Zea mays ABA signaling genes and methods of use

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises compositions and methods for the genetic modification of plants, particularly for modulating plant response to abscisic acid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that plays an essential regulatory role in a variety of physiological processes, including embryo development, seed dormancy, transpiration, and adaptation to environmental stresses. ABA regulates many agronomically important aspects of plant development including synthesis of seed storage proteins and lipids as well as regulation of stomatal closure. The analysis of ABA-responsive promoters has revealed a diversity of potential cis-acting regulatory elements.

Mutations in genes impacting ABA biosynthesis and signaling are known in several plant species. See, for example, Leung and Giraudat, (1998) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 49:199-222, and the references cited therein. In Arabidopsis, a number of genetically distinct Arabidopsis acid-insensitive loci have been identified. These mutants were selected based on the ability of seeds to germinate in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of ABA. The mutations have also been shown to affect several additional aspects of seed development, including accumulation of storage proteins and lipids, chlorophyll breakdown, desiccation tolerance, and embryonic maturation. In addition, ABA-mediated growth control is a fundamental response of plants to adverse environmental conditions. Methods are needed to modulate the response of plants to ABA, particularly for mitigating effects of abiotic stress on vegetative and/or reproductive growth in order to maintain or increase yield.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Compositions and methods for increasing yield in plants, particularly seed plants, are provided. The methods involve modulating abscisic acid (ABA) perception and signal transduction to protect plants against the detrimental effects of stress and adverse environmental conditions. Compositions comprise genetic constructs which affect ABA sensitivity in a plant or plant cell. Of particular interest are ABA-associated sequences. Such sequences include mutants, fragments and variants, as well as antisense nucleotide sequences, for genes involved in the perception and signal transduction of ABA. The DNA sequences may be provided in constructs providing temporal, developmental, and/or tissue specificity. Compositions are useful in methods for increasing yield of plants under stress, particularly abiotic stress. In this manner, detrimental effects of ABA on plant growth and/or yield are ablated. Transformed plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds are additionally provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 presents yield data for ABI1 transgenic maize as described further in Example 7.

FIG. 2 is an alignment of Arabidopsis and Zea mays ABI1 proteins.

FIG. 3 provides information about the maize gene identified at SEQ ID NO: 13.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCES

Arabidopsis ABI1 sequences are provided in SEQ ID NO: 1 and 2. Maize ABI1 nucleic acid and amino acid sequences are provided in SEQ ID NO: 3 and 4. Partial ZmABI1 homologues A, B and C are provided in SEQ ID NOS: 5, 6 and 7, respectively. ZmABI-GF and a homologue are provided in SEQ ID NOS: 8, and 9, respectively, and the amino acid sequence of ZmABI-GF is provided at SEQ ID NO: 10. SEQ ID NO: 11 and 12 are a mutant ZmABI1 sequence further described herein. SEQ ID NO: 13 is the genomic sequence of an ABA-inducible gene with an ABRE (ABA responsive element) in the promoter region; see also, FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Methods for modulating plant response to abscisic acid (ABA) are provided. In certain embodiments, crop yield is maintained by ablating the detrimental effects of ABA on seed development. In particular, the invention comprises compositions and methods for disrupting or delaying ABA signaling or function. The compositions and methods are useful for disrupting or delaying ABA function or effect in a tissue-preferred and/or developmentally-preferred manner to insulate vegetative and/or reproductive tissue from stress and adverse environmental conditions. This may advantageously alter the developmental time frame of certain tissues so as to minimize effects of abiotic stress. For example, the timing of certain aspects of endosperm development may be altered to avoid negative impacts of abiotic stress.

For purposes of the invention, "seed development" includes, without limitation, the initiation and development of reproductive tissue, endosperm development, and seed maturation.

ABA is involved in many physiological and developmental processes throughout the life cycle of plants, including seed dormancy; adaptation to abiotic environmental stresses such as cold, drought, salinity, etc.; accumulation of nutritive reserves; acquisition of desiccation tolerance; stomatal closure; and the like. ABA mediates plant adaptation to environmental cues such as desiccation, cold, salt stress, and other stresses, and acts as a negative growth regulator. Generally, ABA imposes bimodal negative growth control by regulating the potential of the cell to enlarge, possibly by turgor control, and by inducing mitotic growth arrest.

