identified (homologous probing). Alternatively, stringency conditions can be adjusted to allow some mismatching in sequences so that lower degrees of similarity are detected (heterologous probing). Generally, a probe is less than about 1000 nucleotides in length, preferably less than 500 nucleotides in length.

[0038]Typically, stringent conditions will be those in which the salt concentration is less than about 1.5 M Na ion, typically about 0.01 to 1.0 M Na ion concentration (or other salts) at pH 7.0 to 8.3 and the temperature is at least about 30° C. for short probes (e.g., 10 to 50 nucleotides) and at least about 60° C. for long probes (e.g., greater than 50 nucleotides). Stringent conditions may also be achieved with the addition of destabilizing agents such as formamide. Exemplary low stringency conditions include hybridization with a buffer solution of 30 to 35% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) at 37° C., and a wash in 1× to 2×SSC (20×SSC=3.0 M NaCl/0.3 M trisodium citrate) at 50 to 55° C. Exemplary moderate stringency conditions include hybridization in 40 to 45% formamide, 1.0 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.5× to 1×SSC at 55 to 60° C. Exemplary high stringency conditions include hybridization in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C. Optionally, wash buffers may comprise about 0.1% to about 1% SDS. Duration of hybridization is generally less than about 24 hours, usually about 4 to about 12 hours.

[0039]Specificity is typically the function of post-hybridization washes, the critical factors being the ionic strength and temperature of the final wash solution. For DNA-DNA hybrids, the T_m can be approximated from the equation of Meinkoth and Wahl (1984) Anal. Biochem. 138:267-284: T_m=81.5° C.+16.6 (log M)+0.41 (% GC)-0.61 (% form)-500/L; where M is the molarity of monovalent cations, % GC is the percentage of guanosine and cytosine nucleotides in the DNA, % form is the percentage of formamide in the hybridization solution, and L is the length of the hybrid in base pairs. The T_m is the temperature (under defined ionic strength and pH) at which 50% of a complementary target sequence hybridizes to a perfectly matched probe. T_m is reduced by about 1° C. for each 1% of mismatching; thus, T_m, hybridization, and/or wash conditions can be adjusted to hybridize to sequences of the desired identity. For example, if sequences with ≧90% identity are sought, the T_m can be decreased 10° C. Generally, stringent conditions are selected to be about 5° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m) for the specific sequence and its complement at a defined ionic strength and pH. However, severely stringent conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 1, 2, 3, or 4° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m); moderately stringent conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m); low stringency conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 20° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m). Using the equation, hybridization and wash compositions, and desired T_m, those of ordinary skill will understand that variations in the stringency of hybridization and/or wash solutions are inherently described. If the desired degree of mismatching results in a T_m of less than 45° C. (aqueous solution) or 32° C. (formamide solution), it is preferred to increase the SSC concentration so that a higher temperature can be used. An extensive guide to the hybridization of nucleic acids is found in Tijssen (1993) Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-Hybridization with Nucleic Acid Probes, Part I, Chapter 2 (Elsevier, New York); and Ausubel et al., eds. (1995) Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Chapter 2 (Greene Publishing and Wiley-Interscience, New York). See Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y.).

[0040]Thus, isolated sequences that encode for a polysaccharide synthase protein and which hybridize under stringent conditions to the polysaccharide synthase sequences disclosed herein, or to fragments thereof, are encompassed by the present invention.

[0041]The following terms are used to describe the sequence relationships between two or more nucleic acids or polynucleotides: (a) "reference sequence", (b) "comparison window", (c) "sequence identity", (d) "percentage of sequence identity", and (e) "substantial identity".

[0042](a) As used herein, "reference sequence" is a defined sequence used as a basis for sequence comparison. A reference sequence may be a subset or the entirety of a specified sequence; for example, as a segment of a full-length cDNA or gene sequence, or the complete cDNA or gene sequence.

[0043](b) As used herein, "comparison window" makes reference to a contiguous and specified segment of a polynucleotide sequence, wherein the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. Generally, the comparison window is at least 20 contiguous nucleotides in length, and optionally can be 30, 40, 50, 100, or longer. Those of skill in the art understand that to avoid a high similarity to a reference sequence due to inclusion of gaps in the polynucleotide sequence a gap penalty is typically introduced and is subtracted from the number of matches.

[0044]Methods of alignment of sequences for comparison are well known in the art. Thus, the determination of percent sequence identity between any two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. Preferred, non-limiting examples of such mathematical algorithms are the algorithm of Myers and Miller (1988) CABIOS 4:11-17; the local homology algorithm of Smith et al. (1981) Adv. Appl. Math. 2:482; the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 48:443-453; the search-for-similarity-method of Pearson and Lipman (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 85:2444-2448; the algorithm of Karlin and Altschul (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:2264, modified as in Karlin and Altschul (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:5873-5877.

[0045]Computer implementations of these mathematical algorithms can be utilized for comparison of sequences to determine sequence identity. Such implementations include, but are not limited to: CLUSTAL in the PC/Gene program (available from Intelligenetics, Mountain View, Calif.); the ALIGN program (Version 2.0) and GAP, BESTFIT, BLAST, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Version 8 (available from Genetics Computer Group (GCG), 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wis., USA). Alignments using these programs can be performed using the default parameters. The CLUSTAL program is well described by Higgins et al. (1988) Gene 73:237-244 (1988); Higgins et al. (1989) CABIOS 5:151-153; Corpet et al. (1988) Nucleic Acids Res. 16:10881-90; Huang et al. (1992) CABIOS 8:155-65; and Pearson et al. (1994) Meth. Mol. Biol. 24:307-331. The ALIGN program is based on the algorithm of Myers and Miller (1988) supra. A PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12, and a gap penalty of 4 can be used with the ALIGN program when comparing amino acid sequences. The BLAST programs of Altschul et al (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403 are based on the algorithm of Karlin and Altschul (1990) supra. BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the BLASTN program, score=100, wordlength=12, to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the BLASTX program, score=50, wordlength=3, to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to a protein or polypeptide of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST (in BLAST 2.0) can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389. Alternatively, PSI-BLAST (in BLAST 2.0) can be used to perform an iterated search that detects distant relationships between molecules. See Altschul et al. (1997) supra. When utilizing BLAST, Gapped BLAST, PSI-BLAST, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., BLASTN for nucleotide sequences, BLASTX for proteins) can be used. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Alignment may also be performed manually by inspection.

[0046]Unless otherwise stated, sequence identity/similarity values provided herein refer to the value obtained using GAP version 10 using the following parameters: % identity using GAP Weight of 50 and Length Weight of 3; % similarity using Gap Weight of 12 and Length Weight of 4, or any equivalent program. By "equivalent program" is intended any sequence comparison program that, for any two sequences in question, generates an alignment having identical nucleotide or amino acid residue matches and an identical percent sequence identity when compared to the corresponding alignment generated by GAP Version 10.

[0047]GAP uses the algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443-453, to find the alignment of two complete sequences that maximizes the number of matches and minimizes the number of gaps. GAP considers all possible alignments and gap positions and creates the alignment with the largest number of matched bases and the fewest gaps. It allows for the provision of a gap creation penalty and a gap extension penalty in units of matched bases. GAP must make a profit of gap creation penalty number of matches for each gap it inserts. If a gap extension penalty greater than zero is chosen, GAP must, in addition, make a profit for each gap inserted of the length of the gap times the gap extension penalty. Default gap creation penalty values and gap extension penalty values in Version 10 of the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package for protein sequences are 8 and 2, respectively. For nucleotide sequences the default gap creation penalty is 50 while the default gap extension penalty is 3. The gap creation and gap extension penalties can be expressed as an integer selected from the group of integers consisting of from 0 to 200. Thus, for example, the gap creation and gap extension penalties can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 or greater.

[0048]GAP presents one member of the family of best alignments. There may be many members of this family, but no other member has a better quality. GAP displays four figures of merit for alignments: Quality, Ratio, Identity, and Similarity. The Quality is the metric maximized in order to align the sequences. Ratio is the quality divided by the number of bases in the shorter segment. Percent Identity is the percent of the symbols that actually match. Percent Similarity is the percent of the symbols that are similar. Symbols that are across from gaps are ignored. A similarity is scored when the scoring matrix value for a pair of symbols is greater than or equal to 0.50, the similarity threshold. The scoring matrix used in Version 10 of the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package is BLOSUM62 (see Henikoff and Henikoff (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915).

[0049](c) As used herein, "sequence identity" or "identity" in the context of two nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences makes reference to the residues in the two sequences that are the same when aligned for maximum correspondence over a specified comparison window. When percentage of sequence identity is used in reference to proteins it is recognized that residue positions which are not identical often differ by conservative amino acid substitutions, where amino acid residues are substituted for other amino acid residues with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity) and therefore do not change the functional properties of the molecule. When sequences differ in conservative substitutions, the percent sequence identity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Sequences that differ by such conservative substitutions are said to have "sequence similarity" or "similarity". Means for making this adjustment are well known to those of skill in the art. Typically this involves scoring a conservative substitution as a partial rather than a full mismatch, thereby increasing the percentage sequence identity. Thus, for example, where an identical amino acid is given a score of 1 and a non-conservative substitution is given a score of zero, a conservative substitution is given a score between zero and 1. The scoring of conservative substitutions is calculated, e.g., as implemented in the program PC/GENE (Intelligenetics, Mountain View, Calif.).

[0050](d) As used herein, "percentage of sequence identity" means the value determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, wherein the portion of the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) as compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity.

[0051](e)(i) The term "substantial identity" of polynucleotide sequences means that a polynucleotide comprises a sequence that has at least 70% sequence identity, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, and most preferably at least 95%, compared to a reference sequence using one of the alignment programs described using standard parameters. One of skill in the art will recognize that these values can be appropriately adjusted to determine corresponding identity of proteins encoded by two nucleotide sequences by taking into account codon degeneracy, amino acid similarity, reading frame positioning, and the like. Substantial identity of amino acid sequences for these purposes normally means sequence identity of at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, 80%, 90%, and most preferably at least 95%.

[0052]Another indication that nucleotide sequences are substantially identical is if two molecules hybridize to each other under stringent conditions. Generally, stringent conditions are selected to be about 5° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m) for the specific sequence at a defined ionic strength and pH. However, stringent conditions encompass temperatures in the range of about 1° C. to about 20° C. lower than the T_m, depending upon the desired degree of stringency as otherwise qualified herein. Nucleic acids that do not hybridize to each other under stringent conditions are still substantially identical if the polypeptides they encode are substantially identical. This may occur, e.g., when a copy of a nucleic acid is created using the maximum codon degeneracy permitted by the genetic code. One indication that two nucleic acid sequences are substantially identical is when the polypeptide encoded by the first nucleic acid is immunologically cross reactive with the polypeptide encoded by the second nucleic acid.

[0053](e)(ii) The term "substantial identity" in the context of a peptide indicates that a peptide comprises a sequence with at least 70% sequence identity to a reference sequence, preferably 80%, more preferably 85%, most preferably at least 90% or 95% sequence identity to the reference sequence over a specified comparison window. Preferably, optimal alignment is conducted using the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 48:443-453. An indication that two peptide sequences are substantially identical is that one peptide is immunologically reactive with antibodies raised against the second peptide. Thus, a peptide is substantially identical to a second peptide, for example, where the two peptides differ only by a conservative substitution. Peptides that are "substantially similar" share sequences as noted above except that residue positions that are not identical may differ by conservative amino acid changes.

[0054]Methods are provided for modulating polysaccharide synthase levels in a plant. By "modulating" is intended decreasing or increasing the native levels of polysaccharide synthase transcripts, polypeptides, enzyme activity; altering the enzyme specificity; or a combination thereof. By "decreasing" polysaccharide synthase transcripts, polypeptides, or enzyme activity is intended a 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% reduction of the native polysaccharide transcript, polypeptide or enzyme activity. By "increasing" polysaccharide synthase transcripts, polypeptides, or enzyme activity is intended a 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more augmentation of the native polysaccharide transcript, polypeptide, or enzyme activity. Modulating also comprises expression of an enzyme normally not found in a particular plant. Thus, plants and plant cells are obtained that have altered polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways. Such plants, plant cells, and plant tissues are "modified" in that the activities of proteins in polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways are altered. As noted below, various methods are available for creating modified plants, plant cells, and plant tissues, including transformation, transcription, and breeding. Any method known in the art for modulating expression may be employed singly or in combination to achieve the desired result. Such techniques will lead to an altered expression of polysaccharide synthase polypeptides involved in the polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways in the modified plant, plant cell, or plant tissue.

[0055]Modulating can be accomplished by either up-regulating or down-regulating expression of a nucleotide sequence of the invention. An embodiment of the invention involves modulation of polysaccharide synthase expression in a crop plant, particularly maize. Methods for up-regulating expression of a nucleotide sequence include introducing a nucleotide sequence of the invention operably linked to a heterologous promoter such as a strong promoter, constitutive promoter, or seed-specific promoter into a plant cell of interest. Methods for down-regulating expression of a nucleotide sequence include the use of antisense suppression and co-suppression technology to inhibit expression of a nucleotide sequence of the invention.

[0056]Anti-sense suppression technology is a method of down-regulating expression of the nucleotide sequences of the invention. It is recognized that with these nucleotide sequences, antisense constructions complementary to at least a portion of the messenger RNA (mRNA) for the polysaccharide synthase sequences can be constructed. Antisense nucleotides are constructed to hybridize with the corresponding mRNA. Modifications of the antisense sequences may be made as long as the sequences hybridize to and interfere with expression of the corresponding mRNA. In this manner, antisense constructions having 70%, preferably 80%, more preferably 85% sequence identity to the corresponding antisense sequences may be used. Furthermore, portions of the antisense nucleotides may be used to disrupt the expression of the target sequence. Generally, sequences of at least 50 nucleotides, 100 nucleotides, 200 nucleotides, or greater may be used.

[0057]The nucleotide sequences of the present invention may also be used in the sense orientation to suppress the expression of endogenous polysaccharide synthases in plants. Methods for suppressing gene expression in plants using nucleotide sequences in the sense orientation are known in the art. The methods generally involve transforming plants with a DNA construct comprising a promoter that drives expression in a plant operably linked to at least a portion of a nucleotide sequence that corresponds to the transcript of the endogenous gene. Typically, such a nucleotide sequence has substantial sequence identity to the sequence of the transcript of the endogenous gene, preferably greater than about 65% sequence identity, more preferably greater than about 85% sequence identity, most preferably greater than about 95% sequence identity. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,184 and 5,034,323; herein incorporated by reference.

[0058]Alternatively, polysaccharide synthase expression may be modulated by modifying the kinetic properties of an endogenous polysaccharide synthase through site-directed alterations of the coding sequence of the endogenous gene resulting in changes in the amino acid sequence of the encoded enzyme. Such site-directed alterations may be accomplished by any method known in the art including, but not limited to, a chimeraplasty-based method involving a nucleotide construct of the invention.

[0059]In one embodiment of the invention a method for improving the digestibility of grain crops is provided. By "digestibility" is intended the percentage of a substance taken into a digestive tract that is absorbed by the body. Arabinoxylans constitute 45%-65% of the grain cell wall, but they impede digestion of the grain and may sequester digestible components of grain thus reducing digestibility (WO 99/67404; van der Klis et al. (1995) Anim. Feed Sci. & Tech. 51:15-27). The high levels of undigestible material contribute to the sanitation challenges of livestock and poultry raising (Selinger et al. (1996) Anaerobe 2:263-284). The methods for modulating polysaccharide synthase levels can be used to increase digestibility of grain and forage crops by lowering the concentration of polysaccharide synthases, thereby lowering the concentration of hemicelluloses, such as arabinoxylan, in the modified plant. Tissue-specific promoters can be used to direct down regulation of expression of the nucleotide sequences of the invention in the desired plant tissues using antisense or sense-suppression technology as described elsewhere herein.

[0060]Methods to measure digestibility are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, determining the food conversion ratio (WO 99/67404), sampling chyme for chromium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium (van der Klis et al. (1995) Anim. Feed Sci. & Tech. 51:15-27), in sacco degradation (van Vuuren et al. (1989) Grass & Forage Sci. 44: 223-230), growth studies (GrootWassink et al. (1989) J. Sci. Food Agric. 46:289-300), and the enzyme digestible dry matter (EDDM) assay (Boisen and Fernandez (1997) Animal Feed Sci. Tech. 68:83-92; and Boisen and Fernandez (1995) Animal Feed Sci. Tech. 51:29-43); all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Such methods can be used to determine the digestibility and/or energy availability of the plant parts of plants modified in accordance with methods of the invention. The modified plant parts, such as modified grain, may be fed to a variety of livestock including, but not limited to, poultry, cattle, swine, horses, and sheep.

[0061]In another embodiment of the invention a method for improving gum extractability is provided. By "gum" is intended any of numerous colloidal polysaccharides of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but which harden on drying, including, but not limited to, arabinoxylans, galactans, and mixed-link glucans. Whereas high gum concentration can be detrimental to digestibility, there is a strong interest in their industrial applications, such as their use as thickeners in the food industry (Sanderson (1982) Prog. Fd. Nutr. Sci. 6:77-87). About 15% of the total corn produced in the USA is subjected to wet milling to produce mainly starch and also oil from the germ. Wet milling is a multi-step process involving the steeping and grinding of kernels, and separating the kernels into starch, protein, oil, and fiber portions. See S. R. Eckhoff (1992) Proceedings of the 4^th Corn Utilization Conference, Jun. 24-26, 1992, St. Louis, Mo., (National Corn Growers Association, CIBA-GEIGY Seed Division, and the USDA). The fiber residue left at the end of the wet-milling process is rich in arabinoxylans. However, it is not currently economically feasible to extract arabinoxylans from the wet-milled residue of corn. Increasing the level of arabinoxylans, galactans, or mixed-link glucans in the maize grain improves the ability to extract the gums. This can be achieved by generating a plant that overexpresses polysaccharide synthases involved in synthesis of arabinoxylans, galactans, and mixed-link glucans, particularly overexpression in the tissue of interest, such as grain.

[0062]The present invention also provides a method for modulating the plant growth rate. Plant cell growth is accomplished through loosening of the plant cell wall and expansion due to the turgor pressure of the plant cell. There is a relationship between the looseness of the plant cell wall and the turgor pressure of the cell such that looser cell walls require less turgor pressure to expand, while stronger cell walls require more turgor pressure to expand. A component of cell wall loosening is the deposition by a process known as intussusception of matrix polysaccharides within the cell wall. The newly incorporated polysaccharides relieve stress in the load-bearing components of the plant cell wall and prevent a perpetual gradual thinning of the cell walls during plant cell growth. Under conditions of drought or stress, the turgor pressure of the cell decreases, and the plant decreases synthesis of the polysaccharides necessary for cell-wall loosening and cell growth (see Ray (1992) Curr. Topics in Plant Biochem. & Phys. 11:18-41). In this manner, the interplay between low turgor pressure and the strength of the cell wall prevents or slows growth. Increased synthesis of polysaccharides would allow the plant cell wall to loosen and allow growth with less turgor pressure. The use of stress-responsive promoters would allow regulated expression of the polysaccharide synthases of the invention (see U.S. patent Nos: U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,859; U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,305; U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,705; U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,009). Polysaccharide synthases of the Csl family of gene products have been shown to be involved in plant growth (Favery et al. (2001) Genes Dev. 15:79-89). Therefore, plant cell growth may be modulated by modulating the levels of polysaccharides through modulation of polysaccharide synthase expression. In this manner, the nucleotide sequences of the invention may be used to modulate the levels of polysaccharide synthesis activity and thus to mediate plant growth.

[0063]Although modulated growth of the entire plant is one possible desired embodiment, it is recognized that modulated growth of specific tissues such as the roots or seeds may be desired. Methods of tissue-preferred expression of the nucleotide sequences of the invention are discussed elsewhere herein.

[0064]The polysaccharide synthase sequences of the invention are provided in expression cassettes for expression in the plant of interest. The cassette will include 5' and 3' regulatory sequences operably linked to a nucleotide sequence of the invention. By "operably linked" is intended a functional linkage between a promoter and a second sequence, wherein the promoter sequence initiates and mediates transcription of the DNA sequence corresponding to the second sequence. Generally, operably linked means that the nucleic acid sequences being linked are contiguous and, where necessary to join two protein coding regions, contiguous and in the same reading frame. The cassette may additionally contain at least one additional gene to be cotransformed into the organism. Alternatively, the additional gene(s) can be provided on multiple expression cassettes.

[0065]Such an expression cassette is provided with a plurality of restriction sites for insertion of the polysaccharide synthase sequence to be under the transcriptional regulation of the regulatory regions. The expression cassette may additionally contain selectable marker genes.

[0066]The expression cassette will include in the 5'-3' direction of transcription, a transcriptional and translational initiation region, a nucleotide sequence of the invention, and a transcriptional and translational termination region functional in plants. The transcriptional initiation region, the promoter, may be native or analogous or foreign or heterologous to the plant host. Additionally, the promoter may be the natural sequence or alternatively a synthetic sequence. By "foreign" is intended that the transcriptional initiation region be not found in the native plant into which the transcriptional initiation region is introduced. As used herein, a chimeric gene comprises a coding sequence operably linked to a transcription initiation region that is heterologous to the coding sequence.