Certain embodiments of the invention comprise controlling or modulating the plant response to the ABA signal. By "modulating" is intended the up-regulation or down-regulation of the plant response to ABA. For purposes of the invention, modulation is generally down-regulation of plant response by the disruption of ABA synthesis and/or the disruption of the perception and/or signal transduction of ABA. It is recognized that total disruption of ABA function in plants is not practical, as ABA performs many useful roles in plant development. Certain embodiments of the invention disrupt the effects of ABA at the site of the eventual effect, e.g., flowers and seeds. In this manner, disruption of ABA perception or its signal transduction provides an effective strategy in insulating female reproductive tissue growth from stress.

Environmental stresses at or just after the time of fertilization inhibit early events in establishment of sink capacity and can decrease yield. In cereals, for example, the endosperm is the major source of stored reserves within the mature seed. Storage capacity is established during an early stage of seed development. Recognizing ABA involvement in early plant responses to stress, certain embodiments of the present invention comprise ablation of the detrimental effects of ABA on the developing seed, improving the nature and quantity of seed and seed products, particularly cereals and grains. See, Mambelli and Setter, (1998) Physiologia Plantarum 104:266-72 and Tuberosa, et al., (1998) Theor. Appl. Genet. 7:44-55.

As indicated, certain embodiments of the invention comprise introducing, into a target plant, sequences that modulate ABA perception and signal transduction. By "sequences that modulate ABA perception and signal transduction" and "sequences involved in the perception and signal transduction of ABA" are intended genes and their mutant forms that disrupt ABA synthesis or its perception and signal transduction. These mutants, genes, and sequences that disrupt ABA synthesis or its perception or signal transduction, are also called "ABA-associated sequences" herein. Such sequences include, but are not limited to, ABA-insensitive and hypersensitive mutants or antisense sequences corresponding to the mutant or wild-type genes. ABA mutants are known in the art and include abi1-5, era1-3 (Cutler, et al., (1996) Science 273:1239-41), gca1/8 (Benning, et al., (1996) Proc. Workshop Abscisic Acid Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis, Madrid, p. 34), axr2 (Wilson, et al., (1990) Mol. Gen. Genet. 222:377-83), jar1 (Staswick, et al., (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6837-40), jin4 (Berger, et al., (1996) Plant Physiol. 111:525-31), bri1 (Clouse, et al., (1996) Plant Physiol. 111:671-78) (Hordeum vulgare); aba1 (Bitoun, et al., (1990) Mol. Gen. Genet. 220:234-39 and Leydecker, et al., (1995) Plant Physiol. 107:1427-31) (Nicotiana plumbaginifolia); and the like. These and other ABA-associated mutants can be used in the practice of the invention.

By "corresponding" to a gene or sequence is intended that the sequence is capable of hybridizing to the gene or sequence to the extent necessary to disrupt transcription. It is recognized that depending on the ABA-associated sequence utilized in the invention, the coding sequence or the antisense sequence may be preferred. However, the coding sequence may also be used to co-suppress expression of the target gene. For example, one strategy includes expression of a mutant abi1 gene with an early kernel/embryo promoter to dominantly disrupt ABA action in tissues at early seed-forming stages. Such an approach would not disrupt the later required ABA function in seed maturation. Thus, as described more fully below, several candidate gene targets are available to be coupled with promoters with various expression patterns to provide increased yield stability in the face of abiotic stress.

Arabidopsis ABA-insensitive, ABI, mutants are available. Such mutants have pleiotropic defects in seed development, including decreased sensitivity to ABA inhibition of germination in altered seed-specific gene expression. See, Finkelstein, et al., (1998) The Plant Cell 10:1043-1045; Leung, et al., (1994) Science 264:1448-1452; Leung (1997) Plant Cell 9:759-771; Giraudat, et al., (1992) Plant Cel14:1251-1261; Myer, et al., (1994) Science 264:1452-1455; Koornneef, et al., (1989) Plant Physiol. 90:463-469; Nambara, et al., (1992) Plant J. 2:435-441; Finkelstein and Somerville, (1990) Plant Physiol. 94:1172-1179; Leung and Giraudat, (1998) Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 49:199-222; Robinson and Hill, (1999) Plant, Cell and Environment 22:117-123; and Rodriguez, et al., (1998) FEBS Letters 421:185-190, and the references cited therein, all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Other ABA-associated mutants include bri1 from Arabidopsis thaliana, the sequence of which can be found in Genbank Accession Number AF017056 and Li, et al., (1997) Cell 90:929-938, both of which are herein incorporated by reference.