[0067]While it may be preferable to express the sequences using heterologous promoters, the native promoter sequences may be used. Such constructs would change expression levels of polysaccharide synthases in the plant or plant cell. Thus, the phenotype of the plant or plant cell is altered.

[0068]The termination region may be native with the transcriptional initiation region, may be native with the operably linked polysaccharide synthase sequence of interest, or may be derived from another source. Convenient termination regions are available from the Ti-plasmid of A. tumefaciens, such as the octopine synthase and nopaline synthase termination regions. See also Guerineau et al. (1991) Mol. Gen. Genet. 262:141-144; Proudfoot (1991) Cell 64:671-674; Sanfacon et al. (1991) Genes Dev. 5:141-149; Mogen et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2:1261-1272; Munroe et al. (1990) Gene 91:151-158; Ballas et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:7891-7903; and Joshi et al. (1987) Nucleic Acid Res. 15:9627-9639.

[0069]Where appropriate, the polysaccharide synthase sequences may be optimized for increased expression in the transformed plant. That is, the sequences can be synthesized using plant-preferred codons for improved expression. See, for example, Campbell and Gowri (1990) Plant Physiol. 92:1-11 for a discussion of host-preferred codon usage. Methods are available in the art for synthesizing plant-preferred sequences. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,831, and 5,436,391, and Murray et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:477-498, herein incorporated by reference.

[0070]Additional sequence modifications are known to enhance gene expression in a cellular host. These include elimination of sequences encoding spurious polyadenylation signals, exon-intron splice site signals, transposon-like repeats, and other such well-characterized sequences that may be deleterious to gene expression. The G-C content of the sequence may be adjusted to levels average for a given cellular host, as calculated by reference to known genes expressed in the host cell. When possible, the sequence is modified to avoid predicted hairpin secondary mRNA structures.

[0071]The expression cassettes may additionally contain 5' leader sequences in the expression cassette construct. Such leader sequences can act to enhance translation. Translation leaders are known in the art and include: picornavirus leaders, for example, EMCV leader (Encephalomyocarditis 5' noncoding region) (Elroy-Stein et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6126-6130); potyvirus leaders, for example, TEV leader (Tobacco Etch Virus) (Gallie et al. (1995) Gene 165(2):233-238), MDMV leader (Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus) (Virology 154:9-20), and human immunoglobulin heavy-chain binding protein (BiP) (Macejak et al. (1991) Nature 353:90-94); untranslated leader from the coat protein mRNA of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV RNA 4) (Jobling et al. (1987) Nature 325:622-625); tobacco mosaic virus leader (TMV) (Gallie et al. (1989) in Molecular Biology of RNA, ed. Cech (Liss, New York), pp. 237-256); and maize chlorotic mottle virus leader (MCMV) (Lommel et al. (1991) Virology 81:382-385). See also, Della-Cioppa et al. (1987) Plant Physiol. 84:965-968. Other methods known to enhance translation can also be utilized, for example, introns, and the like.

[0072]In preparing the expression cassette, the various DNA fragments may be manipulated, so as to provide for the DNA sequences in the proper orientation and, as appropriate, in the proper reading frame. Toward this end, adapters or linkers may be employed to join the DNA fragments or other manipulations may be involved to provide for convenient restriction sites, removal of superfluous DNA, removal of restriction sites, or the like. For this purpose, in vitro mutagenesis, primer repair, restriction, annealing, resubstitutions, e.g., transitions and transversions, may be involved.

[0073]Generally, the expression cassette will comprise a selectable marker gene for the selection of transformed cells. Selectable marker genes are utilized for the selection of transformed cells or tissues. Marker genes include genes encoding antibiotic resistance, such as those encoding neomycin phosphotransferase II (NEO) and hygromycin phosphotransferase (HPT), as well as genes conferring resistance to herbicidal compounds, such as glufosinate ammonium, bromoxynil, imidazolinones, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D). See generally, Yarranton (1992) Curr. Opin. Biotech. 3:506-511; Christopherson et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6314-6318; Yao et al. (1992) Cell 71:63-72; Reznikoff (1992) Mol. Microbiol. 6:2419-2422; Barkley et al. (1980) in The Operon, pp. 177-220; Hu et al. (1987) Cell 48:555-566; Brown et al. (1987) Cell 49:603-612; Figge et al. (1988) Cell 52:713-722; Deuschle et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5400-5404; Fuerst et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2549-2553; Deuschle et al. (1990) Science 248:480-483; Gossen (1993) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Heidelberg; Reines et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:1917-1921; Labow et al. (1990) Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:3343-3356; Zambretti et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3952-3956; Baim et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:5072-5076; Wyborski et al. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4647-4653; Hillenand-Wissman (1989) Topics Mol. Struc. Biol. 10:143-162; Degenkolb et al., (1991) Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 35:1591-1595; Kleinschnidt et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27:1094-1104; Bonin (1993) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Heidelberg; Gossen et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5547-5551; Oliva et al. (1992) Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 36:913-919; Hlavka et al. (1985) Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, Vol. 78 (Springer-Verlag, Berlin); Gill et al. (1988) Nature 334:721-724. Such disclosures are herein incorporated by reference. The above list of selectable marker genes is not meant to be limiting. Any selectable marker gene can be used in the present invention.

[0074]The use of the term "nucleotide constructs" herein is not intended to limit the present invention to nucleotide constructs comprising DNA. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that nucleotide constructs, particularly polynucleotides and oligonucleotides, comprised of ribonucleotides and combinations of ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides may also be employed in the methods disclosed herein. Thus, the nucleotide constructs of the present invention encompass all nucleotide constructs that can be employed in the methods of the present invention for transforming plants including, but not limited to, those comprised of deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, and combinations thereof. Such deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotides include both naturally occurring molecules and synthetic analogues. The nucleotide constructs of the invention also encompass all forms of nucleotide constructs including, but not limited to, single-stranded forms, double-stranded forms, hairpins, stem-and-loop structures, and the like.

[0075]In certain embodiments the nucleic acid sequences of the present invention can be stacked with any combination of polynucleotide sequences of interest in order to create plants with a desired phenotype. For example, the polynucleotides of the present invention may be stacked with any other polynucleotides of the present invention, such as any combination of polysaccharide synthases (SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29), or with other genes implicated in polysaccharide synthase enzymatic activities including, but not limited to, xyloglucan alpha 1-2 fucosyltransferase; galactinol synthase; KOJAK; sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase; fructan:fructan 1-fructosyltransferase; and Suc:fructan-6-fructosyltransferase. (See Wulff et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 122:867-877; Sprenger et al. (2000) Plant J. 21:249-258; Favery et al. (2001) Genes Dev. 15:79-89; Reid (2000) Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 3:512-516; Hellwege et al. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 15:8699-8704; Muller et al. (2000) Plant Physiol. 123:265-274; Geshi et al. (2000) Planta 210:622-629, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,638, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.) The combinations generated can also include multiple copies of any one of the polynucleotides of interest. The polynucleotides of the present invention can also be stacked with any other gene or combination of genes to produce plants with a variety of desired trait combinations including but not limited to traits desirable for animal feed such as high oil genes (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,529); balanced amino acids (e.g. hordothionins (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,990,389; 5,885,801; 5,885,802; and 5,703,409); barley high lysine (Williamson et al. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem. 165:99-106; and WO 98/20122); and high methionine proteins (Pedersen et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:6279; Kirihara et al. (1988) Gene 71:359; and Musumura et al. (1989) Plant Mol. Biol. 12:123)); increased digestibility (e.g., modified storage proteins (U.S. application Ser. No. 10/053,410, filed Nov. 7, 2001); and thioredoxins (U.S. application Ser. No. 10/005,429, filed Dec. 3, 2001)), the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. The polynucleotides of the present invention can also be stacked with traits desirable for insect, disease or herbicide resistance (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis toxic proteins (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,366,892; 5,747,450; 5,737,514; 5,723,756; 5,593,881; Geiser et al (1986) Gene 48:109); lectins (Van Damme et al. (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 24:825); fumonisin detoxification genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,931); avirulence and disease resistance genes (Jones et al. (1994) Science 266:789; Martin et al. (1993) Science 262:1432; Mindrinos et al. (1994) Cell 78:1089); acetolactate synthase (ALS) mutants that lead to herbicide resistance such as the S4 and/or Hra mutations; inhibitors of glutamine synthase such as phosphinothricin or basta (e.g., bar gene); and glyphosate resistance (EPSPS gene)); and traits desirable for processing or process products such as high oil (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,529); modified oils (e.g., fatty acid desaturase genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,544; WO 94/11516)); modified starches (e.g., ADPG pyrophosphorylases (AGPase), starch synthases (SS), starch branching enzymes (SBE) and starch debranching enzymes (SDBE)); and polymers or bioplastics (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,321; beta-ketothiolase, polyhydroxybutyrate synthase, and acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (Schubert et al. (1988) J. Bacteriol. 170:5837-5847) facilitate expression of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)), the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. One could also combine the polynucleotides of the present invention with polynucleotides providing agronomic traits such as male sterility (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,210), stalk strength, flowering time, or transformation technology traits such as cell cycle regulation or gene targeting (e.g. WO 99/61619; WO 00/17364; WO 99/25821), the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.

[0076]These stacked combinations can be created by any method including but not limited to cross breeding plants by any conventional or TopCross methodology, or genetic transformation. If the traits are stacked by genetically transforming the plants, the polynucleotide sequences of interest can be combined at any time and in any order. For example, a transgenic plant comprising one or more desired traits can be used as the target to introduce further traits by subsequent transformation. The traits can be introduced simultaneously in a co-transformation protocol with the polynucleotides of interest provided by any combination of transformation cassettes. For example, if two sequences will be introduced, the two sequences can be contained in separate transformation cassettes (trans) or contained on the same transformation cassette (cis). Expression of the sequences can be driven by the same promoter or by different promoters. In certain cases, it may be desirable to introduce a transformation cassette that will suppress the expression of the polynucleotide of interest. This may be combined with any combination of other suppression cassettes or overexpression cassettes to generate the desired combination of traits in the plant.

[0077]Furthermore, it is recognized that the methods of the invention may employ a nucleotide construct that is capable of directing, in a transformed plant, the expression of at least one protein, or at least one RNA, such as, for example, an antisense RNA that is complementary to at least a portion of an mRNA of interest. Typically such a nucleotide construct is comprised of a coding sequence for a protein or an RNA operably linked to 5' and 3' transcriptional regulatory regions. Alternatively, it is also recognized that the methods of the invention may employ a nucleotide construct that is not capable of directing, in a transformed plant, the expression of a protein or an RNA.

[0078]In addition, it is recognized that methods of the present invention do not depend on the incorporation of the entire nucleotide construct into the genome, only that the plant or cell thereof is altered as a result of the introduction of the nucleotide construct into a cell. In one embodiment of the invention, the genome may be altered following the introduction of the nucleotide construct into a cell. For example, the nucleotide construct, or any part thereof, may incorporate into the genome of the plant. Alterations to the genome of a plant of the present invention include, but are not limited to, additions, deletions, and substitutions of nucleotides in the genome. While the methods of the present invention do not depend on additions, deletions, or substitutions of any particular number of nucleotides, it is recognized that such additions, deletions, or substitutions comprise at least one nucleotide.

[0079]The nucleotide constructs of the invention also encompass nucleotide constructs that may be employed in methods for altering or mutating a genomic nucleotide sequence in a plant, including, but not limited to, chimeric vectors, chimeric mutational vectors, chimeric repair vectors, mixed-duplex oligonucleotides, self-complementary chimeric oligonucleotides, and recombinogenic oligonucleobases. Such nucleotide constructs and methods of use, such as, for example, chimeraplasty, are known in the art. Chimeraplasty involves the use of such nucleotide constructs to introduce site-specific changes into the sequence of genomic DNA within an organism. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,350; 5,731,181; 5,756,325; 5,760,012; 5,795,972; and 5,871,984; all of which are herein incorporated by reference. See also, WO 98/49350, WO 99/07865, WO 99/25821, and Beetham et al. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:8774-8778; herein incorporated by reference.

[0080]A number of promoters can be used in the practice of the invention. The promoters can be selected based on the desired outcome. The nucleic acids can be combined with constitutive, tissue-preferred, or other promoters for expression in plants. Such constitutive promoters include, for example, the core promoter of the Rsyn7 promoter and other constitutive promoters disclosed in WO 99/43838 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,050; the core CaMV 35S promoter (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812); rice actin (McElroy et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2:163-171); ubiquitin (Christensen et al. (1989) Plant Mol. Biol. 12:619-632 and Christensen et al. (1992) Plant Mol. Biol. 18:675-689); pEMU (Last et al. (1991) Theor. Appl. Genet. 81:581-588); MAS (Velten et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:2723-2730); ALS promoter (U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,026), and the like. Other constitutive promoters include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,149; 5,608,144; 5,604,121; 5,569,597; 5,466,785; 5,399,680; 5,268,463; and 5,608,142.

[0081]Chemical-regulated promoters can be used to modulate the expression of a gene in a plant through the application of an exogenous chemical regulator. Depending upon the objective, the promoter can be a chemical-inducible promoter, where application of the chemical induces gene expression, or a chemical-repressible promoter, where application of the chemical represses gene expression. For example, a chemically regulated promoter might be used to alter expression of the sequences of the invention prior to harvest. Application prior to harvest might allow the benefits of the invention, including improved digestibility or gum extraction, without impinging normal plant growth or development. Chemical-inducible promoters are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, the maize In2-2 promoter, which is activated by benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners, the maize GST promoter, which is activated by hydrophobic electrophilic compounds that are used as pre-emergent herbicides, and the tobacco PR-1a promoter, which is activated by salicylic acid. Other chemical-regulated promoters of interest include steroid-responsive promoters (see, for example, the glucocorticoid-inducible promoter in Schena et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:10421-10425 and McNellis et al. (1998) Plant J. 14(2):247-257) and tetracycline-inducible and tetracycline-repressible promoters (see, for example, Gatz et al. (1991) Mol. Gen. Genet. 227:229-237, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,814,618 and 5,789,156), herein incorporated by reference.

[0082]Tissue-preferred promoters can be utilized to target modulation of polysaccharide synthase expression within a particular plant tissue. Tissue-preferred promoters include Yamamoto et al. (1997) Plant J. 12(2):255-265; Kawamata et al. (1997) Plant Cell Physiol. 38(7):792-803; Hansen et al. (1997) Mol. Gen. Genet. 254(3):337-343; Russell et al. (1997) Transgenic Res. 6(2):157-168; Rinehart et al. (1996) Plant Physiol. 112(3):1331-1341; Van Camp et al. (1996) Plant Physiol. 112(2):525-535; Canevascini et al. (1996) Plant Physiol. 112(2):513-524; Yamamoto et al. (1994) Plant Cell Physiol. 35(5):773-778; Lam (1994) Results Probl. Cell Differ. 20:181-196; Orozco et al. (1993) Plant Mol. Biol. 23(6):1129-1138; Matsuoka et al. (1993) Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90(20):9586-9590; and Guevara-Garcia et al. (1993) Plant J. 4(3):495-505. Such promoters can be modified, if necessary, for weak expression.

[0083]"Seed-preferred" promoters include both "seed-specific" promoters (those promoters active during seed development such as promoters of seed storage proteins) as well as "seed-germinating" promoters (those promoters active during seed germination). See Thompson et al. (1989) BioEssays 10:108, herein incorporated by reference. Such seed-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, Cim1 (cytokinin-induced message); cZ19B1 (maize 19 kDa zein); milps (myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase); and celA (cellulose synthase) (see the copending application entitled "Seed-Preferred Promoters," U.S. application Ser. No. 09/377,648, filed Aug. 19, 1999, herein incorporated by reference). Gama-zein is a preferred endosperm-specific promoter. Glob-1 is a preferred embryo-specific promoter. For dicots, seed-specific promoters include, but are not limited to, bean β-phaseolin, napin, β-conglycinin, soybean lectin, cruciferin, and the like. For monocots, seed-specific promoters include, but are not limited to, maize 15 kDa zein, 22 kDa zein, 27 kDa zein, g-zein, waxy, shrunken 1, shrunken 2, globulin 1, etc.

[0084]Root-preferred promoters are known and can be selected from the many available from the literature or isolated de novo from various compatible species. See, for example, Hire et al. (1992) Plant Mol. Biol. 20(2): 207-218 (soybean root-specific glutamine synthase gene); Keller and Baumgartner (1991) Plant Cell 3(10):1051-1061 (root-specific control element in the GRP 1.8 gene of French bean); Sanger et al. (1990) Plant Mol. Biol. 14(3):433-443 (root-specific promoter of the mannopine synthase (MAS) gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens); and Miao et al. (1991) Plant Cell 3(1):11-22 (full-length cDNA clone encoding cytosolic glutamine synthase (GS), which is expressed in roots and root nodules of soybean). See also Bogusz et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2(7):633-641, where two root-specific promoters isolated from hemoglobin genes from the nitrogen-fixing nonlegume Parasponia andersonii and the related non-nitrogen-fixing nonlegume Trema tomentosa are described. The promoters of these genes were linked to a β-glucuronidase reporter gene and introduced into both the nonlegume Nicotiana tabacum and the legume Lotus corniculatus, and in both instances root-specific promoter activity was preserved. Leach and Aoyagi (1991) describe their analysis of the promoters of the highly expressed rolC and rolD root-inducing genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes (see Plant Science (Limerick) 79(1):69-76). They concluded that enhancer and tissue-preferred DNA determinants are dissociated in those promoters. Teeri et al. (1989) used gene fusion to lacZ to show that the Agrobacterium T-DNA gene encoding octopine synthase is especially active in the epidermis of the root tip and that the TR2' gene is root specific in the intact plant and stimulated by wounding in leaf tissue, an especially desirable combination of characteristics for use with an insecticidal or larvicidal gene (see EMBO J. 8(2):343-350). The TR1' gene, fused to nptII (neomycin phosphotransferase II) showed similar characteristics. Additional root-preferred promoters include the VfENOD-GRP3 gene promoter (Kuster et al. (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 29(4):759-772); and rolB promoter (Capana et al. (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 25(4):681-691. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,837,876; 5,750,386; 5,633,363; 5,459,252; 5,401,836; 5,110,732; and 5,023,179; herein incorporated by reference.

[0085]Where low level expression is desired, weak promoters will be used. Generally, by "weak promoter" is intended a promoter that drives expression of a coding sequence at a low level. By low level is intended at levels of about 1/1000 transcripts to about 1/100,000 transcripts to about 1/500,000 transcripts. Alternatively, it is recognized that weak promoters also encompass promoters that are expressed in only a few cells and not in others to give a total low level of expression. Where a promoter is expressed at unacceptably high levels, portions of the promoter sequence can be deleted or modified to decrease expression levels.

[0086]Such weak constitutive promoters include, for example, the core promoter of the Rsyn7 promoter (WO 99/43838 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,050), the core 35S CaMV promoter, and the like. Other constitutive promoters include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,149; 5,608,144; 5,604,121; 5,569,597; 5,466,785; 5,399,680; 5,268,463; and 5,608,142. See also, the copending application entitled "Constitutive Maize Promoters," U.S. application Ser. No. 09/257,584, filed Feb. 25, 1999, and herein incorporated by reference.

[0087]Additional examples of promoters include the F3.7 promoter from maize (Baszczynski, et al. (1997) Maydica 42:189-201); the soybean albumin promoter (U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,613), the beta conglycinin promoter (WO 91/13993), the Smas promoter, the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase promoter (U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,439), the SCP1 promoter, the Nos promoter, and the rubisco promoter. Yet more examples of promoters include the 1'- or 2'-promoter derived from T-DNA of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the histone H2B promoter (Nakayama et al. (1992) FEBS Lett 30:167-170), the GRP1-8 promoter, and other transcription initiation regions from various plant genes known in the art.

[0088]Examples of promoters under developmental control include promoters that initiate transcription preferentially in certain tissues, such as leaves, roots, fruits, seeds, or flowers. An exemplary promoter is the another specific promoter 5126 (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,689,049 and 5,689,051). Examples of seed-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, 27 kD gamma zein promoter and waxy promoter, (Boronat et al. (1986) Plant Sci. 47:95-102, Reina et al. (1990) Nucleic Acids Res. 18:6426, and Kloesgen et al. (1986) Mol Gen Genet. 203:237-244, each of which is herein incorporated by reference).

[0089]The methods of the invention involve introducing a nucleotide construct into a plant. By "introducing" is intended presenting to the plant the nucleotide construct in such a manner that the construct gains access to the interior of a cell of the plant. The methods of the invention do not depend on a particular method for introducing a nucleotide construct to a plant, only that the nucleotide construct gains access to the interior of at least one cell of the plant. Methods for introducing nucleotide constructs into plants are known in the art including, but not limited to, stable transformation methods, transient transformation methods, and virus-mediated methods.

[0090]By "stable transformation" is intended that the nucleotide construct introduced into a plant integrates into the genome of the plant and is capable of being inherited by progeny thereof. By "transient transformation" is intended that a nucleotide construct introduced into a plant does not integrate into the genome of the plant.