An abi mutant of interest includes, for example, Arabidopsis abi1, a dominant mutation in the structural part of the ABI1 gene, which encodes a protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C). This mutation comprises a nucleic base transition from guanine to adenine which changes the DNA sequence GGC to GAC, thus causing the wild type glycine residue at amino acid position 180 of SEQ ID NO: 2 to be replaced with aspartic acid (referred to as G180D; Meyer, et al., (1994) Science 264:1452-1455).

The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of wild type Arabidopsis ABI1 are set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 1-2. The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of wild-type Zea mays ABI1, also a PP2C, are set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 3-4. This maize gene has high homology to an ABI1 gene from Indica rice. Partial sequences for three additional closely-related maize homologues are provided at SEQ ID NOS: 5, 6 and 7. SEQ ID NOS: 11 and 12 represent a maize mutant similar to the Arabidopsis G180D mutant. In the case of maize, the coding sequence is altered to change a glycine at position 193 to aspartic acid. A 16-residue deletion in the N-terminal portion of the mutant (corresponding to amino acids 22 to 37 in the wild-type protein) does not appear to affect activity.

A second ZmABI1 gene, isolated from GaspeFlint and having high homology to an ABI gene from Japonica rice, is provided at SEQ ID NOS: 8 and 10 as ZmABI1-GF. A further maize homologue of ZmABI-GF is provided at SEQ ID NO: 9.

Such mutants listed above are designated "ABA-associated mutants." By "ABA-associated mutants" is intended genes and sequences which disrupt ABA signaling and/or perception in a plant. Utilizing the maize ABI1 sequence above, related sequences from other plants, including cereals, can be isolated. In some instances, it may be beneficial to use the ABA-associated sequence that corresponds to a sequence from the target plant of interest. For example, for use in maize, the maize homolog of the ABA-associated sequence, or a sequence corresponding to the maize homolog, may be preferred.

Certain embodiments of the invention utilize the ABA-associated sequences to control the plant response to ABA. Generally, it will be beneficial to block ABA signaling or perception in selected tissues, such as female reproductive tissues, to prevent a loss of yield. Utilizing the ABA-associated sequences, coding sequences, and antisense sequences, the expression and perception of ABA in a plant can be controlled. As described in more detail below, such sequences can be introduced into plants of interest by recombinant methods as well as by traditional breeding methods.

The nucleotide sequences of the invention can be used to isolate corresponding sequences from other organisms, particularly other plants, more particularly cereals. 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 ABA-associated sequences known in the art. Sequences may be isolated based on their sequence identity to the entire ABA-associated sequence or to fragments thereof.

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 plant. 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 .sup.32P, or any other detectable marker. Thus, for example, probes for hybridization can be made by labeling synthetic oligonucleotides based on the ABA-associated 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 Library Manual (2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Plainview, N.Y.).

For example, an entire ABA-associated sequence, or one or more portions thereof, may be used as a probe capable of specifically hybridizing to corresponding sequences and messenger RNAs. To achieve specific hybridization under a variety of conditions, such probes include sequences that are unique among the sequences of interest and are preferably at least about 10 nucleotides in length. Such probes may be used to amplify corresponding 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 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.).

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.

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.degree. C. for short probes (e.g., 10 to 50 nucleotides) and at least about 60.degree. C. for long probes (e.g., greater than 50 nucleotides). Duration of hybridization is generally less than about 24 hours, usually about 4 to 12. 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 34% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) at 37.degree. C., and a wash in 1.times. to 2.times.SSC (20.times.SSC=2.0 M NaCl/0.3 M trisodium citrate) at 50 to 55.degree. C. Exemplary moderate stringency conditions include hybridization in 40 to 45% formamide, 1.0 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37.degree. C., and a wash in 0.5.times. to 1.times.SSC at 55 to 60.degree. C. Exemplary high stringency conditions include hybridization in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37.degree. C., and a wash in 0.1.times.SSC at 60 to 65.degree. C.