[0091]Transformation protocols as well as protocols for introducing nucleotide sequences into plants may vary depending on the type of plant or plant cell, i.e., monocot or dicot, targeted for transformation. Suitable methods of introducing nucleotide sequences into plant cells and subsequent insertion into the plant genome include microinjection (Crossway et al. (1986) Biotechniques 4:320-334), electroporation (Riggs et al. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:5602-5606, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (Townsend et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,055; Zhao et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,840), direct gene transfer (Paszkowski et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:2717-2722), and ballistic particle acceleration (see, for example, Sanford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050; Tomes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,918; Tomes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,244; Bidney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,782; Tomes et al. (1995) "Direct DNA Transfer into Intact Plant Cells via Microprojectile Bombardment," in Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture: Fundamental Methods, ed. Gamborg and Phillips (Springer-Verlag, Berlin); and McCabe et al. (1988) Biotechnology 6:923-926). Also see Weissinger et al. (1988) Ann. Rev. Genet. 22:421-477; Sanford et al. (1987) Particulate Science and Technology 5:27-37 (onion); Christou et al. (1988) Plant Physiol. 87:671-674 (soybean); McCabe et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6:923-926 (soybean); Finer and McMullen (1991) In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol. 27P:175-182 (soybean); Singh et al. (1998) Theor. Appl. Genet. 96:319-324 (soybean); Datta et al. (1990) Biotechnology 8:736-740 (rice); Klein et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4305-4309 (maize); Klein et al. (1988) Biotechnology 6:559-563 (maize); Tomes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,855; Buising et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,322,783 and 5,324,646; Tomes et al. (1995) "Direct DNA Transfer into Intact Plant Cells via Microprojectile Bombardment," in Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture: Fundamental Methods, ed. Gamborg (Springer-Verlag, Berlin) (maize); Klein et al. (1988) Plant Physiol. 91:440-444 (maize); Fromm et al. (1990) Biotechnology 8:833-839 (maize); Hooykaas-Van Slogteren et al. (1984) Nature (London) 311:763-764; Bowen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,369 (cereals); Bytebier et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:5345-5349 (Liliaceae); De Wet et al. (1985) in The Experimental Manipulation of Ovule Tissues, ed. Chapman et al. (Longman, New York), pp. 197-209 (pollen); Kaeppler et al. (1990) Plant Cell Reports 9:415-418 and Kaeppler et al. (1992) Theor. Appl. Genet. 84:560-566 (whisker-mediated transformation); D'Halluin et al. (1992) Plant Cell 4:1495-1505 (electroporation); Li et al. (1993) Plant Cell Reports 12:250-255 and Christou and Ford (1995) Annals of Botany 75:407-413 (rice); Osjoda et al. (1996) Nature Biotechnology 14:745-750 (maize via Agrobacterium tumefaciens); all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

[0092]The nucleotide constructs of the invention may be introduced into plants by contacting plants with a virus or viral nucleic acids. Generally, such methods involve incorporating a nucleotide construct of the invention within a viral DNA or RNA molecule. It is recognized that a polysaccharide synthase of the invention may be initially synthesized as part of a viral polyprotein, which later may be processed by proteolysis in vivo or in vitro to produce the desired recombinant protein. Further, it is recognized that promoters of the invention also encompass promoters utilized for transcription by viral RNA polymerases. Methods for introducing nucleotide constructs into plants and expressing a protein encoded therein, involving viral DNA or RNA molecules, are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,889,191, 5,889,190, 5,866,785, 5,589,367 and 5,316,931; herein incorporated by reference.

[0093]The cells that have been transformed may be grown into plants in accordance with conventional ways. See, for example, McCormick et al. (1986) Plant Cell Reports 5:81-84. These plants may then be grown, and either pollinated with the same transformed strain or different strains, and the resulting hybrid having the desired type of expression, for example constitutive or tissue-preferred expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic identified. Two or more generations may be grown to ensure that expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic is stably maintained and inherited and then seeds harvested to ensure expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic has been achieved.

[0094]The nucleotide sequences encompassed by the present invention may be used for transformation of any plant species, including, but not limited to, monocots and dicots. Examples of plant species of interest include, but are not limited to, corn (Zea mays), Brassica sp. (e.g., B. napus, B. rapa, B. juncea), particularly those Brassica species useful as sources of seed oil, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), rice (Oryza sativa), rye (Secale cereale), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, Sorghum vulgare), millet (e.g., pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), finger millet (Eleusine coracana)), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), wheat (Triticum aestivum), soybean (Glycine max), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), potato (Solanum tuberosum), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), cotton (Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium hirsutum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatus), cassaya (Manihot esculenta), coffee (Coffea spp.), coconut (Cocos nucifera), pineapple (Ananas comosus), citrus trees (Citrus spp.), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), tea (Camellia sinensis), banana (Musa spp.), avocado (Persea americana), fig (Ficus casica), guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica), olive (Olea europaea), papaya (Carica papaya), cashew (Anacardium occidentale), macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia), almond (Prunus amygdalus), sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), oats, barley, vegetables, ornamentals, and conifers.

[0095]Vegetables include tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), lettuce (e.g., Lactuca sativa), green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), lima beans (Phaseolus limensis), peas (Lathyrus spp.), and members of the genus Cucumis such as cucumber (C. sativus), cantaloupe (C. cantalupensis), and muskmelon (C. melo). Ornamentals include azalea (Rhododendron spp.), hydrangea (Macrophylla hydrangea), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosasanensis), roses (Rosa spp.), tulips (Tulipa spp.), daffodils (Narcissus spp.), petunias (Petunia hybrida), carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), and chrysanthemum.

[0096]Conifers that may be employed in practicing the present invention include, for example, pines such as loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), slash pine (Pinus elliotii), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and Monterey pine (Pinus radiata); Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); Western hemlock (Tsuga canadensis); Sitka spruce (Picea glauca); redwood (Sequoia sempervirens); true firs such as silver fir (Abies amabilis) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea); and cedars such as Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) and Alaska yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis). Preferably, plants of the present invention are crop plants (for example, corn, alfalfa, sunflower, Brassica, soybean, cotton, safflower, peanut, sorghum, wheat, millet, tobacco, etc.), more preferably corn and soybean plants, yet more preferably corn plants.

[0097]Plants of particular interest include grain plants that provide seeds of interest, oil-seed plants, and leguminous plants. Seeds of interest include grain seeds, such as corn, wheat, barley, rice, sorghum, rye, etc. Oil-seed plants include cotton, soybean, safflower, sunflower, Brassica, maize, alfalfa, palm, coconut, etc. Leguminous plants include beans and peas. Beans include guar, locust bean, fenugreek, soybean, garden beans, cowpea, mungbean, lima bean, fava bean, lentils, chickpea, etc.

[0098]This invention can be better understood by reference to the following non-limited examples. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as herein disclosed.

EXPERIMENTAL

Example 1

Particle Gun Transformation and Regeneration of Transgenic Maize Plants

[0099]Immature maize embryos from greenhouse donor plants are bombarded with a plasmid containing a polysaccharide synthase sequence of the invention operably linked to a F3.7 promoter (Baszczynski, et al. (1997) Maydica 42:189-201) and the selectable marker gene PAT (Wohlleben et al. (1988) Gene 70:25-37), which confers resistance to the herbicide Bialaphos. Alternatively, the selectable marker gene is provided on a separate plasmid. Transformation is performed as follows. Media recipes follow below.

Preparation of Target Tissue

[0100]The ears are husked and surface sterilized in 30% Clorox bleach plus 0.5% Micro detergent for 20 minutes, and rinsed two times with sterile water. The immature embryos are excised and placed embryo axis side down (scutellum side up), 25 embryos per plate, on 560Y medium for 4 hours and then aligned within the 2.5-cm target zone in preparation for bombardment.

Preparation of DNA

[0101]A plasmid vector comprising a nucleotide sequence of the invention operably linked to a F3.7 promoter is made. This plasmid DNA plus plasmid DNA containing a PAT selectable marker is precipitated onto 1.1 μm (average diameter) tungsten pellets using a CaCl₂ precipitation procedure as follows:

[0102]100 μl prepared tungsten particles in water

[0103]10 μl (1 μg) DNA in Tris EDTA buffer (1 μg total DNA)

[0104]100 μl 2.5 M CaC1₂

[0105]10 μl 0.1 M spermidine

[0106]Each reagent is added sequentially to the tungsten particle suspension, while maintained on the multitube vortexer. The final mixture is sonicated briefly and allowed to incubate under constant vortexing for 10 minutes. After the precipitation period, the tubes are centrifuged briefly, liquid removed, washed with 500 ml 100% ethanol, and centrifuged for 30 seconds. Again the liquid is removed, and 105 μl 100% ethanol is added to the final tungsten particle pellet. For particle gun bombardment, the tungsten/DNA particles are briefly sonicated and 10 μl spotted onto the center of each macrocarrier and allowed to dry about 2 minutes before bombardment.

Particle Gun Treatment

[0107]The sample plates are bombarded at level #4 in particle gun #HE34-1 or #HE34-2. All samples receive a single shot at 650 PSI, with a total of ten aliquots taken from each tube of prepared particles/DNA.

Subsequent Treatment

[0108]Following bombardment, the embryos are kept on 560Y medium for 2 days, then transferred to 560R selection medium containing 3 mg/liter Bialaphos, and subcultured every 2 weeks. After approximately 10 weeks of selection, selection-resistant callus clones are transferred to 288J medium to initiate plant regeneration. Following somatic embryo maturation (2-4 weeks), well-developed somatic embryos are transferred to medium for germination and transferred to the lighted culture room. Approximately 7-10 days later, developing plantlets are transferred to 272V hormone-free medium in tubes for 7-10 days until plantlets are well established. Plants are then transferred to inserts in flats (equivalent to 2.5'' pot) containing potting soil and grown for 1 week in a growth chamber, subsequently grown an additional 1-2 weeks in the greenhouse, then transferred to classic 600 pots (1.6 gallon) and grown to maturity. Plants are monitored and scored for altered polysaccharide synthase activity.

Bombardment and Culture Media

[0109]Bombardment medium (560Y) comprises 4.0 g/l N6 basal salts (SIGMA C-1416), 1.0 ml/l Eriksson's Vitamin Mix (1000×SIGMA-1511), 0.5 mg/l thiamine HCl, 120.0 g/l sucrose, 1.0 mg/l 2,4-D, and 2.88 g/l L-proline (brought to volume with D-1 H₂₀ following adjustment to pH 5.8 with KOH); 2.0 g/l Gelrite (added after bringing to volume with D-I H₂₀); and 8.5 mg/l silver nitrate (added after sterilizing the medium and cooling to room temperature). Selection medium (560R) comprises 4.0 g/l N6 basal salts (SIGMA C-1416), 1.0 ml/l Eriksson's Vitamin Mix (1000×SIGMA-1511), 0.5 mg/l thiamine HCl, 30.0 g/l sucrose, and 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D (brought to volume with D-I H₂₀ following adjustment to pH 5.8 with KOH); 3.0 g/l Gelrite (added after bringing to volume with D-I H₂₀); and 0.85 mg/l silver nitrate and 3.0 mg/l bialaphos (both added after sterilizing the medium and cooling to room temperature).

[0110]Plant regeneration medium (288J) comprises 4.3 g/l MS salts (GIBCO 11117-074), 5.0 ml/l MS vitamins stock solution (0.100 g nicotinic acid, 0.02 g/l thiamine HCL, 0.10 g/l pyridoxine HCL, and 0.40 g/l glycine brought to volume with polished D-I H₂₀) (Murashige and Skoog (1962) Physiol. Plant. 15:473), 100 mg/l myo-inositol, 0.5 mg/l zeatin, 60 g/l sucrose, and 1.0 ml/l of 0.1 mM abscisic acid (brought to volume with polished D-I H₂₀ after adjusting to pH 5.6); 3.0 g/l Gelrite (added after bringing to volume with D-I H₂₀); and 1.0 mg/l indoleacetic acid and 3.0 mg/l bialaphos (added after sterilizing the medium and cooling to 60° C.). Hormone-free medium (272V) comprises 4.3 g/l MS salts (GIBCO 11117-074), 5.0 ml/l MS vitamins stock solution (0.100 g/l nicotinic acid, 0.02 g/l thiamine HCL, 0.10 g/l pyridoxine HCL, and 0.40 g/l glycine brought to volume with polished D-I H₂₀), 0.1 g/1 myo-inositol, and 40.0 g/l sucrose (brought to volume with polished D-I H₂₀ after adjusting pH to 5.6); and 6 g/l bacto-agar (added after bringing to volume with polished D-I H₂₀), sterilized and cooled to 60° C.

Example 2

Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Maize

[0111]For Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize with polysaccharide synthase gene(s) or nucleotide sequence(s) of the invention, preferably the method of Zhao is employed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,840, and PCT patent publication WO98/32326; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference). Briefly, immature embryos are isolated from maize and the embryos contacted with a suspension of Agrobacterium, where the bacteria are capable of transferring the polysaccharide synthase gene(s) or nucleotide sequence(s) to at least one cell of at least one of the immature embryos (step 1: the infection step). In this step the immature embryos are preferably immersed in an Agrobacterium suspension for the initiation of inoculation. The embryos are co-cultured for a time with the Agrobacterium (step 2: the co-cultivation step). Preferably the immature embryos are cultured on solid medium following the infection step. Following this co-cultivation period an optional "resting" step is contemplated. In this resting step, the embryos are incubated in the presence of at least one antibiotic known to inhibit the growth of Agrobacterium without the addition of a selective agent for plant transformants (step 3: resting step). Preferably the immature embryos are cultured on solid medium with antibiotic, but without a selecting agent, for elimination of Agrobacterium and for a resting phase for the infected cells. Next, inoculated embryos are cultured on medium containing a selective agent and growing transformed callus is recovered (step 4: the selection step). Preferably, the immature embryos are cultured on solid medium with a selective agent resulting in the selective growth of transformed cells. The callus is then regenerated into plants (step 5: the regeneration step), and preferably calli grown on selective medium are cultured on solid medium to regenerate the plants. Regenerated transgenic plants are then monitored for altered polysaccharide synthase activity.

Example 3

Soybean Embryo Transformation Example

[0112]Soybean embryos are bombarded with a plasmid containing a polysaccharide synthase gene or nucleotide sequence of the invention operably linked to a soybean albumin promoter (U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,613) as follows. To induce somatic embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface-sterilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, are cultured in the light or dark at 26° C. on an appropriate agar medium for six to ten weeks. Somatic embryos producing secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium. After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos that multiplied as early, globular-staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

[0113]Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can be maintained in 35 ml liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26° C. with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 ml of liquid medium.

[0114]Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic PDS1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

[0115]A selectable marker gene that can be used to facilitate soybean transformation is a transgene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E. coli; Gritz et al. (1983) Gene 25:179-188), and the 3' region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The expression cassette comprising a polysaccharide synthase nucleotide sequence operably linked to the soybean albumin promoter can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

[0116]To 50 μl of a 60 mg/ml 1 μm gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 μl DNA (1 μg/μl), 20 μl spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 μl CaCl₂ (2.5 M). The particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 μl 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 μl of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five microliters of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro carrier disk.

[0117]Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60×15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi, and the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment, the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

[0118]Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post-bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/ml hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post-bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos. Regenerated transgenic plants are then monitored for altered polysaccharide synthase activity.

[0119]All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0120]Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

Sequence CWU 1

3011910DNAZea mays 1tcgacccacg cgtccggtcc gttcatctgc tgtcatgtca aatggcccct tcatcctcaa 60cctcgactgt gatcactatg tctacaactc gcaagctttc cgcgaaggga tgtgcttcat 120gatggaccgt ggtggcgacc gcattggtta tgtccagttc ccgcagcggt ttgagggcat 180cgatccatca gatcgctatg ccaaccacaa caccgtcttc ttcgacgtca acatgcgcgc 240gctggatggt ctcatgggac cagtctatgt tggcactggc tgccttttcc gccgtgttgc 300cctatatgga tttgaccctc cgcgctccaa ggagcacggt ggctgctgca gctgttgctt 360cccccagaga cgcaagatca aagcttcagc cgctgcaccg gaggagaccc gggctctaag 420gatggcagac ttcgacgagg atgaaatgaa catgtcgtcg ttccccaaga agtttggtaa 480ctcgagcttc ctcatcgact ccattccgat tgctgagttc caagggcgcc cgcttgctga 540tcaccctggt gtcaagaacg gccgccctcc cggtgctctc actgtccccc gtgaccttct 600ggatgcatcc acagtcgctg aggccgtcag tgtcatctca tgctggtacg aagacaagac 660cgagtggggc caccgtgttg gttggatcta tggctcggtg acggaggatg tggtcactgg 720gtaccggatg cacaaccggg gttggaagtc ggtgtactgt gtcaccaagc gtgacgcctt 780ccacggcacc gcgcccatca acctgactga ccgtctccac caggtgctcc ggtgggctac 840tggatcagtg gagatcttct tctcccgcaa caacgcgctg ctggcgagcc gcagaatgaa 900gttcttgcag aggatcgcgt acctgaacgt gggtatctac ccgttcacgt ccatcttcct 960gatcgtctac tgcttcctgc cggcgctgtc gctgttctcg gggcagttca tcgtgaagac 1020gctgaacgtg acgttcctga cgtacctgct ggtgatcacg ctgacgctgt gcctgctggc 1080ggtgctggag atcaagtggt cggggatcag tctggaggag tggtggcgga acgagcagtt 1140ctggctgatc ggcggcacga gcgcgcacct ggcggccgtg ctgcagggcc tgctgaaggt 1200ggtggcgggc atcgagatct ccttcacgct gacgtccaag tcgggcggcg acgacgtgga 1260cgacgagttc gcggacctgt acatcgtcaa gtggacgtcg ctgatgatcc cgcccatcgt 1320gatcatgatg gtgaacctga tcggcatcgc ggtcgggttc agccgcacca tctacagcga 1380gatcccgcag tggagcaagc tgctgggcgg cgtcttcttc agcttctggg tgctggcgca 1440cctgtacccg ttcgccaagg gcctgatggg gcggaggggc cgcacgccaa ccatcgtctt 1500cgtctgggcg ggcctcctct ccatcaccat ctcgctgctg tgggtggcca tcaacccgcc 1560gtcccagaac cagcagattg gtgggtcgtt cacattcccg tgaaagctct ctgggccaat 1620ggcggattca tgcatgcttc gtcgcagtgg gatccttgcg ttgctctgca tcagttcctg 1680gttgcagcgg ttcaatatct gaggacgaag ctgctggggg aatgtgggat ccctgacttg 1740tcgaaactgg cttacttttt ttgttgtcgg aagcttgata aatactctta tgatgagcta 1800tagtagtagt tcttttgttc ttttgttttt gctatatata aaatacatgt tctggtccct 1860taaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 19102522PRTZea mays 2Met Ser Asn Gly Pro Phe Ile Leu Asn Leu Asp Cys Asp His Tyr Val1 5 10 15Tyr Asn Ser Gln Ala Phe Arg Glu Gly Met Cys Phe Met Met Asp Arg 20 25 30Gly Gly Asp Arg Ile Gly Tyr Val Gln Phe Pro Gln Arg Phe Glu Gly 35 40 45Ile Asp Pro Ser Asp Arg Tyr Ala Asn His Asn Thr Val Phe Phe Asp 50 55 60Val Asn Met Arg Ala Leu Asp Gly Leu Met Gly Pro Val Tyr Val Gly65 70 75 80Thr Gly Cys Leu Phe Arg Arg Val Ala Leu Tyr Gly Phe Asp Pro Pro 85 90 95Arg Ser Lys Glu His Gly Gly Cys Cys Ser Cys Cys Phe Pro Gln Arg 100 105 110Arg Lys Ile Lys Ala Ser Ala Ala Ala Pro Glu Glu Thr Arg Ala Leu 115 120 125Arg Met Ala Asp Phe Asp Glu Asp Glu Met Asn Met Ser Ser Phe Pro 130 135 140Lys Lys Phe Gly Asn Ser Ser Phe Leu Ile Asp Ser Ile Pro Ile Ala145 150 155 160Glu Phe Gln Gly Arg Pro Leu Ala Asp His Pro Gly Val Lys Asn Gly 165 170 175Arg Pro Pro Gly Ala Leu Thr Val Pro Arg Asp Leu Leu Asp Ala Ser 180 185 190Thr Val Ala Glu Ala Val Ser Val Ile Ser Cys Trp Tyr Glu Asp Lys 195 200 205Thr Glu Trp Gly His Arg Val Gly Trp Ile Tyr Gly Ser Val Thr Glu 210 215 220Asp Val Val Thr Gly Tyr Arg Met His Asn Arg Gly Trp Lys Ser Val225 230 235 240Tyr Cys Val Thr Lys Arg Asp Ala Phe His Gly Thr Ala Pro Ile Asn 245 250 255Leu Thr Asp Arg Leu His Gln Val Leu Arg Trp Ala Thr Gly Ser Val 260 265 270Glu Ile Phe Phe Ser Arg Asn Asn Ala Leu Leu Ala Ser Arg Arg Met 275 280 285Lys Phe Leu Gln Arg Ile Ala Tyr Leu Asn Val Gly Ile Tyr Pro Phe 290 295 300Thr Ser Ile Phe Leu Ile Val Tyr Cys Phe Leu Pro Ala Leu Ser Leu305 310 315 320Phe Ser Gly Gln Phe Ile Val Lys Thr Leu Asn Val Thr Phe Leu Thr 325 330 335Tyr Leu Leu Val Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Cys Leu Leu Ala Val Leu Glu 340 345 350Ile Lys Trp Ser Gly Ile Ser Leu Glu Glu Trp Trp Arg Asn Glu Gln 355 360 365Phe Trp Leu Ile Gly Gly Thr Ser Ala His Leu Ala Ala Val Leu Gln 370 375 380Gly Leu Leu Lys Val Val Ala Gly Ile Glu Ile Ser Phe Thr Leu Thr385 390 395 400Ser Lys Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Val Asp Asp Glu Phe Ala Asp Leu Tyr 405 410 415Ile Val Lys Trp Thr Ser Leu Met Ile Pro Pro Ile Val Ile Met Met 420 425 430Val Asn Leu Ile Gly Ile Ala Val Gly Phe Ser Arg Thr Ile Tyr Ser 435 440 445Glu Ile Pro Gln Trp Ser Lys Leu Leu Gly Gly Val Phe Phe Ser Phe 450 455 460Trp Val Leu Ala His Leu Tyr Pro Phe Ala Lys Gly Leu Met Gly Arg465 470 475 480Arg Gly Arg Thr Pro Thr Ile Val Phe Val Trp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ser 485 490 495Ile Thr Ile Ser Leu Leu Trp Val Ala Ile Asn Pro Pro Ser Gln Asn 500 505 510Gln Gln Ile Gly Gly Ser Phe Thr Phe Pro 515 52031569DNAZea mays 3atgtcaaatg gccccttcat cctcaacctc gactgtgatc actatgtcta caactcgcaa 60gctttccgcg aagggatgtg cttcatgatg gaccgtggtg gcgaccgcat tggttatgtc 120cagttcccgc agcggtttga gggcatcgat ccatcagatc gctatgccaa ccacaacacc 180gtcttcttcg acgtcaacat gcgcgcgctg gatggtctca tgggaccagt ctatgttggc 240actggctgcc ttttccgccg tgttgcccta tatggatttg accctccgcg ctccaaggag 300cacggtggct gctgcagctg ttgcttcccc cagagacgca agatcaaagc ttcagccgct 360gcaccggagg agacccgggc tctaaggatg gcagacttcg acgaggatga aatgaacatg 420tcgtcgttcc ccaagaagtt tggtaactcg agcttcctca tcgactccat tccgattgct 480gagttccaag ggcgcccgct tgctgatcac cctggtgtca agaacggccg ccctcccggt 540gctctcactg tcccccgtga ccttctggat gcatccacag tcgctgaggc cgtcagtgtc 600atctcatgct ggtacgaaga caagaccgag tggggccacc gtgttggttg gatctatggc 660tcggtgacgg aggatgtggt cactgggtac cggatgcaca accggggttg gaagtcggtg 720tactgtgtca ccaagcgtga cgccttccac ggcaccgcgc ccatcaacct gactgaccgt 780ctccaccagg tgctccggtg ggctactgga tcagtggaga tcttcttctc ccgcaacaac 840gcgctgctgg cgagccgcag aatgaagttc ttgcagagga tcgcgtacct gaacgtgggt 900atctacccgt tcacgtccat cttcctgatc gtctactgct tcctgccggc gctgtcgctg 960ttctcggggc agttcatcgt gaagacgctg aacgtgacgt tcctgacgta cctgctggtg 1020atcacgctga cgctgtgcct gctggcggtg ctggagatca agtggtcggg gatcagtctg 1080gaggagtggt ggcggaacga gcagttctgg ctgatcggcg gcacgagcgc gcacctggcg 1140gccgtgctgc agggcctgct gaaggtggtg gcgggcatcg agatctcctt cacgctgacg 1200tccaagtcgg gcggcgacga cgtggacgac gagttcgcgg acctgtacat cgtcaagtgg 1260acgtcgctga tgatcccgcc catcgtgatc atgatggtga acctgatcgg catcgcggtc 1320gggttcagcc gcaccatcta cagcgagatc ccgcagtgga gcaagctgct gggcggcgtc 1380ttcttcagct tctgggtgct ggcgcacctg tacccgttcg ccaagggcct gatggggcgg 1440aggggccgca cgccaaccat cgtcttcgtc tgggcgggcc tcctctccat caccatctcg 1500ctgctgtggg tggccatcaa cccgccgtcc cagaaccagc agattggtgg gtcgttcaca 1560ttcccgtga 15694522PRTZea mays 4Met Ser Asn Gly Pro Phe Ile Leu Asn Leu Asp Cys Asp His Tyr Val1 5 10 15Tyr Asn Ser Gln Ala Phe Arg Glu Gly Met Cys Phe Met Met Asp Arg 20 25 30Gly Gly Asp Arg Ile Gly Tyr Val Gln Phe Pro Gln Arg Phe Glu Gly 35 40 45Ile Asp Pro Ser Asp Arg Tyr Ala Asn His Asn Thr Val Phe Phe Asp 50 55 60Val Asn Met Arg Ala Leu Asp Gly Leu Met Gly Pro Val Tyr Val Gly65 70 75 80Thr Gly Cys Leu Phe Arg Arg Val Ala Leu Tyr Gly Phe Asp Pro Pro 85 90 95Arg Ser Lys Glu His Gly Gly Cys Cys Ser Cys Cys Phe Pro Gln Arg 100 105 110Arg Lys Ile Lys Ala Ser Ala Ala Ala Pro Glu Glu Thr Arg Ala Leu 115 120 125Arg Met Ala Asp Phe Asp Glu Asp Glu Met Asn Met Ser Ser Phe Pro 130 135 140Lys Lys Phe Gly Asn Ser Ser Phe Leu Ile Asp Ser Ile Pro Ile Ala145 150 155 160Glu Phe Gln Gly Arg Pro Leu Ala Asp His Pro Gly Val Lys Asn Gly 165 170 175Arg Pro Pro Gly Ala Leu Thr Val Pro Arg Asp Leu Leu Asp Ala Ser 180 185 190Thr Val Ala Glu Ala Val Ser Val Ile Ser Cys Trp Tyr Glu Asp Lys 195 200 205Thr Glu Trp Gly His Arg Val Gly Trp Ile Tyr Gly Ser Val Thr Glu 210 215 220Asp Val Val Thr Gly Tyr Arg Met His Asn Arg Gly Trp Lys Ser Val225 230 235 240Tyr Cys Val Thr Lys Arg Asp Ala Phe His Gly Thr Ala Pro Ile Asn 245 250 255Leu Thr Asp Arg Leu His Gln Val Leu Arg Trp Ala Thr Gly Ser Val 260 265 270Glu Ile Phe Phe Ser Arg Asn Asn Ala Leu Leu Ala Ser Arg Arg Met 275 280 285Lys Phe Leu Gln Arg Ile Ala Tyr Leu Asn Val Gly Ile Tyr Pro Phe 290 295 300Thr Ser Ile Phe Leu Ile Val Tyr Cys Phe Leu Pro Ala Leu Ser Leu305 310 315 320Phe Ser Gly Gln Phe Ile Val Lys Thr Leu Asn Val Thr Phe Leu Thr 325 330 335Tyr Leu Leu Val Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Cys Leu Leu Ala Val Leu Glu 340 345 350Ile Lys Trp Ser Gly Ile Ser Leu Glu Glu Trp Trp Arg Asn Glu Gln 355 360 365Phe Trp Leu Ile Gly Gly Thr Ser Ala His Leu Ala Ala Val Leu Gln 370 375 380Gly Leu Leu Lys Val Val Ala Gly Ile Glu Ile Ser Phe Thr Leu Thr385 390 395 400Ser Lys Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Val Asp Asp Glu Phe Ala Asp Leu Tyr 405 410 415Ile Val Lys Trp Thr Ser Leu Met Ile Pro Pro Ile Val Ile Met Met 420 425 430Val Asn Leu Ile Gly Ile Ala Val Gly Phe Ser Arg Thr Ile Tyr Ser 435 440 445Glu Ile Pro Gln Trp Ser Lys Leu Leu Gly Gly Val Phe Phe Ser Phe 450 455 460Trp Val Leu Ala His Leu Tyr Pro Phe Ala Lys Gly Leu Met Gly Arg465 470 475 480Arg Gly Arg Thr Pro Thr Ile Val Phe Val Trp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ser 485 490 495Ile Thr Ile Ser Leu Leu Trp Val Ala Ile Asn Pro Pro Ser Gln Asn 500 505 510Gln Gln Ile Gly Gly Ser Phe Thr Phe Pro 515 52051673DNAZea mays 5tcttcgccgc cgcctacgcg gcctggatgc gcgcccgcct cgactacctc gcgccgccgc 60tgcagttcct aaccaacgcc tgcgtcctcc tcttcctggt ccagagcgtc gaccgcctcg 120tgctctgcct cggctgcttc tggatcaagc tcaagggcgt caggcccgtg ccgccgctgc 180ccgccgacaa ggaggacgtc gaggccggtc ccgacggcgt ccccatggtg ctcgtgcaga 240tgcccatgtg caatgagaga gaggtgtatc aacaatcaat tgcggccgtg tgcaaccttg 300actggcccaa atccaacttc ttggtccaag tgttggatga ctccgacgac ccactcacaa 360aggctctaat cagagaagaa gtggccaaat ggcaacagca gggtgcccgg attgtgtacc 420ggcaccgggt gatccgggat ggctacaagg ctggaaacct gaaatcagcc atgaactgca 480gttacgtgaa agactatgag ttcgttgtca tcttcgatgc tgatttccaa ccacaggcgg 540acttcctgaa gcgcaccgtg ccccatttca agggaaagga tgacgtcggg ttggttcagg 600cgagatggtc gttcgtaaac aaggatgaga acttgctgac caggcttcag aacataaatc 660tttgcttcca cttcgaggtg gagcagcagg tgaacggggc gtttctcaac ttcttcgggt 720tcaatggcac cgcgggagtc tggagaatca aggcgcttga ggagtctgga ggatggatgg 780agaggacgac ggtggaggac atggacatag ctgttcgagc gcacctcaaa gggtggaagt 840ttctctttct aaacgatgtc gagtgtcagt gtgaattgcc agaatcgtat gaagcgtaca 900gaaagcagca gcaccggtgg cactcaggtc ccatgcaatt gtttaggctc tgctttgtgg 960atataatcaa atctaagatc ggtttctgga agaagttcaa cctcatattc ctcttcttcc 1020tgctccggaa gctgatacta cccttctact ccttcaccct cttctgcatc atcctcccga 1080tgacgatgtt cgtgccggag gccgagctcc ccgactgggt ggtgtgctac gtcccggccc 1140tgatgtccct gctgaacatc ctgccgtccc ccaagtcgtt ccccttcatc atcccgtacc 1200tgctcttcga gaacaccatg tccgtgacca agttcaacgc gatgatctcc gggctgttcc 1260agctggggag cgcgtacgag tgggtggtga ccaagaagtc gggccgctcg tcggagggcg 1320acctcatcgc gctggccccg cccaaggagc ctgtgaagca cgcgacgagg acgggctccg 1380cgccgaacct cgacgccgtc gccaaggagg agcaacagca gcagcagctg gcggcgtcga 1440ggaaggacgc cgccgcgaag aagaaggaga agcacaaccg gatatacaag aaggagctgg 1500cgctgtcgat gctgctcctg accgcggccg cccggagcct gctgtcgaag catggcatac 1560acttctactt cctcctgttc cagggcgtgt ccttcttgct agtaggcctt gacctcatag 1620gcgagcaagt cgagtgaaat gtgtataaca ggaaactgat acgtgtggga aaa 16736536PRTZea mays 6Met Arg Ala Arg Leu Asp Tyr Leu Ala Pro Pro Leu Gln Phe Leu Thr1 5 10 15Asn Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Gln Ser Val Asp Arg Leu Val 20 25 30Leu Cys Leu Gly Cys Phe Trp Ile Lys Leu Lys Gly Val Arg Pro Val 35 40 45 Pro Pro Leu Pro Ala Asp Lys Glu Asp Val Glu Ala Gly Pro Asp Gly 50 55 60Val Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Met Pro Met Cys Asn Glu Arg Glu Val65 70 75 80Tyr Gln Gln Ser Ile Ala Ala Val Cys Asn Leu Asp Trp Pro Lys Ser 85 90 95Asn Phe Leu Val Gln Val Leu Asp Asp Ser Asp Asp Pro Leu Thr Lys 100 105 110Ala Leu Ile Arg Glu Glu Val Ala Lys Trp Gln Gln Gln Gly Ala Arg 115 120 125Ile Val Tyr Arg His Arg Val Ile Arg Asp Gly Tyr Lys Ala Gly Asn 130 135 140Leu Lys Ser Ala Met Asn Cys Ser Tyr Val Lys Asp Tyr Glu Phe Val145 150 155 160Val Ile Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Gln Ala Asp Phe Leu Lys Arg 165 170 175Thr Val Pro His Phe Lys Gly Lys Asp Asp Val Gly Leu Val Gln Ala 180 185 190Arg Trp Ser Phe Val Asn Lys Asp Glu Asn Leu Leu Thr Arg Leu Gln 195 200 205Asn Ile Asn Leu Cys Phe His Phe Glu Val Glu Gln Gln Val Asn Gly 210 215 220Ala Phe Leu Asn Phe Phe Gly Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg225 230 235 240Ile Lys Ala Leu Glu Glu Ser Gly Gly Trp Met Glu Arg Thr Thr Val 245 250 255Glu Asp Met Asp Ile Ala Val Arg Ala His Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe 260 265 270Leu Phe Leu Asn Asp Val Glu Cys Gln Cys Glu Leu Pro Glu Ser Tyr 275 280 285Glu Ala Tyr Arg Lys Gln Gln His Arg Trp His Ser Gly Pro Met Gln 290 295 300Leu Phe Arg Leu Cys Phe Val Asp Ile Ile Lys Ser Lys Ile Gly Phe305 310 315 320Trp Lys Lys Phe Asn Leu Ile Phe Leu Phe Phe Leu Leu Arg Lys Leu 325 330 335Ile Leu Pro Phe Tyr Ser Phe Thr Leu Phe Cys Ile Ile Leu Pro Met 340 345 350Thr Met Phe Val Pro Glu Ala Glu Leu Pro Asp Trp Val Val Cys Tyr 355 360 365Val Pro Ala Leu Met Ser Leu Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro Ser Pro Lys Ser 370 375 380Phe Pro Phe Ile Ile Pro Tyr Leu Leu Phe Glu Asn Thr Met Ser Val385 390 395 400Thr Lys Phe Asn Ala Met Ile Ser Gly Leu Phe Gln Leu Gly Ser Ala 405 410 415Tyr Glu Trp Val Val Thr Lys Lys Ser Gly Arg Ser Ser Glu Gly Asp 420 425 430Leu Ile Ala Leu Ala Pro Pro Lys Glu Pro Val Lys His Ala Thr Arg 435 440 445Thr Gly Ser Ala Pro Asn Leu Asp Ala Val Ala Lys Glu Glu Gln Gln 450 455 460Gln Gln Gln Leu Ala Ala Ser Arg Lys Asp Ala Ala Ala Lys Lys Lys465 470 475 480Glu Lys His Asn Arg Ile Tyr Lys Lys Glu Leu Ala Leu Ser Met Leu 485 490 495Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Ala Arg Ser Leu Leu Ser Lys His Gly Ile His 500 505 510Phe Tyr Phe Leu Leu Phe Gln Gly Val Ser Phe Leu Leu Val Gly Leu 515 520 525Asp Leu Ile Gly Glu Gln Val Glu 530 53571611DNAZea mays 7atgcgcgccc gcctcgacta cctcgcgccg ccgctgcagt tcctaaccaa cgcctgcgtc 60ctcctcttcc tggtccagag cgtcgaccgc ctcgtgctct gcctcggctg cttctggatc 120aagctcaagg