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.sub.m can be approximated from the equation of Meinkoth and Wahl (1984) Anal. Biochem 138:267-284: T.sub.m=81.5.degree. 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.sub.m is the temperature (under defined ionic strength and pH) at which 50% of a complementary target sequence hybridizes to a perfect matched probe. T.sub.m is reduced by about 1.degree. C. for each 1% of mismatching; thus, T.sub.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.sub.m can be decreased 10.degree. C. Generally, stringent conditions are selected to be about 5.degree. C. lower than the thermal melting point (T.sub.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.degree. C. lower than the thermal melting point (T.sub.m); moderately stringent conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10.degree. C. lower than the thermal melting point (T.sub.m); low stringency conditions can utilize a hybridization and/or wash at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 20.degree. C. lower than the thermal melting point (T.sub.m). Using the equation, hybridization and wash compositions, and desired T.sub.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.sub.m of less than 45.degree. C. (aqueous solution) or 32.degree. 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.).

Thus, isolated "corresponding ABA-associated sequences" that modulate the plant response to ABA and which hybridize under stringent conditions to the ABA-associated sequences disclosed herein, or to fragments thereof, are encompassed by the present invention. Such sequences will be at least about 40% to 50% homologous, about 60%, 65% or 70% homologous, and even at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more homologous with the disclosed sequences. That is, the sequence identity of sequences may range, sharing at least about 40% to 50%, about 60%, 65% or 70%, and even at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more sequence identity.

The ABA-associated sequences of the invention can be utilized with tissue or developmental-specific promoters to disrupt ABA function in a tissue or a developmentally specific manner. Promoters of particular interest include seed-preferred promoters, particularly early kernel/embryo promoters and late kernel/embryo promoters.

Kernel development post-pollination is divided into approximately three primary phases. The lag phase of kernel growth occurs from about 0 to 10-12 days after pollination (DAP). During this phase the kernel is not growing significantly in mass, but rather important events are being carried out that will determine kernel vitality (i.e., number of cells). The linear grain fill stage begins at about 10-12 DAP and continues to about 40 DAP. During this stage of kernel development, the kernel attains almost all of its final mass and various storage products (i.e., starch, protein, oil) are produced. Finally, the maturation phase occurs from about 40 DAP to harvest. During this phase of kernel development the kernel becomes quiescent and begins to dry down in preparation for a long period of dormancy prior to germination. As defined herein "Early kernel/embryo promoters" are promoters that drive expression principally during the lag phase of development (i.e., from about 0 to about 12 DAP). "Late kernel/embryo promoters", as defined herein, drive expression principally from about 12 DAP through maturation. There may be some overlap in the window of expression. The choice of the promoter will depend on the ABA associated sequence utilized and the phenotype desired.

Early kernel/embryo promoters include, for example, cim1, a pollen and whole kernel specific promoter that is active 5 DAP. See, for example, WO 00/11177, which is herein incorporated by reference. Other early kernel/embryo promoters include the seed-preferred promoters end1, which is active 7-10 DAP, and end2, which is active 9-14 DAP in the whole kernel and active 10 DAP in the endosperm and pericarp. See, for example, WO 00/12733, herein incorporated by reference. Additional early kernel/embryo promoters that find use in certain methods of the present invention include the seed-preferred promoter ltp2, U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,716; maize Zm40 promoter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,862; maize nuc1c, U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,315; maize ckx1-2 promoter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,815 and US Patent Application Publication Number 2006/0037103; maize lec1 promoter, U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,658; maize ESR promoter, U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,596; maize ZAP promoter, US Patent Application Publication Numbers 20040025206 and 20070136891; maize promoter eep1, US Patent Application Publication Number 20070169226; and maize promoter ADF4, U.S. Patent Application No. 60/963,878 filed 7 Aug. 2007. These promoters drive expression in developing seed tissues.