gcgtcaggcc cgtgccgccg ctgcccgccg acaaggagga cgtcgaggcc 180ggtcccgacg gcgtccccat ggtgctcgtg cagatgccca tgtgcaatga gagagaggtg 240tatcaacaat caattgcggc cgtgtgcaac cttgactggc ccaaatccaa cttcttggtc 300caagtgttgg atgactccga cgacccactc acaaaggctc taatcagaga agaagtggcc 360aaatggcaac agcagggtgc ccggattgtg taccggcacc gggtgatccg ggatggctac 420aaggctggaa acctgaaatc agccatgaac tgcagttacg tgaaagacta tgagttcgtt 480gtcatcttcg atgctgattt ccaaccacag gcggacttcc tgaagcgcac cgtgccccat 540ttcaagggaa aggatgacgt cgggttggtt caggcgagat ggtcgttcgt aaacaaggat 600gagaacttgc tgaccaggct tcagaacata aatctttgct tccacttcga ggtggagcag 660caggtgaacg gggcgtttct caacttcttc gggttcaatg gcaccgcggg agtctggaga 720atcaaggcgc ttgaggagtc tggaggatgg atggagagga cgacggtgga ggacatggac 780atagctgttc gagcgcacct caaagggtgg aagtttctct ttctaaacga tgtcgagtgt 840cagtgtgaat tgccagaatc gtatgaagcg tacagaaagc agcagcaccg gtggcactca 900ggtcccatgc aattgtttag gctctgcttt gtggatataa tcaaatctaa gatcggtttc 960tggaagaagt tcaacctcat attcctcttc ttcctgctcc ggaagctgat actacccttc 1020tactccttca ccctcttctg catcatcctc ccgatgacga tgttcgtgcc ggaggccgag 1080ctccccgact gggtggtgtg ctacgtcccg gccctgatgt ccctgctgaa catcctgccg 1140tcccccaagt cgttcccctt catcatcccg tacctgctct tcgagaacac catgtccgtg 1200accaagttca acgcgatgat ctccgggctg ttccagctgg ggagcgcgta cgagtgggtg 1260gtgaccaaga agtcgggccg ctcgtcggag ggcgacctca tcgcgctggc cccgcccaag 1320gagcctgtga agcacgcgac gaggacgggc tccgcgccga acctcgacgc cgtcgccaag 1380gaggagcaac agcagcagca gctggcggcg tcgaggaagg acgccgccgc gaagaagaag 1440gagaagcaca accggatata caagaaggag ctggcgctgt cgatgctgct cctgaccgcg 1500gccgcccgga gcctgctgtc gaagcatggc atacacttct acttcctcct gttccagggc 1560gtgtccttct tgctagtagg ccttgacctc ataggcgagc aagtcgagtg a 16118536PRTZea mays 8Met Arg Ala Arg Leu Asp Tyr Leu Ala Pro Pro Leu Gln Phe Leu Thr1 5 10 15Asn Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Gln Ser Val Asp Arg Leu Val 20 25 30Leu Cys Leu Gly Cys Phe Trp Ile Lys Leu Lys Gly Val Arg Pro Val 35 40 45Pro Pro Leu Pro Ala Asp Lys Glu Asp Val Glu Ala Gly Pro Asp Gly 50 55 60Val Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Met Pro Met Cys Asn Glu Arg Glu Val65 70 75 80Tyr Gln Gln Ser Ile Ala Ala Val Cys Asn Leu Asp Trp Pro Lys Ser 85 90 95Asn Phe Leu Val Gln Val Leu Asp Asp Ser Asp Asp Pro Leu Thr Lys 100 105 110Ala Leu Ile Arg Glu Glu Val Ala Lys Trp Gln Gln Gln Gly Ala Arg 115 120 125Ile Val Tyr Arg His Arg Val Ile Arg Asp Gly Tyr Lys Ala Gly Asn 130 135 140Leu Lys Ser Ala Met Asn Cys Ser Tyr Val Lys Asp Tyr Glu Phe Val145 150 155 160Val Ile Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Gln Ala Asp Phe Leu Lys Arg 165 170 175Thr Val Pro His Phe Lys Gly Lys Asp Asp Val Gly Leu Val Gln Ala 180 185 190Arg Trp Ser Phe Val Asn Lys Asp Glu Asn Leu Leu Thr Arg Leu Gln 195 200 205Asn Ile Asn Leu Cys Phe His Phe Glu Val Glu Gln Gln Val Asn Gly 210 215 220Ala Phe Leu Asn Phe Phe Gly Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg225 230 235 240Ile Lys Ala Leu Glu Glu Ser Gly Gly Trp Met Glu Arg Thr Thr Val 245 250 255Glu Asp Met Asp Ile Ala Val Arg Ala His Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe 260 265 270Leu Phe Leu Asn Asp Val Glu Cys Gln Cys Glu Leu Pro Glu Ser Tyr 275 280 285Glu Ala Tyr Arg Lys Gln Gln His Arg Trp His Ser Gly Pro Met Gln 290 295 300Leu Phe Arg Leu Cys Phe Val Asp Ile Ile Lys Ser Lys Ile Gly Phe305 310 315 320Trp Lys Lys Phe Asn Leu Ile Phe Leu Phe Phe Leu Leu Arg Lys Leu 325 330 335Ile Leu Pro Phe Tyr Ser Phe Thr Leu Phe Cys Ile Ile Leu Pro Met 340 345 350Thr Met Phe Val Pro Glu Ala Glu Leu Pro Asp Trp Val Val Cys Tyr 355 360 365Val Pro Ala Leu Met Ser Leu Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro Ser Pro Lys Ser 370 375 380Phe Pro Phe Ile Ile Pro Tyr Leu Leu Phe Glu Asn Thr Met Ser Val385 390 395 400Thr Lys Phe Asn Ala Met Ile Ser Gly Leu Phe Gln Leu Gly Ser Ala 405 410 415Tyr Glu Trp Val Val Thr Lys Lys Ser Gly Arg Ser Ser Glu Gly Asp 420 425 430Leu Ile Ala Leu Ala Pro Pro Lys Glu Pro Val Lys His Ala Thr Arg 435 440 445Thr Gly Ser Ala Pro Asn Leu Asp Ala Val Ala Lys Glu Glu Gln Gln 450 455 460Gln Gln Gln Leu Ala Ala Ser Arg Lys Asp Ala Ala Ala Lys Lys Lys465 470 475 480Glu Lys His Asn Arg Ile Tyr Lys Lys Glu Leu Ala Leu Ser Met Leu 485 490 495Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Ala Arg Ser Leu Leu Ser Lys His Gly Ile His 500 505 510Phe Tyr Phe Leu Leu Phe Gln Gly Val Ser Phe Leu Leu Val Gly Leu 515 520 525Asp Leu Ile Gly Glu Gln Val Glu 530 53591221DNAZea mays 9ccacgcgtcc gggcaggagc tctgaagaaa ggaatggaat gtgactatgc atggcaaagc 60gaatacattg ctatatttga tgctgatttc caacctgaac cagattttct gctccaaact 120gtcccattcc ttctgcacaa tccagaagtt gcacttgttc aagctcggtg gtccttcgtg 180aatgacacga caagcctgct gacaagggta caaaagatgt tttacgacta ccacttcaaa 240gttgaacaag aagcaggatc agcgaccttt gccttcttca gtttcaacgg aactgctgga 300gtgtggcgta caggagccat aagagatgca ggaggttgga aggaccgaac tacagttgaa 360gacatggact tggcggttcg agcaacacta aagggctgga aattcgtata tgttggagac 420gttagagtca agagtgaact gccgtccact tacaaggcct actgtcggca gcaattccgg 480tggtctagtg gtggtgcaaa cttattccgt aagatggcaa aggatgtttt gtttgccaag 540gatatatcac tcgtcaagaa gttctatatg ctctatagct tcttctttgt gaggagagtt 600gtagcgccga cggctgcctg tattctctac aatgtcatca tccccatctc agtcacaatc 660ccggagcttt acctaccagt gtggggtgtt gcctatattc ccatggtgct taccgtggtc 720acagctataa gacatccaaa aaatctacac atactgccat tttggatttt gtttgagagt 780gtgatgacat tgcatcggat gagggctgcg atgactggac tgctggagct agaaggattc 840aaccagtgga ttgtgacaaa gaaggtgggg aatgatctcg aggacactga agttcctttg 900cttcagaaaa cccggaaaag gctgagagac agagtcaatc tccccgagat tggattttcg 960gtgtttctct tcctctgtgc atcatacaac ctggtgttcc atgggaaaac aagctactac 1020ttatatatgt accttcaggg gttagcattt ctgttactag ggtttaactt cactggcaat 1080tgttcttgct accaatgata gcatgtcaaa gctgtacgaa ttgctgattg atattcattt 1140tctggtcatg cgttcgtawt gaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1200aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa g 122110354PRTZea mays 10Met Glu Cys Asp Tyr Ala Trp Gln Ser Glu Tyr Ile Ala Ile Phe Asp1 5 10 15Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Glu Pro Asp Phe Leu Leu Gln Thr Val Pro Phe 20 25 30Leu Leu His Asn Pro Glu Val Ala Leu Val Gln Ala Arg Trp Ser Phe 35 40 45Val Asn Asp Thr Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Arg Val Gln Lys Met Phe Tyr 50 55 60Asp Tyr His Phe Lys Val Glu Gln Glu Ala Gly Ser Ala Thr Phe Ala65 70 75 80Phe Phe Ser Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg Thr Gly Ala Ile 85 90 95Arg Asp Ala Gly Gly Trp Lys Asp Arg Thr Thr Val Glu Asp Met Asp 100 105 110Leu Ala Val Arg Ala Thr Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe Val Tyr Val Gly 115 120 125Asp Val Arg Val Lys Ser Glu Leu Pro Ser Thr Tyr Lys Ala Tyr Cys 130 135 140Arg Gln Gln Phe Arg Trp Ser Ser Gly Gly Ala Asn Leu Phe Arg Lys145 150 155 160Met Ala Lys Asp Val Leu Phe Ala Lys Asp Ile Ser Leu Val Lys Lys 165 170 175Phe Tyr Met Leu Tyr Ser Phe Phe Phe Val Arg Arg Val Val Ala Pro 180 185 190Thr Ala Ala Cys Ile Leu Tyr Asn Val Ile Ile Pro Ile Ser Val Thr 195 200 205Ile Pro Glu Leu Tyr Leu Pro Val Trp Gly Val Ala Tyr Ile Pro Met 210 215 220Val Leu Thr Val Val Thr Ala Ile Arg His Pro Lys Asn Leu His Ile225 230 235 240Leu Pro Phe Trp Ile Leu Phe Glu Ser Val Met Thr Leu His Arg Met 245 250 255Arg Ala Ala Met Thr Gly Leu Leu Glu Leu Glu Gly Phe Asn Gln Trp 260 265 270Ile Val Thr Lys Lys Val Gly Asn Asp Leu Glu Asp Thr Glu Val Pro 275 280 285Leu Leu Gln Lys Thr Arg Lys Arg Leu Arg Asp Arg Val Asn Leu Pro 290 295 300Glu Ile Gly Phe Ser Val Phe Leu Phe Leu Cys Ala Ser Tyr Asn Leu305 310 315 320Val Phe His Gly Lys Thr Ser Tyr Tyr Leu Tyr Met Tyr Leu Gln Gly 325 330 335Leu Ala Phe Leu Leu Leu Gly Phe Asn Phe Thr Gly Asn Cys Ser Cys 340 345 350Tyr Gln111065DNAZea mays 11atggaatgtg actatgcatg gcaaagcgaa tacattgcta tatttgatgc tgatttccaa 60cctgaaccag attttctgct ccaaactgtc ccattccttc tgcacaatcc agaagttgca 120cttgttcaag ctcggtggtc cttcgtgaat gacacgacaa gcctgctgac aagggtacaa 180aagatgtttt acgactacca cttcaaagtt gaacaagaag caggatcagc gacctttgcc 240ttcttcagtt tcaacggaac tgctggagtg tggcgtacag gagccataag agatgcagga 300ggttggaagg accgaactac agttgaagac atggacttgg cggttcgagc aacactaaag 360ggctggaaat tcgtatatgt tggagacgtt agagtcaaga gtgaactgcc gtccacttac 420aaggcctact gtcggcagca attccggtgg tctagtggtg gtgcaaactt attccgtaag 480atggcaaagg atgttttgtt tgccaaggat atatcactcg tcaagaagtt ctatatgctc 540tatagcttct tctttgtgag gagagttgta gcgccgacgg ctgcctgtat tctctacaat 600gtcatcatcc ccatctcagt cacaatcccg gagctttacc taccagtgtg gggtgttgcc 660tatattccca tggtgcttac cgtggtcaca gctataagac atccaaaaaa tctacacata 720ctgccatttt ggattttgtt tgagagtgtg atgacattgc atcggatgag ggctgcgatg 780actggactgc tggagctaga aggattcaac cagtggattg tgacaaagaa ggtggggaat 840gatctcgagg acactgaagt tcctttgctt cagaaaaccc ggaaaaggct gagagacaga 900gtcaatctcc ccgagattgg attttcggtg tttctcttcc tctgtgcatc atacaacctg 960gtgttccatg ggaaaacaag ctactactta tatatgtacc ttcaggggtt agcatttctg 1020ttactagggt ttaacttcac tggcaattgt tcttgctacc aatga 106512354PRTZea mays 12Met Glu Cys Asp Tyr Ala Trp Gln Ser Glu Tyr Ile Ala Ile Phe Asp1 5 10 15Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Glu Pro Asp Phe Leu Leu Gln Thr Val Pro Phe 20 25 30Leu Leu His Asn Pro Glu Val Ala Leu Val Gln Ala Arg Trp Ser Phe 35 40 45Val Asn Asp Thr Thr Ser Leu Leu Thr Arg Val Gln Lys Met Phe Tyr 50 55 60Asp Tyr His Phe Lys Val Glu Gln Glu Ala Gly Ser Ala Thr Phe Ala65 70 75 80Phe Phe Ser Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg Thr Gly Ala Ile 85 90 95Arg Asp Ala Gly Gly Trp Lys Asp Arg Thr Thr Val Glu Asp Met Asp 100 105 110Leu Ala Val Arg Ala Thr Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe Val Tyr Val Gly 115 120 125Asp Val Arg Val Lys Ser Glu Leu Pro Ser Thr Tyr Lys Ala Tyr Cys 130 135 140Arg Gln Gln Phe Arg Trp Ser Ser Gly Gly Ala Asn Leu Phe Arg Lys145 150 155 160Met Ala Lys Asp Val Leu Phe Ala Lys Asp Ile Ser Leu Val Lys Lys 165 170 175Phe Tyr Met Leu Tyr Ser Phe Phe Phe Val Arg Arg Val Val Ala Pro 180 185 190Thr Ala Ala Cys Ile Leu Tyr Asn Val Ile Ile Pro Ile Ser Val Thr 195 200 205Ile Pro Glu Leu Tyr Leu Pro Val Trp Gly Val Ala Tyr Ile Pro Met 210 215 220Val Leu Thr Val Val Thr Ala Ile Arg His Pro Lys Asn Leu His Ile225 230 235 240Leu Pro Phe Trp Ile Leu Phe Glu Ser Val Met Thr Leu His Arg Met 245 250 255Arg Ala Ala Met Thr Gly Leu Leu Glu Leu Glu Gly Phe Asn Gln Trp 260 265 270Ile Val Thr Lys Lys Val Gly Asn Asp Leu Glu Asp Thr Glu Val Pro 275 280 285Leu Leu Gln Lys Thr Arg Lys Arg Leu Arg Asp Arg Val Asn Leu Pro 290 295 300Glu Ile Gly Phe Ser Val Phe Leu Phe Leu Cys Ala Ser Tyr Asn Leu305 310 315 320Val Phe His Gly Lys Thr Ser Tyr Tyr Leu Tyr Met Tyr Leu Gln Gly 325 330 335Leu Ala Phe Leu Leu Leu Gly Phe Asn Phe Thr Gly Asn Cys Ser Cys 340 345 350Tyr Gln131899DNAZea mays 13gcctcttcgc cgccgcctac gcggcctgga tgcgcgcccg cctcgactac ctcgcgccgc 60cgctgcagtt cctaaccaac gcctgcgtcc tcctcttcct ggtccagagc gtcgaccgcc 120tcgtgctctg cctcggctgc ttctggatca agctcaaggg cgtcaggccc gtgccgccgc 180tgcccgccga caaggaggac gtcgaggccg gtcccgacgg cgtccccatg gtgctcgtgc 240agatgcccat gtgcaatgag agagaggtgt accagcaatc catcggtgcg gtttgcagcc 300tggactggcc aaggtcaaat ttcctggtcc aggtgttgga tgactctgat gatgctacca 360cttcggcact tatcaaggag gaggtggaga aatggcagcg agagggtgtg cgcatagtat 420accggcaccg ggtgatccgg gatggctaca aggctggaaa cctgaaatca gccatgaact 480gcagttacgt gaaagactat gagttcgttg tcatcttcga tgctgatttc caaccacagg 540cggacttcct gaagcgcacc gtgccccatt tcaagggaaa ggatgacgtc gggttggttc 600aggcgagatg gtcgttcgta aacaaggatg agaacttgct gaccaggctt cagaacataa 660atctttgctt ccacttcgag gtggagcagc aggtgaacgg ggcgtttctc aacttcttcg 720ggttcaatgg caccgcggga gtctggagaa tcaaggcgct tgaggagtct ggaggatgga 780tggagaggac gacggtggag gacatggaca tagctgttcg agcgcacctc aaagggtgga 840agtttctctt tctaaacgat gtcgagtgtc agtgtgaatt gccagaatcg tatgaagcgt 900acagaaagca gcagcaccgg tggcactcag gtcccatgca attgtttagg ctctgctttg 960tggatataat caaatctaag atcggtttct ggaagaagtt caacctcata ttcctcttct 1020tcctgctccg gaagctgata ctacccttct actccttcac cctcttctgc gtgatcctcc 1080ccatgacgat gttcgtcccc gaagccgagc tccccgcgtg ggtggtgtgc tacatcccgg 1140cgacgatgtc catcctcaac atcctcccgt ccccgaaatc gttcccgttc atcgtcccgt 1200acctgctgtt cgagaacacc atgtcggtga ccaagttcaa cgccatggtc tccggcctgt 1260tccagctggg gagcgcctac gagtgggtcg tcaccaagaa gtcggggcgc tcctccgagg 1320gcgacctcgt ggccctcgtg gagaagcact ccaagcagca gagggtaggc tcggcgccca 1380acctcgacgc gctgaccaag gagtcgaagg gcaccgagga ggagaagaat aagaagaaga 1440ggaagaagaa gcacaacagg atctacagga aggagctcgc gctgtccttc ctcctgctga 1500ccgcggccgc ccgcagcttg ctgtccgccc agggcgtcca cttctacttc ctcctgttcc 1560agggggtttc gttcttggtc gtcgggctcg acctgatcgg cgagcaggtg gattgatagc 1620agttgaataa tgggttatat atatatatat atatatatat tttcgcttga agaaatcctc 1680gcaggcatca tcaaattcaa agggctcttt gtgaagggaa gagcgtcgcc ttcttggatg 1740cggaaacctt gggtccctgt tcctgttcca ggaggggtcg gaaacgtggg gagctgtgta 1800gataggtata gcttggggtt tagcctgcga gatgcttttg ttcttccagg tttcgattct 1860tttgtaagaa tatttgtgcc cctacatgca agggctctt 189914528PRTZea mays 14Met Arg Ala Arg Leu Asp Tyr Leu Ala Pro Pro Leu Gln Phe Leu Thr1 5 10 15Asn Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Gln Ser Val Asp Arg Leu Val 20 25 30Leu Cys Leu Gly Cys Phe Trp Ile Lys Leu Lys Gly Val Arg Pro Val 35 40 45Pro Pro Leu Pro Ala Asp Lys Glu Asp Val Glu Ala Gly Pro Asp Gly 50 55 60Val Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Met Pro Met Cys Asn Glu Arg Glu Val65 70 75 80Tyr Gln Gln Ser Ile Gly Ala Val Cys Ser Leu Asp Trp Pro Arg Ser 85 90 95Asn Phe Leu Val Gln Val Leu Asp Asp Ser Asp Asp Ala Thr Thr Ser 100 105 110Ala Leu Ile Lys Glu Glu Val Glu Lys Trp Gln Arg Glu Gly Val Arg 115 120 125Ile Val Tyr Arg His Arg Val Ile Arg Asp Gly Tyr Lys Ala Gly Asn 130 135 140Leu Lys Ser Ala Met Asn Cys Ser Tyr Val Lys Asp Tyr Glu Phe Val145 150 155 160Val Ile Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Gln Ala Asp Phe Leu Lys Arg 165 170 175Thr Val Pro His Phe Lys Gly Lys Asp Asp Val Gly Leu Val Gln Ala 180 185 190Arg Trp Ser Phe Val Asn Lys Asp Glu Asn Leu Leu Thr Arg Leu Gln 195 200 205Asn Ile Asn Leu Cys Phe His Phe Glu Val Glu Gln Gln Val Asn Gly 210 215 220Ala Phe Leu Asn Phe Phe Gly Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg225 230 235 240Ile Lys Ala Leu Glu Glu Ser Gly Gly Trp Met Glu Arg Thr Thr Val 245 250 255Glu Asp Met Asp Ile Ala Val Arg Ala His Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe 260 265 270Leu

Phe Leu Asn Asp Val Glu Cys Gln Cys Glu Leu Pro Glu Ser Tyr 275 280 285Glu Ala Tyr Arg Lys Gln Gln His Arg Trp His Ser Gly Pro Met Gln 290 295 300Leu Phe Arg Leu Cys Phe Val Asp Ile Ile Lys Ser Lys Ile Gly Phe305 310 315 320Trp Lys Lys Phe Asn Leu Ile Phe Leu Phe Phe Leu Leu Arg Lys Leu 325 330 335Ile Leu Pro Phe Tyr Ser Phe Thr Leu Phe Cys Val Ile Leu Pro Met 340 345 350Thr Met Phe Val Pro Glu Ala Glu Leu Pro Ala Trp Val Val Cys Tyr 355 360 365Ile Pro Ala Thr Met Ser Ile Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro Ser Pro Lys Ser 370 375 380Phe Pro Phe Ile Val Pro Tyr Leu Leu Phe Glu Asn Thr Met Ser Val385 390 395 400Thr Lys Phe Asn Ala Met Val Ser Gly Leu Phe Gln Leu Gly Ser Ala 405 410 415Tyr Glu Trp Val Val Thr Lys Lys Ser Gly Arg Ser Ser Glu Gly Asp 420 425 430Leu Val Ala Leu Val Glu Lys His Ser Lys Gln Gln Arg Val Gly Ser 435 440 445Ala Pro Asn Leu Asp Ala Leu Thr Lys Glu Ser Lys Gly Thr Glu Glu 450 455 460Glu Lys Asn Lys Lys Lys Arg Lys Lys Lys His Asn Arg Ile Tyr Arg465 470 475 480Lys Glu Leu Ala Leu Ser Phe Leu Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Ala Arg Ser 485 490 495Leu Leu Ser Ala Gln Gly Val His Phe Tyr Phe Leu Leu Phe Gln Gly 500 505 510Val Ser Phe Leu Val Val Gly Leu Asp Leu Ile Gly Glu Gln Val Asp 515 520 525151587DNAZea mays 15atgcgcgccc gcctcgacta cctcgcgccg ccgctgcagt tcctaaccaa cgcctgcgtc 60ctcctcttcc tggtccagag cgtcgaccgc ctcgtgctct gcctcggctg cttctggatc 120aagctcaagg gcgtcaggcc cgtgccgccg ctgcccgccg acaaggagga cgtcgaggcc 180ggtcccgacg gcgtccccat ggtgctcgtg cagatgccca tgtgcaatga gagagaggtg 240taccagcaat ccatcggtgc ggtttgcagc ctggactggc caaggtcaaa tttcctggtc 300caggtgttgg atgactctga tgatgctacc acttcggcac ttatcaagga ggaggtggag 360aaatggcagc gagagggtgt gcgcatagta taccggcacc gggtgatccg ggatggctac 420aaggctggaa acctgaaatc agccatgaac tgcagttacg tgaaagacta tgagttcgtt 480gtcatcttcg atgctgattt ccaaccacag gcggacttcc tgaagcgcac cgtgccccat 540ttcaagggaa aggatgacgt cgggttggtt caggcgagat ggtcgttcgt aaacaaggat 600gagaacttgc tgaccaggct tcagaacata aatctttgct tccacttcga ggtggagcag 660caggtgaacg gggcgtttct caacttcttc gggttcaatg gcaccgcggg agtctggaga 720atcaaggcgc ttgaggagtc tggaggatgg atggagagga cgacggtgga ggacatggac 780atagctgttc gagcgcacct caaagggtgg aagtttctct ttctaaacga tgtcgagtgt 840cagtgtgaat tgccagaatc gtatgaagcg tacagaaagc agcagcaccg gtggcactca 900ggtcccatgc aattgtttag gctctgcttt gtggatataa tcaaatctaa gatcggtttc 960tggaagaagt tcaacctcat attcctcttc ttcctgctcc ggaagctgat actacccttc 1020tactccttca ccctcttctg cgtgatcctc cccatgacga tgttcgtccc cgaagccgag 1080ctccccgcgt gggtggtgtg ctacatcccg gcgacgatgt ccatcctcaa catcctcccg 1140tccccgaaat cgttcccgtt catcgtcccg tacctgctgt tcgagaacac catgtcggtg 1200accaagttca acgccatggt ctccggcctg ttccagctgg ggagcgccta cgagtgggtc 1260gtcaccaaga agtcggggcg ctcctccgag ggcgacctcg tggccctcgt ggagaagcac 1320tccaagcagc agagggtagg ctcggcgccc aacctcgacg cgctgaccaa ggagtcgaag 1380ggcaccgagg aggagaagaa taagaagaag aggaagaaga agcacaacag gatctacagg 1440aaggagctcg cgctgtcctt cctcctgctg accgcggccg cccgcagctt gctgtccgcc 1500cagggcgtcc acttctactt cctcctgttc cagggggttt cgttcttggt cgtcgggctc 1560gacctgatcg gcgagcaggt ggattga 158716528PRTZea mays 16Met Arg Ala Arg Leu Asp Tyr Leu Ala Pro Pro Leu Gln Phe Leu Thr1 5 10 15Asn Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Phe Leu Val Gln Ser Val Asp Arg Leu Val 20 25 30Leu Cys Leu Gly Cys Phe Trp Ile Lys Leu Lys Gly Val Arg Pro Val 35 40 45Pro Pro Leu Pro Ala Asp Lys Glu Asp Val Glu Ala Gly Pro Asp Gly 50 55 60Val Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Met Pro Met Cys Asn Glu Arg Glu Val65 70 75 80Tyr Gln Gln Ser Ile Gly Ala Val Cys Ser Leu Asp Trp Pro Arg Ser 85 90 95Asn Phe Leu Val Gln Val Leu Asp Asp Ser Asp Asp Ala Thr Thr Ser 100 105 110Ala Leu Ile Lys Glu Glu Val Glu Lys Trp Gln Arg Glu Gly Val Arg 115 120 125Ile Val Tyr Arg His Arg Val Ile Arg Asp Gly Tyr Lys Ala Gly Asn 130 135 140Leu Lys Ser Ala Met Asn Cys Ser Tyr Val Lys Asp Tyr Glu Phe Val145 150 155 160Val Ile Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Gln Ala Asp Phe Leu Lys Arg 165 170 175Thr Val Pro His Phe Lys Gly Lys Asp Asp Val Gly Leu Val Gln Ala 180 185 190Arg Trp Ser Phe Val Asn Lys Asp Glu Asn Leu Leu Thr Arg Leu Gln 195 200 205Asn Ile Asn Leu Cys Phe His Phe Glu Val Glu Gln Gln Val Asn Gly 210 215 220Ala Phe Leu Asn Phe Phe Gly Phe Asn Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg225 230 235 240Ile Lys Ala Leu Glu Glu Ser Gly Gly Trp Met Glu Arg Thr Thr Val 245 250 255Glu Asp Met Asp Ile Ala Val Arg Ala His Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe 260 265 270Leu Phe Leu Asn Asp Val Glu Cys Gln Cys Glu Leu Pro Glu Ser Tyr 275 280 285Glu Ala Tyr Arg Lys Gln Gln His Arg Trp His Ser Gly Pro Met Gln 290 295 300Leu Phe Arg Leu Cys Phe Val Asp Ile Ile Lys Ser Lys Ile Gly Phe305 310 315 320Trp Lys Lys Phe Asn Leu Ile Phe Leu Phe Phe Leu Leu Arg Lys Leu 325 330 335Ile Leu Pro Phe Tyr Ser Phe Thr Leu Phe Cys Val Ile Leu Pro Met 340 345 350Thr Met Phe Val Pro Glu Ala Glu Leu Pro Ala Trp Val Val Cys Tyr 355 360 365Ile Pro Ala Thr Met Ser Ile Leu Asn Ile Leu Pro Ser Pro Lys Ser 370 375 380Phe Pro Phe Ile Val Pro Tyr Leu Leu Phe Glu Asn Thr Met Ser Val385 390 395 400Thr Lys Phe Asn Ala Met Val Ser Gly Leu Phe Gln Leu Gly Ser Ala 405 410 415Tyr Glu Trp Val Val Thr Lys Lys Ser Gly Arg Ser Ser Glu Gly Asp 420 425 430Leu Val Ala Leu Val Glu Lys His Ser Lys Gln Gln Arg Val Gly Ser 435 440 445Ala Pro Asn Leu Asp Ala Leu Thr Lys Glu Ser Lys Gly Thr Glu Glu 450 455 460Glu Lys Asn Lys Lys Lys Arg Lys Lys Lys His Asn Arg Ile Tyr Arg465 470 475 480Lys Glu Leu Ala Leu Ser Phe Leu Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Ala Arg Ser 485 490 495Leu Leu Ser Ala Gln Gly Val His Phe Tyr Phe Leu Leu Phe Gln Gly 500 505 510Val Ser Phe Leu Val Val Gly Leu Asp Leu Ile Gly Glu Gln Val Asp 515 520 525172551DNAZea mays 17cggacgcgtg ggtccggaga aagaacctcc actggtcaca gcaaacacta tcctgtccat 60ccttgctgct gactaccctg tggagaagct ttcttgctat gtttctgatg atggaggggc 120tctcctgact tttgaagcca tggctgaagc tgctagcttt gctaatatgt gggttccttt 180ctgtcgcaag cacaacattg agcctcgcaa tcctgacagc tacttcaatc ttaagaagga 240cccatacaag aacaaggttc gccaggattt tgtcaaggac aggaggaggg tcaagaggga 300gtatgacgag ttcaaggtca ggatcaatgg tctgcctgac tcgatacgcc gacgctctga 360tgcgtaccat gccagagagg aaatcaaggc tatgaagagg cagcgtgagg ccgctcttga 420tgatgcagtg gagcctgtta agatccctaa agctacatgg atggctgatg gcactcactg 480gcctggtact tggattcaac cttctgctga gcatacccgt ggtgatcatg ctggaattat 540tcaggtgatg ctgaaacctc ccagtgacga tcccttgtac ggcagcaccg gtgatgaagg 600cagacctctt gatttcaccg aggtcgacat ccgtttgcca atgctggtgt atgtgtcccg 660agagaagcgg cctggttatg atcacaacaa gaaggctgga gcgatgaatg ctctggtccg 720ttcatctgct gtcatgtcaa atggcccctt catcctcaac ctcgactgtg atcactatgt 780ctacaactcg caagctttcc gcgaagggat gtgcttcatg atggaccgtg gtggcgaccg 840cattggttat gtccagttcc cgcagcggtt tgagggcatc gatccatcag atcgctatgc 900caaccacaac accgtcttct tcgacgtcaa catgcgcgcg ctggatggtc tcatgggacc 960agtctatgtt ggcactggct gccttttccg ccgtgttgcc ctatatggat ttgaccctcc 1020gcgctccaag gagcacggtg gctgctgcag ctgttgcttc ccccagagac gcaagatcaa 1080agcttcagcc gctgcaccgg aggagacccg ggctctaagg atggcagact tcgacgagga 1140tgaaatgaac atgtcgtcgt tccccaagaa gtttggtaac tcgagcttcc tcatcgactc 1200cattccgatt gctgagttcc aagggcgccc gcttgctgat caccctggtg tcaagaacgg 1260ccgccctccc ggtgctctca ctgtcccccg tgaccttctg gatgcatcca cagtcgctga 1320ggccgtcagt gtcatctcat gctggtacga agacaagacc gagtggggcc accgtgttgg 1380ttggatctat ggctcggtga cggaggatgt ggtcactggg taccggatgc acaaccgggg 1440ttggaagtcg gtgtactgtg tcaccaagcg tgacgccttc cgcggcaccg cgcccatcaa 1500cctgaccgac cgtctccacc aggtgctccg gtgggctact ggatcagtgg agatcttctt 1560ctcccgcaac aacgcgctgc tggcgagccg cagaatgaag ttcttgcaga ggatcgcgta 1620cctgaacgtg ggtatctacc cgttcacgtc catcttcctg atcgtctact gcttcctgcc 1680ggcgctgtcg ctgttctcgg ggcagttcat cgtgaagacg ctgaacgtga cgttcctgac 1740gtacctgctg gtgatcacgc tgacgctgtg cctgctggcg gtgctggaga tcaagtggtc 1800ggggatcagc ctggaggagt ggtggcggaa cgagcagttc tggctgatcg gcggcacgag 1860cgcgcacctg gcggccgtgc tgcagggcct gctgaaggtg gtggcgggca tcgagatctc 1920cttcactctg acgtccaagt cgggcggcga cgacgtggac gacgagttcg cggacctgta 1980catcgtcaag tggacgtcgc tgatgatccc gcccatcgtg atcatgatgg tgaacctgat 2040cggcatcgcg gtcgggttca gccgcaccat ctacagcgag atcccgcagt ggagcaagct 2100gctgggcggc gtcttcttca gcttctgggt gctggcgcac ctgtacccgt tcgccaaggg 2160cctgatgggg cggaggggcc gcacgccgac catcgtcttc gtctgggcgg gcctcctctc 2220catcaccatc tcgctgctgt gggtggccat caacccgccg tcccagaacc agcagattgg 2280tgggtcgttc acattcccct gaaagctctc tgggccaatg gcggattcat gcatgcttcg 2340tcgcagtggg atccttgcgt tgctctgcat cagttcctgg ttgcagcggt tcactatctg 2400aggacgaagc tgctgggggg aatgtgggat cctgactgtc gaactggcta cttttttgtt 2460gtcgaagctg ataatactct tatgatgagc tatagtagta gttcttttgt tcttttgttt 2520ttgctatata taaaatacat gttctggtcc c 255118720PRTZea mays 18Met Ala Glu Ala Ala Ser Phe Ala Asn Met Trp Val Pro Phe Cys Arg1 5 10 15Lys His Asn Ile Glu Pro Arg Asn Pro Asp Ser Tyr Phe Asn Leu Lys 20 25 30Lys Asp Pro Tyr Lys Asn Lys Val Arg Gln Asp Phe Val Lys Asp Arg 35 40 45Arg Arg Val Lys Arg Glu Tyr Asp Glu Phe Lys Val Arg Ile Asn Gly 50 55 60Leu Pro Asp Ser Ile Arg Arg Arg Ser Asp Ala Tyr His Ala Arg Glu65 70 75 80Glu Ile Lys Ala Met Lys Arg Gln Arg Glu Ala Ala Leu Asp Asp Ala 85 90 95Val Glu Pro Val Lys Ile Pro Lys Ala Thr Trp Met Ala Asp Gly Thr 100 105 110His Trp Pro Gly Thr Trp Ile Gln Pro Ser Ala Glu His Thr Arg Gly 115 120 125Asp His Ala Gly Ile Ile Gln Val Met Leu Lys Pro Pro Ser Asp Asp 130 135 140Pro Leu Tyr Gly Ser Thr Gly Asp Glu Gly Arg Pro Leu Asp Phe Thr145 150 155 160Glu Val Asp Ile Arg Leu Pro Met Leu Val Tyr Val Ser Arg Glu Lys 165 170 175Arg Pro Gly Tyr Asp His Asn Lys Lys Ala Gly Ala Met Asn Ala Leu 180 185 190Val Arg Ser Ser Ala Val Met Ser Asn Gly Pro Phe Ile Leu Asn Leu 195 200 205Asp Cys Asp His Tyr Val Tyr Asn Ser Gln Ala Phe Arg Glu Gly Met 210 215 220Cys Phe Met Met Asp Arg Gly Gly Asp Arg Ile Gly Tyr Val Gln Phe225 230 235 240Pro Gln Arg Phe Glu Gly Ile Asp Pro Ser Asp Arg Tyr Ala Asn His 245 250 255Asn Thr Val Phe Phe Asp Val Asn Met Arg Ala Leu Asp Gly Leu Met 260 265 270Gly Pro Val Tyr Val Gly Thr Gly Cys Leu Phe Arg Arg Val Ala Leu 275 280 285Tyr Gly Phe Asp Pro Pro Arg Ser Lys Glu His Gly Gly Cys Cys Ser 290 295 300Cys Cys Phe Pro Gln Arg Arg Lys Ile Lys Ala Ser Ala Ala Ala Pro305 310 315 320Glu Glu Thr Arg Ala Leu Arg Met Ala Asp Phe Asp Glu Asp Glu Met 325 330 335Asn Met Ser Ser Phe Pro Lys Lys Phe Gly Asn Ser Ser Phe Leu Ile 340 345 350Asp Ser Ile Pro Ile Ala Glu Phe Gln Gly Arg Pro Leu Ala Asp His 355 360 365Pro Gly Val Lys Asn Gly Arg Pro Pro Gly Ala Leu Thr Val Pro Arg 370 375 380Asp Leu Leu Asp Ala Ser Thr Val Ala Glu Ala Val Ser Val Ile Ser385 390 395 400Cys Trp Tyr Glu Asp Lys Thr Glu Trp Gly His Arg Val Gly Trp Ile 405 410 415Tyr Gly Ser Val Thr Glu Asp Val Val Thr Gly Tyr Arg Met His Asn 420 425 430Arg Gly Trp Lys Ser Val Tyr Cys Val Thr Lys Arg Asp Ala Phe Arg 435 440 445Gly Thr Ala Pro Ile Asn Leu Thr Asp Arg Leu His Gln Val Leu Arg 450 455 460Trp Ala Thr Gly Ser Val Glu Ile Phe Phe Ser Arg Asn Asn Ala Leu465 470 475 480Leu Ala Ser Arg Arg Met Lys Phe Leu Gln Arg Ile Ala Tyr Leu Asn 485 490 495Val Gly Ile Tyr Pro Phe Thr Ser Ile Phe Leu Ile Val Tyr Cys Phe 500 505 510Leu Pro Ala Leu Ser Leu Phe Ser Gly Gln Phe Ile Val Lys Thr Leu 515 520 525Asn Val Thr Phe Leu Thr Tyr Leu Leu Val Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Cys 530 535 540Leu Leu Ala Val Leu Glu Ile Lys Trp Ser Gly Ile Ser Leu Glu Glu545 550 555 560Trp Trp Arg Asn Glu Gln Phe Trp Leu Ile Gly Gly Thr Ser Ala His 565 570 575Leu Ala Ala Val Leu Gln Gly Leu Leu Lys Val Val Ala Gly Ile Glu 580 585 590Ile Ser Phe Thr Leu Thr Ser Lys Ser Gly Gly Asp Asp Val Asp Asp 595 600 605Glu Phe Ala Asp Leu Tyr Ile Val Lys Trp Thr Ser Leu Met Ile Pro 610 615 620Pro Ile Val Ile Met Met Val Asn Leu Ile Gly Ile Ala Val Gly Phe625 630 635 640Ser Arg Thr Ile Tyr Ser Glu Ile Pro Gln Trp Ser Lys Leu Leu Gly 645 650 655Gly Val Phe Phe Ser Phe Trp Val Leu Ala His Leu Tyr Pro Phe Ala 660 665 670Lys Gly Leu Met Gly Arg Arg Gly Arg Thr Pro Thr Ile Val Phe Val 675 680 685Trp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ser Ile Thr Ile Ser Leu Leu Trp Val Ala Ile 690 695 700Asn Pro Pro Ser Gln Asn Gln Gln Ile Gly Gly Ser Phe Thr Phe Pro705 710 715 720191740DNAZea mays 19gagcagtgcc tgaacccaag tgcagtgcag cagccatggg agcagcagca gcaggtggcc 60acgcgctgcg cgccgtcggc gacgtcgtct cgttccccgc gaccgtcgcc gccttcgtgg 120aggcgctgct ccagggctgg gccgaggcca gggccgggct gctggtgccg ctgctccgcg 180ccgcggtgct gctgtgcacg gccatgtcgc tgatcgtgct ggccgagaag gtgttcctgg 240gcgcggtcag ctccgtggcg aagctgcggc gccggcgtcc ggggcgggtg tgcaggtgcg 300accccgacga ggaggcggct gcggcatccc aggcctatcc catggtgctc gtccagatcc 360ccatgtacaa cgagagggag gtttaccagc tatcaataga ggcagcctgc aggctcacat 420ggccggtaga tcgactaata gtgcaggtgc tggacgactc caccgactcc gtcatcaagg 480agctggtgaa gggcgagtgc gagcggtggg ccacggagga ggggatcaac gtcaagtacg 540agacgcgcaa ggacagggcc gggtacaagg ccggcaacct caaggagggg atgcgccacg 600cctacgtgcg cgcctgcgag ttcgtcgcca tgttcgacgc agacttccag ccgccgccgg 660acttcctcgt cagaaccgtc ccgttcctcg tccacaaccc cagcctcgcg ctcgtgcaga 720cacgctggaa gttcgtgaat gccaacgact gcttgctgac gagaatgcag gagatgtcca 780tggactacca tttcaaggtg gagcaggaag ctggctcttc cttatgcaac ttctttggat 840acaacggaac cgctggagta tggagaacgc aagcgatcgt cgagtccggg ggctgggagg 900accgaaccac tgctgaggac atggacttgg cgctgagagc agggctcctg ggctgggagt 960tcgtctacgt tggaagcata aaggttaaga gtgagctgcc gagcactctc aaggcgtacc 1020ggtcccagca gcaccgctgg tcatgcggac ctgccctcct gttcaagaaa atgttctggc 1080aaattctcgc tgccgagaga gtgtcggtct ggaagaagtg gtacatggtc tatgacttct 1140tcattgcccg gagaatcgta ggcaccttct acacgttctt ctttttcagc gtcctgattc 1200ctctgaacat tctgctaccc gaagcgcaga ttcctgtgtg ggagctcatc tatatcccca 1260tagctatcac tcttctcaac tctgttggga ctccaaggtc tatccatctg gtcatactgt 1320gggtcttgtt cgagaacgta atggcgttgc atcggtttaa agccatcttg atagggtttc 1380tcgaagctga cagggccaac gaatggatcg tgacgcaaaa gctggggaat ctgcagaagc 1440tgaaatcgat cgccagactt acaggaagct accgtttcaa agacaggttc catttcctgg 1500aggtgttcat tgggctgttc cttttggcct ctgcgtgctt tgactactta tacagagatg 1560actatgttta cctctttgtt cttccccaat cgatcatgta tttcgcgatt gggtttcagt 1620tcgttggtct