Such early kernel/embryo promoters can be used with genes or mutants in the perception/signal transduction pathway for ABA. In this manner, mutant genes such as abi1 or abi2 operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter would dominantly disrupt ABA action in the targeted tissues but not alter the later required ABA function in seed maturation. Alternatively, an early kernel/embryo promoter can be operably linked to a wild type (co-suppression) or antisense nucleotide sequence of an ABA associated sequence. The early kernel/embryo promoter would be utilized to disrupt ABA action in tissue prior to seed maturation.

By "introducing" sequences that modulate ABA perception and signal transduction into a target plant is encompassed any means for incorporating the sequence of interest into the target plant. Such means include conventional breeding methods, genetic transformation methods, or other such means as may be available. 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. 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.

When downregulation is desired, antisense constructions complementary to at least a portion of the messenger RNA (mRNA) for the ABA-associated 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 similarity to the corresponding antisensed sequence may be used. Furthermore, portions of the antisense nucleotides may be used to disrupt the expression of the target gene. Generally, sequences of at least 50 nucleotides, 100 nucleotides, 200 nucleotides or greater may be used.

Methods for suppressing gene expression in plants using nucleotide sequences in the sense orientation are also 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 (i.e., an ABA-associated sequence). 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, and often greater than about 85% sequence identity, such as about 95% sequence identity. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,184 and 5,034,323, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

It is recognized that fragments and/or variants of the ABA-associated genes can be utilized in the invention. Fragments and variants of the ABA-associated nucleotide sequences and proteins encoded thereby are thus 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 of the protein encoded thereby. Fragments of a nucleotide sequence may encode protein fragments that retain the biological activity of the native protein and hence act to modulate responses to ABA. Alternatively, fragments of a nucleotide sequence that are useful as hybridization probes generally do not encode fragment proteins retaining biological activity. Thus, fragments of a nucleotide sequence may range from at least about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, or about 100 nucleotides, up to the full-length nucleotide sequence of the invention.

By "variants" is intended substantially similar sequences. For nucleotide sequences, naturally-occurring variants 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. Generally, variants of a particular nucleotide sequence of the invention will have at least about 40%, 50%, 60%, 65%, 70%, generally at least about 75%, 80%, 85%, often at least about 90%, 92%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, or even about 98%, 99% or more sequence identity to that particular nucleotide sequence as determined by sequence alignment programs described elsewhere herein.

Methods of alignment of sequences for comparison are well known in the art. Thus, determination of percent identity between any two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. 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.

Computer implementation 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 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 Package.RTM., Version 8 or Version 10 (available from Accelrys.RTM. Inc., 9685 Scranton Road, San Diego, Calif., 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 8:155-165; 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 Atschul, 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 the website of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Alignment may also be performed manually by inspection.

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 the preferred program.

GAP uses the algorithm of Needleham 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 creating 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 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 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, 67 or greater.

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 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).

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. Such variants may result from, for example, genetic polymorphism or from human manipulation.

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. 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 actively 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 preferred.

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 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 Number 75,444.

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.

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 ABA-associated coding sequences can be manipulated to create a new ABA-associated protein 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. 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., (1988) Nature 391:288-291; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,793 and 5,837,458.

The ABA-associated sequences of the invention are provided in expression cassettes for expression in the plant of interest. The cassette will include 5' and 3' regulatory sequence operably linked to an ABA-associated 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.

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

The expression cassette will include in the 5'-3' direction of transcription, a transcriptional and translational initiation region, a DNA sequence of the invention, and a transcriptional and translational termination region functional in plants. The transcriptional initiation region, the promoter, may be native or foreign 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 is 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. While it may be preferable to express the sequences using heterologous promoters, the native promoter sequences may be used. Thus, the phenotype of the plant or plant cell is altered.

The termination region may be native with the transcriptional initiation region, may be native with the operably linked DNA 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 nonpaline 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.

Where appropriate, the gene(s) may be optimized for increased expression in the transformed plant. That is, the genes can be synthesized using plant-preferred codons for improved expression. Methods are available in the art for synthesizing plant-preferred genes. 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.

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.