caatgtctct gaagactgac caattgcaag acaactgaac gttttggttg 1680cgatattatg attgctcggg tcaaggttct tgtaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 174020537PRTZea mays 20Met Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly His Ala Leu Arg Ala Val Gly Asp1 5 10 15Val Val Ser Phe Pro Ala Thr Val Ala Ala Phe Val Glu Ala Leu Leu 20 25 30Gln Gly Trp Ala Glu Ala Arg Ala Gly Leu Leu Val Pro Leu Leu Arg 35 40 45Ala Ala Val Leu Leu Cys Thr Ala Met Ser Leu Ile Val Leu Ala Glu 50 55 60Lys Val Phe Leu Gly Ala Val Ser Ser Val Ala Lys Leu Arg Arg Arg65 70 75 80Arg Pro Gly Arg Val Cys Arg Cys Asp Pro Asp Glu Glu Ala Ala Ala 85 90 95Ala Ser Gln Ala Tyr Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Ile Pro Met Tyr Asn 100 105 110Glu Arg Glu Val Tyr Gln Leu Ser Ile Glu Ala Ala Cys Arg Leu Thr 115 120 125Trp Pro Val Asp Arg Leu Ile Val Gln Val Leu Asp Asp Ser Thr Asp 130 135 140Ser Val Ile Lys Glu Leu Val Lys Gly Glu Cys Glu Arg Trp Ala Thr145 150 155 160Glu Glu Gly Ile Asn Val Lys Tyr Glu Thr Arg Lys Asp Arg Ala Gly 165 170 175Tyr Lys Ala Gly Asn Leu Lys Glu Gly Met Arg His Ala Tyr Val Arg 180 185 190Ala Cys Glu Phe Val Ala Met Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro Pro Pro 195 200 205Asp Phe Leu Val Arg Thr Val Pro Phe Leu Val His Asn Pro Ser Leu 210 215 220Ala Leu Val Gln Thr Arg Trp Lys Phe Val Asn Ala Asn Asp Cys Leu225 230 235 240Leu Thr Arg Met Gln Glu Met Ser Met Asp Tyr His Phe Lys Val Glu 245 250 255Gln Glu Ala Gly Ser Ser Leu Cys Asn Phe Phe Gly Tyr Asn Gly Thr 260 265 270Ala Gly Val Trp Arg Thr Gln Ala Ile Val Glu Ser Gly Gly Trp Glu 275 280 285Asp Arg Thr Thr Ala Glu Asp Met Asp Leu Ala Leu Arg Ala Gly Leu 290 295 300Leu Gly Trp Glu Phe Val Tyr Val Gly Ser Ile Lys Val Lys Ser Glu305 310 315 320Leu Pro Ser Thr Leu Lys Ala Tyr Arg Ser Gln Gln His Arg Trp Ser 325 330 335Cys Gly Pro Ala Leu Leu Phe Lys Lys Met Phe Trp Gln Ile Leu Ala 340 345 350Ala Glu Arg Val Ser Val Trp Lys Lys Trp Tyr Met Val Tyr Asp Phe 355 360 365Phe Ile Ala Arg Arg Ile Val Gly Thr Phe Tyr Thr Phe Phe Phe Phe 370 375 380Ser Val Leu Ile Pro Leu Asn Ile Leu Leu Pro Glu Ala Gln Ile Pro385 390 395 400Val Trp Glu Leu Ile Tyr Ile Pro Ile Ala Ile Thr Leu Leu Asn Ser 405 410 415Val Gly Thr Pro Arg Ser Ile His Leu Val Ile Leu Trp Val Leu Phe 420 425 430Glu Asn Val Met Ala Leu His Arg Phe Lys Ala Ile Leu Ile Gly Phe 435 440 445Leu Glu Ala Asp Arg Ala Asn Glu Trp Ile Val Thr Gln Lys Leu Gly 450 455 460Asn Leu Gln Lys Leu Lys Ser Ile Ala Arg Leu Thr Gly Ser Tyr Arg465 470 475 480Phe Lys Asp Arg Phe His Phe Leu Glu Val Phe Ile Gly Leu Phe Leu 485 490 495Leu Ala Ser Ala Cys Phe Asp Tyr Leu Tyr Arg Asp Asp Tyr Val Tyr 500 505 510Leu Phe Val Leu Pro Gln Ser Ile Met Tyr Phe Ala Ile Gly Phe Gln 515 520 525Phe Val Gly Leu Asn Val Ser Glu Asp 530 535211834DNAZea mays 21aaccaccaca ccaccaccca atggaggccg gggaaatcgg cggggccctt gtcttcatcc 60tcgccgccgc cgccgccgtc gcggccgccg tgtccgtcgg cgcggtcgac ttcagccgcc 120cgctcaccgc gggggcgccg ttcgacttcc aggcggcggt gtcctggctc atcggcatcc 180tcgacggcac gtcctcggca gcggcggacg tggacggggc gtgggtggcg gtgcgggccg 240gggtgatcgc gccggtgctg caggtggcgg tgtgggcgtg catggtgatg tcggtgatgc 300tggtggtgga ggccgtgtac aacagcgtca tcagcctcgg cgtcaaggcc attgggtgga 360ggcctgagtg gaggttcaag tggaagcccc tcgacagcgc cgacgaggag aaggggaccg 420cccacttccc tatggtcctg gttcagatac ccatgtacaa cgagctggag gtgtacaagc 480tgtcaatagc ggcagcatgt gagctgcagt ggccaaagga caggatagta attcaagtgt 540tggacgattc tactgacccc tttatcaaga atttggtgga gcttgaatgt gagcactggg 600tgaacaaagg tgtcaatatt aagtatgcca caagaaccag ccgcaaggga ttcaaggcag 660gagctctgaa gaaaggaatg gaatgtgact atgcatggca aagcgaatac attgctatat 720ttgatgctga tttccaacct gaaccagatt ttctgctcca aactgtccca ttccttctgc 780acaatccaga agttgcactt gttcaagctc ggtggtcctt cgtgaatgac acgacaagcc 840tgctgacaag ggtacaaaag atgttttacg actaccactt caaagttgaa caagaagcag 900gatcagcgac ctttgccttc ttcagtttca acggaactgc tggagtgtgg cgtacaggag 960ccataagaga tgcaggaggt tggaaggacc gaactacagt tgaagacatg gacttggcgg 1020ttcgagcaac actaaagggc tggaaattcg tatatgttgg agacgttaga gtcaagagtg 1080aactgccgtc cacttacaag gcctgtcggc agcaattccg gtggtctagt ggtggtgcaa 1140acttattccg taagatggca aaggatgttt tgtttgccaa ggatatatca ctcgtcaaga 1200agttctatat gctctatagc ttcttctttg tgaggagagt tgtagcgccg acggctgcct 1260gtattctcta caatgtcatc atccccatct cagtcacaat cccggagctt tacctaccag 1320tgtggggtgt tgcctatatt cccatggtgc ttaccgtggt cacagctata agacatccaa 1380aaaatctaca catactgcca ttttggattt tgtttgagag tgtgatgaca ttgcatcgga 1440tgagggctgc gatgactgga ctgctggagc tagaaggatt caaccagtgg attgtgacaa 1500agaaggtggg gaatgatctc gaggacactg aagttccttt gcttcagaaa acccggaaaa 1560ggctgagaga cagagtcaat ctccccgaga ttggattttc ggtgtttctc ttcctctgtg 1620catcatacaa cctggtgttc catgggaaaa caagctacta cttatatatg taccttcagg 1680ggttagcatt tctgttacta gggtttaact tcactggcaa ttgttcttgc taccaatgat 1740agcatgtcaa agctgtacga attgctgatt gatattcatt ttctggtcat gcgttcgtaa 1800aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaa 183422572PRTZea mays 22Met Glu Ala Gly Glu Ile Gly Gly Ala Leu Val Phe Ile Leu Ala Ala1 5 10 15Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Ala Ala Val Ser Val Gly Ala Val Asp Phe Ser 20 25 30Arg Pro Leu Thr Ala Gly Ala Pro Phe Asp Phe Gln Ala Ala Val Ser 35 40 45Trp Leu Ile Gly Ile Leu Asp Gly Thr Ser Ser Ala Ala Ala Asp Val 50 55 60Asp Gly Ala Trp Val Ala Val Arg Ala Gly Val Ile Ala Pro Val Leu65 70 75 80Gln Val Ala Val Trp Ala Cys Met Val Met Ser Val Met Leu Val Val 85 90 95Glu Ala Val Tyr Asn Ser Val Ile Ser Leu Gly Val Lys Ala Ile Gly 100 105 110Trp Arg Pro Glu Trp Arg Phe Lys Trp Lys Pro Leu Asp Ser Ala Asp 115 120 125Glu Glu Lys Gly Thr Ala His Phe Pro Met Val Leu Val Gln Ile Pro 130 135 140Met Tyr Asn Glu Leu Glu Val Tyr Lys Leu Ser Ile Ala Ala Ala Cys145 150 155 160Glu Leu Gln Trp Pro Lys Asp Arg Ile Val Ile Gln Val Leu Asp Asp 165 170 175Ser Thr Asp Pro Phe Ile Lys Asn Leu Val Glu Leu Glu Cys Glu His 180 185 190Trp Val Asn Lys Gly Val Asn Ile Lys Tyr Ala Thr Arg Thr Ser Arg 195 200 205Lys Gly Phe Lys Ala Gly Ala Leu Lys Lys Gly Met Glu Cys Asp Tyr 210 215 220Ala Trp Gln Ser Glu Tyr Ile Ala Ile Phe Asp Ala Asp Phe Gln Pro225 230 235 240Glu Pro Asp Phe Leu Leu Gln Thr Val Pro Phe Leu Leu His Asn Pro 245 250 255Glu Val Ala Leu Val Gln Ala Arg Trp Ser Phe Val Asn Asp Thr Thr 260 265 270Ser Leu Leu Thr Arg Val Gln Lys Met Phe Tyr Asp Tyr His Phe Lys 275 280 285Val Glu Gln Glu Ala Gly Ser Ala Thr Phe Ala Phe Phe Ser Phe Asn 290 295 300Gly Thr Ala Gly Val Trp Arg Thr Gly Ala Ile Arg Asp Ala Gly Gly305 310 315 320Trp Lys Asp Arg Thr Thr Val Glu Asp Met Asp Leu Ala Val Arg Ala 325 330 335Thr Leu Lys Gly Trp Lys Phe Val Tyr Val Gly Asp Val Arg Val Lys 340 345 350Ser Glu Leu Pro Ser Thr Tyr Lys Ala Cys Arg Gln Gln Phe Arg Trp 355 360 365Ser Ser Gly Gly Ala Asn Leu Phe Arg Lys Met Ala Lys Asp Val Leu 370 375 380Phe Ala Lys Asp Ile Ser Leu Val Lys Lys Phe Tyr Met Leu Tyr Ser385 390 395 400Phe Phe Phe Val Arg Arg Val Val Ala Pro Thr Ala Ala Cys Ile Leu 405 410 415Tyr Asn Val Ile Ile Pro Ile Ser Val Thr Ile Pro Glu Leu Tyr Leu 420 425 430Pro Val Trp Gly Val Ala Tyr Ile Pro Met Val Leu Thr Val Val Thr 435 440 445Ala Ile Arg His Pro Lys Asn Leu His Ile Leu Pro Phe Trp Ile Leu 450 455 460Phe Glu Ser Val Met Thr Leu His Arg Met Arg Ala Ala Met Thr Gly465 470 475 480Leu Leu Glu Leu Glu Gly Phe Asn Gln Trp Ile Val Thr Lys Lys Val 485 490 495Gly Asn Asp Leu Glu Asp Thr Glu Val Pro Leu Leu Gln Lys Thr Arg 500 505 510Lys Arg Leu Arg Asp Arg Val Asn Leu Pro Glu Ile Gly Phe Ser Val 515 520 525Phe Leu Phe Leu Cys Ala Ser Tyr Asn Leu Val Phe His Gly Lys Thr 530 535 540Ser Tyr Tyr Leu Tyr Met Tyr Leu Gln Gly Leu Ala Phe Leu Leu Leu545 550 555 560Gly Phe Asn Phe Thr Gly Asn Cys Ser Cys Tyr Gln 565 570232432DNAZea mays 23ccacgcgtcc gccggtcctc ggctcatcag tattattatt attattatta ttcggctcct 60gctcatcagc tgcagcagtc gtgctccgga ccggagaagt cgaaatggag gagaggctgt 120tcgccacgga gaagcacggt ggccgggcgc tctacaggct ccacgccgtc acggtgttcc 180tggggatatg cctgctgctc tgctacaggg cgacgcacgt cccggctgcc ggctccggcg 240gcagggcggc gtggctgggg atgctcgcgg cggagctctg gttcggcttc tactgggtca 300tcacgcagtc cgtgcgctgg tgccccatcc gccgccgcac cttccacgac aggctcgccg 360ccaggttcgg agagcggctc ccctgcgtgg acatcttcgt gtgcacagcg gacccgcggt 420cggagccgcc gagccttgtc gtggccacgg tcctgtcggt gatggcgtac aactacccgc 480ccgcgaagct caacgtctac ctctccgacg acggcggctc catcctcacc ttctacgctc 540tgtgggaggc ctccgccttc gccaagcact ggctcccgtt ctgcaggagg tacggcgtcg 600agccacggtc gccggccgct tacttcgccc agtctgatga gaagcctcgt catgatccgc 660cgcacgcctt gcaggagtgg acgtccgtca aaaacctata cgatgaaatg acggagcgga 720ttgactccgc tgctcggacg ggcaatgttc ctgaagaaac tagagcgaaa cacaaagggt 780tttctgagtg ggatacgggt attacctcaa aagaccacca cccgatcgtt cagattctga 840tagatgggaa agacaaggct gtagctgaca acgaaggcaa tgtgctgccg acgctggtgt 900acgtggcacg agagaagagg cctcagtacc accacaactt caaagccggg gcgatgaacg 960ctctgatccg agtatcgtcc gtgataagca acagccctat catcctgaac gtggactgcg 1020acatgtattc caacaacagc gacacgatca gagacgcgct gtgcttcttc ctcgacgaag 1080aaacgggcca caggatcgcg ttcgtgcagt accctcagaa ctacaacaac ctcaccaaga 1140acaacatata cggcaactcc ctcaatgtca tcaaccaggt ggagctgagc ggcctggacg 1200cttggggcgg cccgctgtac atcggcacgg gatgcttcca taggagggag accctgtgcg 1260gcaggaggtt caccgaggac tacaaggaag actgggacag aggaaccaag gagcagcagc 1320agcaccgcca ccgcgtcgac ggcgagaccg aagcgaaggc caagtcgcta gcgacctgcg 1380cctacgagca cgacgacgac acgcggtggg gagacgaggt ggggctcaag tacggctgct 1440cggtggagga cgtcatcacg gggctggcga tacactgcag agggtgggag tcggtgtaca 1500gcaaccccgc gagagcggcg ttcgtcggcg tcgcgccgac cacgctcgcc cagaccatac 1560tgcagcacaa gcggtggagc gagggcaact tcggcatctt cgtttccagg tactgcccct 1620tcgtctttgg acgacggggc aaaaccaggt tgccgcacca gatgggctac tccatctacg 1680ggctatgggc gcccaactcg ctgcctacgc tgtactacgc tgtcgtccct tcgctgtgcc 1740tgctcaaggg cacccctctg ttccctgagc tcacgagtcc gtggatcgcg cctttcgtct 1800acgtcgcggt cgccaagaac gtctacagcg cgtgggaggc gctgtggtgc ggagacacgc 1860tgagagggtg gtggaacggg cagaggatgt ggctggtccg gagaacgacc tcgtacctct 1920acggcttcgt cgacaccgtc agggactcgc tggggctgtc caagatgggc ttcgtggtgt 1980cgtccaaggt gagcgacgag gacgaggcca agaggtacga gcaggagatg atggagttcg 2040ggacggcgtc gccggagtac gtgatcgtcg cggccgtcgc gctgctcaac ctcgtgtgcc 2100tggcagggat ggcggcggca ctggatgtgt tcttcgtcca ggtcgctctc tgcggggtgc 2160tggtgctcct caacgtcccg gtctatgaag ccatgttcgt caggaaggac agggggagga 2220tgccgttccc gatcacgcta gcctccgttg gctttgtgac gctggccctc attgtgccat 2280tcttttgact ttgaggtgct aataatacgt gtacgggcac acgcacgttc gcatgtatga 2340cgattatggg caacaggcgt gtaataccac taatacctat taaacactcc agtctccaag 2400tgatccattg ctacaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aa 243224727PRTZea mays 24Met Glu Glu Arg Leu Phe Ala Thr Glu Lys His Gly Gly Arg Ala Leu1 5 10 15Tyr Arg Leu His Ala Val Thr Val Phe Leu Gly Ile Cys Leu Leu Leu 20 25 30Cys Tyr Arg Ala Thr His Val Pro Ala Ala Gly Ser Gly Gly Arg Ala 35 40 45Ala Trp Leu Gly Met Leu Ala Ala Glu Leu Trp Phe Gly Phe Tyr Trp 50 55 60Val Ile Thr Gln Ser Val Arg Trp Cys Pro Ile Arg Arg Arg Thr Phe65 70 75 80His Asp Arg Leu Ala Ala Arg Phe Gly Glu Arg Leu Pro Cys Val Asp 85 90 95Ile Phe Val Cys Thr Ala Asp Pro Arg Ser Glu Pro Pro Ser Leu Val 100 105 110Val Ala Thr Val Leu Ser Val Met Ala Tyr Asn Tyr Pro Pro Ala Lys 115 120 125Leu Asn Val Tyr Leu Ser Asp Asp Gly Gly Ser Ile Leu Thr Phe Tyr 130 135 140Ala Leu Trp Glu Ala Ser Ala Phe Ala Lys His Trp Leu Pro Phe Cys145 150 155 160Arg Arg Tyr Gly Val Glu Pro Arg Ser Pro Ala Ala Tyr Phe Ala Gln 165 170 175Ser Asp Glu Lys Pro Arg His Asp Pro Pro His Ala Leu Gln Glu Trp 180 185 190Thr Ser Val Lys Asn Leu Tyr Asp Glu Met Thr Glu Arg Ile Asp Ser 195 200 205Ala Ala Arg Thr Gly Asn Val Pro Glu Glu Thr Arg Ala Lys His Lys 210 215 220Gly Phe Ser Glu Trp Asp Thr Gly Ile Thr Ser Lys Asp His His Pro225 230 235 240Ile Val Gln Ile Leu Ile Asp Gly Lys Asp Lys Ala Val Ala Asp Asn 245 250 255Glu Gly Asn Val Leu Pro Thr Leu Val Tyr Val Ala Arg Glu Lys Arg 260 265 270Pro Gln Tyr His His Asn Phe Lys Ala Gly Ala Met Asn Ala Leu Ile 275 280 285Arg Val Ser Ser Val Ile Ser Asn Ser Pro Ile Ile Leu Asn Val Asp 290 295 300Cys Asp Met Tyr Ser Asn Asn Ser Asp Thr Ile Arg Asp Ala Leu Cys305 310 315 320Phe Phe Leu Asp Glu Glu Thr Gly His Arg Ile Ala Phe Val Gln Tyr 325 330 335Pro Gln Asn Tyr Asn Asn Leu Thr Lys Asn Asn Ile Tyr Gly Asn Ser 340 345 350Leu Asn Val Ile Asn Gln Val Glu Leu Ser Gly Leu Asp Ala Trp Gly 355 360 365Gly Pro Leu Tyr Ile Gly Thr Gly Cys Phe His Arg Arg Glu Thr Leu 370 375 380Cys Gly Arg Arg Phe Thr Glu Asp Tyr Lys Glu Asp Trp Asp Arg Gly385 390 395 400Thr Lys Glu Gln Gln Gln His Arg His Arg Val Asp Gly Glu Thr Glu 405 410 415Ala Lys Ala Lys Ser Leu Ala Thr Cys Ala Tyr Glu His Asp Asp Asp 420 425 430Thr Arg Trp Gly Asp Glu Val Gly Leu Lys Tyr Gly Cys Ser Val Glu 435 440 445Asp Val Ile Thr Gly Leu Ala Ile His Cys Arg Gly Trp Glu Ser Val 450 455 460Tyr Ser Asn Pro Ala Arg Ala Ala Phe Val Gly Val Ala Pro Thr Thr465 470 475 480Leu Ala Gln Thr Ile Leu Gln His Lys Arg Trp Ser Glu Gly Asn Phe 485 490 495Gly Ile Phe Val Ser Arg Tyr Cys Pro Phe Val Phe Gly Arg Arg Gly 500 505 510Lys Thr Arg Leu Pro His Gln Met Gly Tyr Ser Ile Tyr Gly Leu Trp 515 520 525Ala Pro Asn Ser Leu Pro Thr Leu Tyr Tyr Ala Val Val Pro Ser Leu 530 535 540Cys Leu Leu Lys Gly Thr Pro Leu Phe Pro Glu Leu Thr Ser Pro Trp545 550 555 560Ile Ala Pro Phe Val Tyr Val Ala Val Ala Lys Asn Val Tyr Ser Ala 565 570 575Trp Glu Ala Leu Trp Cys Gly Asp Thr Leu Arg Gly Trp Trp Asn Gly 580 585 590Gln Arg Met Trp Leu Val Arg Arg Thr Thr Ser Tyr Leu Tyr Gly Phe 595 600 605Val Asp Thr Val Arg Asp Ser Leu Gly Leu Ser Lys Met Gly Phe Val 610 615 620Val Ser Ser Lys Val

Ser Asp Glu Asp Glu Ala Lys Arg Tyr Glu Gln625 630 635 640Glu Met Met Glu Phe Gly Thr Ala Ser Pro Glu Tyr Val Ile Val Ala 645 650 655Ala Val Ala Leu Leu Asn Leu Val Cys Leu Ala Gly Met Ala Ala Ala 660 665 670Leu Asp Val Phe Phe Val Gln Val Ala Leu Cys Gly Val Leu Val Leu 675 680 685Leu Asn Val Pro Val Tyr Glu Ala Met Phe Val Arg Lys Asp Arg Gly 690 695 700Arg Met Pro Phe Pro Ile Thr Leu Ala Ser Val Gly Phe Val Thr Leu705 710 715 720Ala Leu Ile Val Pro Phe Phe 725251190DNAZea mays 25gcacgagcac acgcacgcat acacagcaca gagtgaggta agcatccgaa aaaagctgtg 60atctgatcga catggccgcc gccaccatgg ctctcacctc ccgcgcgctc gtcggcaagc 120cggcgaccag caccagggac gtcttcggcg aggggcgcat caccatgcgc aagactgctg 180gcaagcccaa gccagcggcg tccggcagcc cctggtacgg ggccgaccgc gtcctgtacc 240tgggcccgct gtccggccag cccccaagct acctgaccgg cgagttcccc ggcgactacg 300gctgggacac cgcggggctg tccgccgacc cggagacttt cgccaagaac cgcgagctgg 360aggtgatcca ctgccgctgg gccatgctgg gcgcgctcgg gtgcgtgttc ccggagctgc 420tcgcccgcaa cggcgtcaag ttcggcgagg ccgtgtggtt caaggccggg tcccagatct 480tcagcgaggg cgggcttgac tacctcggca acccgagcct gatccacgcg cagagcatcc 540tggccatctg ggcgtgccag gtggtgctca tgggcgccgt cgaggggtac cgcatcgccg 600gtggcccgct cggggaggtg gtcgacccgc tgtaccccgg cggcagcttc gacccgctcg 660ggctcgccga cgacccggag gcgttcgcgg agctcaaggt caaggagatc aagaacggcc 720gcctcgccat gttctccatg ttcggcttct tcgtgcaggc catcgtcacc ggcaagggtc 780ccgttgagaa cctcgccgac cacctcgctg accctgtcaa caacaacgcc tgggcctacg 840ctaccaactt cgtccccggc aagtgagcga gggcatatac atacttgtat gcgtgtaccg 900tagacatacg tattcgtata tgtactgcag gagatgtacc agtatttgtg aagaagggag 960catgggctca gagattgtac cagtagtgta cgtatttgca tgcatgcttt ggaaaaaaaa 1020aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa cctcgaattt gccaccttct 1080tgctgtttta aaaatatttt atcacttata tgctgcatta ggtggtagga gttgaatggt 1140taaacctttg ctgcataact tccttgaatt attgagtatc aaggatgata 119026264PRTZea mays 26Met Ala Ala Ala Thr Met Ala Leu Thr Ser Arg Ala Leu Val Gly Lys1 5 10 15Pro Ala Thr Ser Thr Arg Asp Val Phe Gly Glu Gly Arg Ile Thr Met 20 25 30Arg Lys Thr Ala Gly Lys Pro Lys Pro Ala Ala Ser Gly Ser Pro Trp 35 40 45Tyr Gly Ala Asp Arg Val Leu Tyr Leu Gly Pro Leu Ser Gly Gln Pro 50 55 60Pro Ser Tyr Leu Thr Gly Glu Phe Pro Gly Asp Tyr Gly Trp Asp Thr65 70 75 80Ala Gly Leu Ser Ala Asp Pro Glu Thr Phe Ala Lys Asn Arg Glu Leu 85 90 95Glu Val Ile His Cys Arg Trp Ala Met Leu Gly Ala Leu Gly Cys Val 100 105 110Phe Pro Glu Leu Leu Ala Arg Asn Gly Val Lys Phe Gly Glu Ala Val 115 120 125Trp Phe Lys Ala Gly Ser Gln Ile Phe Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu Asp Tyr 130 135 140Leu Gly Asn Pro Ser Leu Ile His Ala Gln Ser Ile Leu Ala Ile Trp145 150 155 160Ala Cys Gln Val Val Leu Met Gly Ala Val Glu Gly Tyr Arg Ile Ala 165 170 175Gly Gly Pro Leu Gly Glu Val Val Asp Pro Leu Tyr Pro Gly Gly Ser 180 185 190Phe Asp Pro Leu Gly Leu Ala Asp Asp Pro Glu Ala Phe Ala Glu Leu 195 200 205Lys Val Lys Glu Ile Lys Asn Gly Arg Leu Ala Met Phe Ser Met Phe 210 215 220Gly Phe Phe Val Gln Ala Ile Val Thr Gly Lys Gly Pro Val Glu Asn225 230 235 240Leu Ala Asp His Leu Ala Asp Pro Val Asn Asn Asn Ala Trp Ala Tyr 245 250 255Ala Thr Asn Phe Val Pro Gly Lys 260272351DNAZea mays 27gaggaaggga tggccgggag cagcgtccgc ggcggcagca actgcccacc gctgttcgtg 60acggagaaac caacgcggat ggcgaggtac gcttaccggc tgttcgcgag cacggtcctc 120gcgggggttc ttctggtatg gctgtacaga gcaacgcacg tgccgccgat gagcagcggc 180gcccggtggt gggcgtggct tgggctctcc gcggcggagc tctggttcgg cttctactgg 240gtgctgacgc tgtccgtgcg gtggagcccc gtcttccgcc gcgccttccc ggaccagctc 300ttgcgaaggt acaaggaaga gcagcttcct ggggtggaca tatttgtgtg tacagcagac 360cccactgttg agccgccaat gcttgtcatc tccactgtcc tatctgttat ggcttatgac 420tacccgaagg agaagttgaa catatatttg tctgatgatg ctggttccat cataacattg 480tatgctctat atgaagcatc agagtttgca aagcactggc ttccattttg caataagtac 540caagtggagc ccaggtcacc agctgcctac tttggtacag aagctagccc tccagatgca 600tgtgaccgta aagagtggtt ttctttgaag gagatgcaca aagatttggc agctcgagtg 660aattcagttg ttaattcagg gaagatccct gaagtttcaa aatgcaagct tatgggcttc 720tccaggtgga gcgagaatgc aagttttaga gatcaccctt caatagttca gattttaatt 780gatggaaaca aaaggaaagc aactgatatc gatggaaaag tgttgcccac actggtttat 840atggctcgtg agaagagacc tcaagaacat catcacttca aagctggatc actgaatgct 900ttgataaggg tatcatcggt gataagcaac agcccagtca ttatgaatgt ggactgtgat 960atgtactcca acaattcagg gtctatcaga gatgcattgt gcttcttcca agacgaacag 1020ctaggtcaag atattgcttt tgttcagtat cctcagaact tcgaaaatgt ggtgcaaaat 1080gacatctatg gcaatcccat caacaccgtc aatgagttgg accatccttg cttggatgga 1140tggggtggaa tgtgttacta tggcacagga tgcttccatc ggagagaggc tctatgtggg 1200cgaatataca gtccagacta caaggaagat tggactaggg tggcgaggaa aactgaagat 1260gtcattgact tggaaggaat ggctgagtca cttgtgactt gcacatatga gcacaacacc 1320ctttggggag tcgagaaggg agttatatat ggttgcccac tggaggatgt cattacagga 1380ttgcagatcc agtgccgtgg gtggagatca gtttaccaca acccgccaag aaaggggttt 1440ttaggcatgg cccctacctc actaggacag attctggttc agcacaagag atggacagaa 1500gggttcctcc agatctccct ctcaaagtac agcccgtttc tgctaggtca caggaagatc 1560agcctgggcc ttcaaatggg ttactccgtc tgcgggttct gggctgctaa cagcttcccc 1620accctttact atgtcactat cccttcactt tgcttcctca atggcatctc attgttccct 1680gagataacca gtccctggtt tgtaccgttt gcatacgttg ctgtggctgc atactcctgc 1740agcttggtgg agtccctgca atgtggcgac actgctgttg agtggtggaa cgcgcaaagg 1800atgtggcttt tcagaagaat cacctcatac ctcttggcag ccatcgacac aatccgcaga 1860atgcttggcg tcaccgagtc ggggttcacc ctgacgacga aggtgaccga tccgcaggcc 1920ctagagaggt acaagaaggg gatgatggag tttgggtcct tctccgcgat gtttgcgatc 1980attacaaccg ttgcactgct taacctggcg tgcatgatgc tcggggtggc aaaggttttg 2040ttgcgtaaag gagcggtgat gagtctggga gctatgtttg tgcaggccgt tctatgtgcg 2100ctgatagtag cgatcaattt cccagtgtat gaagcaatgt tcgcccgcaa ggacagtggc 2160agattaccag cttctgtcgg tgtagtttcg ctctgcattg tattgccatt ctgtatactt 2220ccaaccaact tgtagatgtg gagctggtga aagatgatat atatatttga aacccgatgg 2280tgaaagttat aagaactgta ctgatataat atatttccaa gaaaatataa aaatctaaaa 2340aaaaaaaaaa a 235128741PRTZea mays 28Met Ala Gly Ser Ser Val Arg Gly Gly Ser Asn Cys Pro Pro Leu Phe1 5 10 15Val Thr Glu Lys Pro Thr Arg Met Ala Arg Tyr Ala Tyr Arg Leu Phe 20 25 30Ala Ser Thr Val Leu Ala Gly Val Leu Leu Val Trp Leu Tyr Arg Ala 35 40 45Thr His Val Pro Pro Met Ser Ser Gly Ala Arg Trp Trp Ala Trp Leu 50 55 60Gly Leu Ser Ala Ala Glu Leu Trp Phe Gly Phe Tyr Trp Val Leu Thr65 70 75 80Leu Ser Val Arg Trp Ser Pro Val Phe Arg Arg Ala Phe Pro Asp Gln 85 90 95Leu Leu Arg Arg Tyr Lys Glu Glu Gln Leu Pro Gly Val Asp Ile Phe 100 105 110Val Cys Thr Ala Asp Pro Thr Val Glu Pro Pro Met Leu Val Ile Ser 115 120 125Thr Val Leu Ser Val Met Ala Tyr Asp Tyr Pro Lys Glu Lys Leu Asn 130 135 140Ile Tyr Leu Ser Asp Asp Ala Gly Ser Ile Ile Thr Leu Tyr Ala Leu145 150 155 160Tyr Glu Ala Ser Glu Phe Ala Lys His Trp Leu Pro Phe Cys Asn Lys 165 170 175Tyr Gln Val Glu Pro Arg Ser Pro Ala Ala Tyr Phe Gly Thr Glu Ala 180 185 190Ser Pro Pro Asp Ala Cys Asp Arg Lys Glu Trp Phe Ser Leu Lys Glu 195 200 205Met His Lys Asp Leu Ala Ala Arg Val Asn Ser Val Val Asn Ser Gly 210 215 220Lys Ile Pro Glu Val Ser Lys Cys Lys Leu Met Gly Phe Ser Arg Trp225 230 235 240Ser Glu Asn Ala Ser Phe Arg Asp His Pro Ser Ile Val Gln Ile Leu 245 250 255Ile Asp Gly Asn Lys Arg Lys Ala Thr Asp Ile Asp Gly Lys Val Leu 260 265 270Pro Thr Leu Val Tyr Met Ala Arg Glu Lys Arg Pro Gln Glu His His 275 280 285His Phe Lys Ala Gly Ser Leu Asn Ala Leu Ile Arg Val Ser Ser Val 290 295 300Ile Ser Asn Ser Pro Val Ile Met Asn Val Asp Cys Asp Met Tyr Ser305 310 315 320Asn Asn Ser Gly Ser Ile Arg Asp Ala Leu Cys Phe Phe Gln Asp Glu 325 330 335Gln Leu Gly Gln Asp Ile Ala Phe Val Gln Tyr Pro Gln Asn Phe Glu 340 345 350Asn Val Val Gln Asn Asp Ile Tyr Gly Asn Pro Ile Asn Thr Val Asn 355 360 365Glu Leu Asp His Pro Cys Leu Asp Gly Trp Gly Gly Met Cys Tyr Tyr 370 375 380Gly Thr Gly Cys Phe His Arg Arg Glu Ala Leu Cys Gly Arg Ile Tyr385 390 395 400Ser Pro Asp Tyr Lys Glu Asp Trp Thr Arg Val Ala Arg Lys Thr Glu 405 410 415Asp Val Ile Asp Leu Glu Gly Met Ala Glu Ser Leu Val Thr Cys Thr 420 425 430Tyr Glu His Asn Thr Leu Trp Gly Val Glu Lys Gly Val Ile Tyr Gly 435 440 445Cys Pro Leu Glu Asp Val Ile Thr Gly Leu Gln Ile Gln Cys Arg Gly 450 455 460Trp Arg Ser Val Tyr His Asn Pro Pro Arg Lys Gly Phe Leu Gly Met465 470 475 480Ala Pro Thr Ser Leu Gly Gln Ile Leu Val Gln His Lys Arg Trp Thr 485 490 495Glu Gly Phe Leu Gln Ile Ser Leu Ser Lys Tyr Ser Pro Phe Leu Leu 500 505 510Gly His Arg Lys Ile Ser Leu Gly Leu Gln Met Gly Tyr Ser Val Cys 515 520 525Gly Phe Trp Ala Ala Asn Ser Phe Pro Thr Leu Tyr Tyr Val Thr Ile 530 535 540Pro Ser Leu Cys Phe Leu Asn Gly Ile Ser Leu Phe Pro Glu Ile Thr545 550 555 560Ser Pro Trp Phe Val Pro Phe Ala Tyr Val Ala Val Ala Ala Tyr Ser 565 570 575Cys Ser Leu Val Glu Ser Leu Gln Cys Gly Asp Thr Ala Val Glu Trp 580 585 590Trp Asn Ala Gln Arg Met Trp Leu Phe Arg Arg Ile Thr Ser Tyr Leu 595 600 605Leu Ala Ala Ile Asp Thr Ile Arg Arg Met Leu Gly Val Thr Glu Ser 610 615 620Gly Phe Thr Leu Thr Thr Lys Val Thr Asp Pro Gln Ala Leu Glu Arg625 630 635 640Tyr Lys Lys Gly Met Met Glu Phe Gly Ser Phe Ser Ala Met Phe Ala 645 650 655Ile Ile Thr Thr Val Ala Leu Leu Asn Leu Ala Cys Met Met Leu Gly 660 665 670Val Ala Lys Val Leu Leu Arg Lys Gly Ala Val Met Ser Leu Gly Ala 675 680 685Met Phe Val Gln Ala Val Leu Cys Ala Leu Ile Val Ala Ile Asn Phe 690 695 700Pro Val Tyr Glu Ala Met Phe Ala Arg Lys Asp Ser Gly Arg Leu Pro705 710 715 720Ala Ser Val Gly Val Val Ser Leu Cys Ile Val Leu Pro Phe Cys Ile 725 730 735Leu Pro Thr Asn Leu 740292318DNAZea mays 29tctagacgca cacagacaga aagagtcggt acaaatcgtc gagggaggcc gggcgcgcgt 60aggaacagaa agacacgcag ccagattgac agagctgagt gtgagtacgt actacgtaga 120tacctacagc tatactgtac tgtacagagt gggaggaaaa gggagggaga gagagggacg 180tgtacacaca cgcgcgtaca aaaatacaga ggaagcttag cttgcctcca accccgaccg 240acactcgggc tcgtgaaccc cgtcccgtaa tttctctata tatcccgtcc ctccccccac 300gtacttcact cggcctccat ctccccacgc accccggcgc ccgcgccgcg ccaccttctc 360tcccccctcc tcctcctcct ctctctctct ctctctctct gccacacagc acaccagaag 420ggcagcaggg gaggtagaga gaggtagctt cgcattctcg gtttccctcc gcgcgtgtcc 480tcccagcctc gacagagaga agggccacca tcgtccctgc ctgattgcgc gccaggcagg 540caggcattat ggcgccgggc ggccggcgca gcaacggcga gacgccgaca ggacagcagc 600agcagcagca gcaggctgac ggcaggcgcg ggtgcgcatg cggcgggttc cccgtgtgcg 660cgtgcgccgg cgcggcggcg gtggcgtccg ccgcctcctc cgccgacatg gaccgcgtgg 720cggtggccgc caccgagggc cagatcggcg ccgtcaacga cgagagctgg gtggcggtcg 780acctcagcga cgacggcctc tcctccgccg ccgacccggg ggccgtcgcg ctcgaggaac 840gccccgtctt ccgcaccgag aagatcaagg gtgtcctcct ccacccctac agggtgctca 900tcttcgtgcg cctgatcgcg ttcacgctgt tcgtgatctg gcgcatctcg caccgcaacc 960cggacgcgct gtggctgtgg gtgacgtcga tcgcgggcga gttctggttc ggcttctcgt 1020ggctgctgga ccagctgccg aagctgaacc cgatcaaccg cgtgccggac ctgggggcgc 1080tgcggcagcg gttcgaccgc gccgacggga cgtcgcggct gccggggctg gacatcttcg 1140tgaccacggc ggacccgttc aaggagccga tcctgagcac ggccaactcc atcctctcca 1200tcctggccgc cgactacccc gtggagcgca acacgtgcta cctctccgac gactcgggca 1260tgctgctcac gtacgaggcc atggcggagg ccgccaagtt cgccaccgtc tgggtgccct 1320tctgccgcaa gcacggcatc gagccgcgcg gccccgagag ctacttcgag ctcaagtccc 1380acccctacat gggccgctcc caggaggact tcgtcaacga ccgccgccgc gtgcgcaggg 1440actacgacga gttcaaggcg cgcatcaacg ggctggagaa cgacatcagg cagcgctccg 1500acgcctacaa cgccgccagg gggctcaagg acggcgagcc cagggctacg tggatggccg 1560acggcacaca gtgggagggc acctgggttg agccgtccga gaaccaccgc aagggcgacc 1620atgccggcat cgtcctggtg cttctgaacc acccgagcca cagccgtcag ctcgggccgc 1680cggcgagcgc ggacaacccg ctggacttga gcatggtgga cgtgcggctc cccatgctgg 1740tgtacgtctc ccgcgagaag cggcccgggc acaaccacca gaagaaggcc ggcgccatga 1800acgcgctgac ccggtgctcc gccgtgctct ccaactcgcc cttcatcctg aacctggact 1860gcgaccacta catcaacaac tcgcaggcgc tgcgcgcggg catctgcttc atgctcgggc 1920gggacagcga cacggtggcg ttcgtccagt tcccgcagcg cttcgagggc gtggacccca 1980cggacctgta cgccaaccac aaccgcatct tcttcgacgg cacgctccgg gcgctggacg 2040gcatgcaggg ccccatctac gtcggcacgg gctgcctgtt ccgccgcatc acgctctacg 2100gcttcgaccc gccgcggatc aacgtgggcg ggccgtgctt cccgtcgctg ggcggcatgt 2160tcgccaagac caagtacgag aagcctgggc tggagctcac caccaaggcc gccgtggcca 2220agggcaagca cggcttcctg cccatgccca agaagtcgta cggcaagtcg gacgcgttcg 2280cggacaccat cccgatggcg tcgcacccgt cgccgttc 231830590PRTZea mays 30Met Ala Pro Gly Gly Arg Arg Ser Asn Gly Glu Thr Pro Thr Gly Gln1 5 10 15Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Gln Ala Asp Gly Arg Arg Gly Cys Ala Cys Gly 20 25 30Gly Phe Pro Val Cys Ala Cys Ala Gly Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Ser Ala 35 40 45Ala Ser Ser Ala Asp Met Asp Arg Val Ala Val Ala Ala Thr Glu Gly 50 55 60Gln Ile Gly Ala Val Asn Asp Glu Ser Trp Val Ala Val Asp Leu Ser65 70 75 80Asp Asp Gly Leu Ser Ser Ala Ala Asp Pro Gly Ala Val Ala Leu Glu 85 90 95Glu Arg Pro Val Phe Arg Thr Glu Lys Ile Lys Gly Val Leu Leu His 100 105 110Pro Tyr Arg Val Leu Ile Phe Val Arg Leu Ile Ala Phe Thr Leu Phe 115 120 125Val Ile Trp Arg Ile Ser His Arg Asn Pro Asp Ala Leu Trp Leu Trp 130 135 140Val Thr Ser Ile Ala Gly Glu Phe Trp Phe Gly Phe Ser Trp Leu Leu145 150 155 160Asp Gln Leu Pro Lys Leu Asn Pro Ile Asn Arg Val Pro Asp Leu Gly 165 170 175Ala Leu Arg Gln Arg Phe Asp Arg Ala Asp Gly Thr Ser Arg Leu Pro 180 185 190Gly Leu Asp Ile Phe Val Thr Thr Ala Asp Pro Phe Lys Glu Pro Ile 195 200 205Leu Ser Thr Ala Asn Ser Ile Leu Ser Ile Leu Ala Ala Asp Tyr Pro 210 215 220Val Glu Arg Asn Thr Cys Tyr Leu Ser Asp Asp Ser Gly Met Leu Leu225 230 235 240Thr Tyr Glu Ala Met Ala Glu Ala Ala Lys Phe Ala Thr Val Trp Val 245 250 255Pro Phe Cys Arg Lys His Gly Ile Glu Pro Arg Gly Pro Glu Ser Tyr 260 265 270Phe Glu Leu Lys Ser His Pro Tyr Met Gly Arg Ser Gln Glu Asp Phe 275 280 285Val Asn Asp Arg Arg Arg Val Arg Arg Asp Tyr Asp Glu Phe Lys Ala 290 295 300Arg Ile Asn Gly Leu Glu Asn Asp Ile Arg Gln Arg Ser Asp Ala Tyr305 310 315 320Asn Ala Ala Arg Gly Leu Lys Asp Gly Glu Pro Arg Ala Thr Trp Met 325 330 335Ala Asp Gly Thr Gln Trp Glu Gly Thr Trp Val Glu Pro Ser Glu Asn 340 345 350His Arg Lys Gly Asp His Ala Gly Ile Val Leu Val Leu Leu Asn His 355 360 365Pro Ser His Ser Arg Gln Leu Gly Pro Pro Ala Ser Ala Asp Asn Pro 370

375 380Leu Asp Leu Ser Met Val Asp Val Arg Leu Pro Met Leu Val Tyr Val385 390 395 400Ser Arg Glu Lys Arg Pro Gly His Asn His Gln Lys Lys Ala Gly Ala 405 410 415Met Asn Ala Leu Thr Arg Cys Ser Ala Val Leu Ser Asn Ser Pro Phe 420 425 430Ile Leu Asn Leu Asp Cys Asp His Tyr Ile Asn Asn Ser Gln Ala Leu 435 440 445Arg Ala Gly Ile Cys Phe Met Leu Gly Arg Asp Ser Asp Thr Val Ala 450 455 460Phe Val Gln Phe Pro Gln Arg Phe Glu Gly Val Asp Pro Thr Asp Leu465 470 475 480Tyr Ala Asn His Asn Arg Ile Phe Phe Asp Gly Thr Leu Arg Ala Leu 485 490 495Asp Gly Met Gln Gly Pro Ile Tyr Val Gly Thr Gly Cys Leu Phe Arg 500 505 510Arg Ile Thr Leu Tyr Gly Phe Asp Pro Pro Arg Ile Asn Val Gly Gly 515 520 525Pro Cys Phe Pro Ser Leu Gly Gly Met Phe Ala Lys Thr Lys Tyr Glu 530 535 540Lys Pro Gly Leu Glu Leu Thr Thr Lys Ala Ala Val Ala Lys Gly Lys545 550 555 560His Gly Phe Leu Pro Met Pro Lys Lys Ser Tyr Gly Lys Ser Asp Ala 565 570 575Phe Ala Asp Thr Ile Pro Met Ala Ser His Pro Ser Pro Phe 580 585 590

Claims

1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:a) a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 25, 27, or 29;b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, or 30.

2. An expression cassette comprising a nucleotide sequence of claim 1, wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a promoter that drives expression in a plant.

3. A plant cell having stably incorporated into its genome an expression cassette of claim 2.

4. A plant having stably incorporated in its genome an expression cassette of claim 2.

5. The plant of claim 4, wherein said plant is a dicot.

6. The plant of claim 4, wherein said plant is a monocot.

7. Transformed seed of a plant of claim 4.

8. A method for decreasing the level of a polysaccharide synthase in a plant, the method comprising stably transforming a plant cell with a nucleotide sequence operably linked to a heterologous promoter capable of initiating transcription in a plant, and regenerating a transformed plant, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:a) a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 29;b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or 30.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said plant is a dicot.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said plant is a monocot.