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) PNAS USA 86:6126-6130); potyvirus leaders, for example, TEV leader (Tobacco Etch Virus) (Allison, et al., (1986); MDMV leader (Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus); Virology 154:9-20), and human immunoglobulin heavy-chain 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.

In preparing the expression cassette, the various DNA fragments may be manipulated, so as to provide for the DNA sequence 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.

Transformation protocols as well as protocols for introducing nucleotide sequences into plants may vary depending on the type of plant or plant cell, e.g., 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. 5,981,840), 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., (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. 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 (Sprinter-Verlag, Berlin) (maize); Klein, et al., (1988) Plant Physiol. 91:440-444 (maize); Fromm, et al., (1990) Biotechnology 8:833-839 (maize); Hooykaas-Van Solgteren, 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.

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 a resulting plant having acceptable 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 reliable expression of the desired phenotypic characteristics has been achieved.

Certain embodiments of the present invention comprise transformation of any plant species, including, but not limited to, monocots and dicots. Examples of plants 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 (Setara 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, Gssypium 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.

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 musk melon (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. Conifers that may be employed in practicing certain embodiments of 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 radiate); Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); Western hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis); Sitka spruce (Picea galuca); 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.

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.

The following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

EXPERIMENTAL

Transformation and Regeneration of Transgenic Plants

Example 1

Biolistic Transformation and Regeneration of Transgenic Maize Plants

Immature maize embryos from greenhouse donor plants are bombarded with a plasmid containing the maize ABI1 sequence, or the sequence of a maize abi1 mutant based on the Arabidopsis abi1 G180D mutant, operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter, plus a plasmid containing the selectable marker gene PAT (Wohlleben, et al., (1988) Gene 70:25-37) that confers resistance to the herbicide Bialaphos. Transformation is performed as follows. All media recipes are below.

Preparation of Target Tissue

The ears are surface sterilized in 30% Clorox.RTM. bleach plus 0.5% Micro detergent for 20 minutes, and rinsed two times in 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 with the 2.5-cm target zone in preparation for bombardment.

Preparation of DNA

A plasmid vector is made which comprises the mutant maize abi1 sequence operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter. This plasmid DNA plus plasmid DNA containing a PAT selectable marker is precipitated onto 1.1 .mu.m (average diameter) tungsten pellets using a CaCl.sub.2 precipitation procedure as follows:

100 .mu.l prepared tungsten particles in water

10 .mu.l (1 .mu.g) DNA in TrisEDTA buffer (1 .mu.g total)

100 .mu.l 2.5 M CaCl.sub.2

10 .mu.l 0.1 M spermidine

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 .mu.l 100% ethanol is added to the final tungsten particle pallet. For particle gun bombardment, the tungsten/DNA particles are briefly sonicated and 10 .mu.l spotted onto the center of each macrocarrier and allowed to dry about 2 minutes before bombardment.

Particle Gun Treatment

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

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 two 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.

Bombardment and Culture Media

Bombardment medium (560Y) comprises 4.0 g/l N6 basal salts (SIGMA C-1416), 1.0 ml/l Eriksson's Vitamin Mix (1000.times.SIGMA-1511), 0.5 mg/l thiamine HCl, 120.0 g/l sucrose, 1.0 mg/12, 4-D, and 2.88 g/l L-proline (brought to volume with D-I H.sub.2O following adjustment to pH 5.8 with KOH); 2.0 g/l Gelrite.RTM. (added after bringing to volume with D-I H.sub.2O); 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.times.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 H.sub.2O following adjustments to pH 5.8 with KOH); 3.0 g/l Gelrite.RTM. (added after bring to volume with D-I H.sub.2O); and 0.85 mg/l silver nitrate and 3.0 mg/1 bialaphos (both added after sterilizing the medium and cooling to room temperature).

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 H.sub.2O) (Murashige and Skoog, (1962) Physiol. Plant. 15:473), 100 mg/1 myo-inositol, 0.3 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 H.sub.2O after adjusting to pH 5.6); 3.0 g/l Gelrite.RTM. (added after bringing to volume with D-I H.sub.2O); and 1.0 mg/l indoleacetic acid and 3.0 mg/l bialaphos (added after sterilizing the medium and cooling to 60.degree. 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 H.sub.2O, 0.1/l myo-inositol, and 40.0 g/l sucrose (brought to volume with polished D-I H.sub.2O after adjusting pH to 5.6); and 6 g/l Bacto.TM.-agar (added after bringing to volume with polished D-I H.sub.2O), sterilized and cooled to 60.degree. C.

Example 2

Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Maize

For Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize with a mutant maize abi1 sequence operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter, 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 abi1 sequence operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter 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). The immature embryos may be 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 last one antibiotic known to inhibit the growth of Agrobacterium without the addition of a selective agent for plant transformants (step 3: resting step). The immature embryos may be 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, the inoculated embryos are cultured on medium containing a selective agent and growing transformed callus is recovered (step 4: the selection step). The immature embryos may be 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.

Example 3

Soybean Embryo Transformation

Soybean embryos are bombarded with a plasmid containing the mutant maize abi1 nucleotide sequence operably linked to an early embryo/kernel promoter 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.degree. 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.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can maintained in 35 ml liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm at 26.degree. 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.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein, et al., (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-13, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic PDS 1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

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 the mutant abi1 nucleotide sequence operably linked to an early kernel/embryo 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.

To 50 .mu.l of a 60 mg/ml 1 .mu.m gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 .mu.l DNA (1 .mu.g/.mu.l), 20 .mu.l spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 .mu.l CaCl.sub.2 (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 .mu.l 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 .mu.l 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.

Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60.times.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 of 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.

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.

Example 4

Sunflower Meristem Tissue Transformation

Sunflower meristem tissues are transformed with an expression cassette containing a mutant maize abi1 sequence operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter as follows (see also, European Patent Number EP 0486233, herein incorporated by reference, and Malone-Schoneberg, et al. (1994) Plant Science 103:199-207). Mature sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus L.) are dehulled using a single wheat-head thresher. Seeds are surface sterilized for 30 minutes in a 20% Clorox.RTM. bleach solution with the addition of two drops of Tween.TM. 20 per 50 ml of solution. The seeds are rinsed twice with sterile distilled water.

Split embryonic axis explants are prepared by a modification of procedures described by Schrammeijer, et al. (Schrammeijer, et al., (1990) Plant Cell Rep. 9:55-60). Seeds are imbibed in distilled water for 60 minutes following the surface sterilization procedure. The cotyledons of each are then broken off, producing a clean fracture at the plane of the embryonic axis. Following excision of the root tip, the explants are bisected longitudinally between the primordial leaves. The two halves are placed, cut surface up, on GBA medium consisting of Murashige and Skoog mineral elements (Murashige, et al., (1962) Physiol. Plant 15:473-497), Shepard's vitamin additions (Shepard (1980) in Emergent Techniques for the Genetic Improvement of Crops (University of Minnesota Press, St. Paul, Minn.), 40 mg/l indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 0.1 mg/1 gibberellic acid (GA.sub.3), pH 5.6, and 8 g/l Phytagar (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.).

The explants are subjected to microprojectile bombardment prior to Agrobacterium treatment (Bidney, et al., (1992) Plant Mol. Biol. 18:301-313). Thirty to forty explants are placed in a circle at the center of a 60.times.20 mm plate for this treatment. Approximately 4.7 mg of 1.8 mm tungsten microprojectiles are resuspended in 25 ml of sterile TE buffer (10 mM Tris HCl, 1 mM EDTA, pH 9.0) and 1.5 ml aliquots are used per bombardment. Each plate is bombarded twice through a 150 mm nytex screen placed 2 cm above the samples in a PDS 1000.RTM. particle acceleration device.

Disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 is used in all transformation experiments. A binary plasmid vector comprising the expression cassette that contains the ABI3 gene operably linked to an early kernel/embryo promoter is introduced into Agrobacterium strain EHA105 via freeze-thawing as described by Holsters, et al., (1978) Mol. Gen. Genet. 163:181-187. This plasmid further comprises a kanamycin selectable marker gene (i.e, nptII). Bacteria for plant transformation experiments are grown overnight (28.degree. C. and 100 RPM continuous agitation) in liquid YEP medium (10 gm/l yeast extract, 10 gm/l Bacto.RTM. peptone, and 5 gm/l NaCl, pH 7.0) with the appropriate antibiotics required for bacterial strain and binary plasmid maintenance. The suspension is used when it reaches an OD.sub.600 of about 0.4 to 0.8. The Agrobacterium cells are pelleted and resuspended at a final OD.sub.600 of 0.5 in an inoculation medium comprised of 12.5 mM MES pH5.7, 1 gm/l NH.sub.4Cl, and 0.3 gm/l MgSO.sub.4.

Freshly bombarded explants are placed in an Agrobacterium suspension, mixed, and left undisturbed for 30 minutes. The explants are then transferred to GBA medium and co-cultivated, cut surface down, at 26.degree. C. and 18-hour days. After three days of co-cultivation, the explants are transferred to 374B (GBA medium lacking growth regulators and a reduced sucrose level of 1%) supplemented with 250 mg/l cefotaxime and 50 mg/l kanamycin sulfate. The explants are cultured for two to five weeks on selection and then transferred to fresh 374B medium lacking kanamycin for one to two weeks of continued development. Explants with differentiating, antibiotic-resistant areas of growth that have not produced sheets suitable for excision are transferred to GBA medium containing 250 mg/l cefotaxime for a second 3-day phytohormone treatment. Leaf samples from green, kanamycin-resistant shoots are assayed for the presence of NPTII by ELISA and for the presence of transgene expression by assaying for modulation in the plant response to ABA.

NPTII-positive shoots are grated to Pioneer.RTM. hybrid 6440 in vitro-grown sunflower seedling rootstock. Surface sterilized seeds are germinated in 48-0 medium (half-strength Murashige and Skoog salts, 0.5% sucrose, 0.3% Gelrite.RTM., pH5.6) and grown under conditions described for explant culture. The upper portion of the seedling is removed, a 1 cm vertical slice is made in the hypocotyl, and the transformed shoot inserted into the cut. The entire area is wrapped with Parafilm.RTM. to secure the shoot. Grafted plants can be transferred to soil following one week of in vitro culture. Grafts in the soil are maintained under high humidity conditions followed by a slow acclimatization to the greenhouse environment. Transformed sectors of T.sub.0 plants (parental generation) maturing in the greenhouse are identified by, for example, NPTII ELISA of leaf extracts while transgenic seeds harvested from NPTII-positive T.sub.0 plants are identified by assaying for modulation in the plant response to ABA.

Example 5

Cloning and Gene Characterization of ZmABI1

Sequences putatively representing ABI1 genes in maize were initially identified by an in silico search of proprietary maize EST and GSS databases using known Arabidopsis and rice ABI1 coding sequences. Candidate ESTs, were selected based on protein-level homology to the reference sequences and consideration of the library from which the candidate sequence originated.

Based on the candidate EST sequences, primers were created and used to screen a proprietary maize BAC library. Super-pools identified were further screened with appropriate primers to identify specific BAC clones comprising the ESTs.

In each case, touchdown PCR was performed (GeneAmp.RTM. PCR System 9700, Applied Biosystems), using the following cycling parameters: 94.degree. C. for 3 min (one cycle), 94.degree. C. for 1 min, 55.degree. C. for 1 min and 72.degree. C. for 1 min 30s, (35 cycles), 72.degree. C. for 7 min, and termination at 4.degree. C. Pfu Ultra Hotstart.TM. DNA polymerase (Stratagene) was used for its very low average error rate (less than 0.5% per 500-bp fragment amplified).

Maize insert DNA was isolated from the BAC clones and digested for Southern blot confirmation using a candidate EST clone as a probe. BAC fragments were subcloned into pBluescript.RTM. (Stratagene Inc., La Jolla, Calif.). White colonies were grown in LB medium and transferred onto a membrane using a dot-blot procedure. After denaturation the membrane was probed with a candidate EST clone. Positive clones were identified and sequenced.

Example 6

Characterization of Maize ABI Candidate Genes

To further characterize the isolated maize ABI1 genes, Lynx MPSS mRNA profiling was conducted (see, Brenner, et al., (2000) Nature Biotechnology 18:630-634; Brenner, et al., (2000) PNAS 97:1665-1670). Results are summarized in Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 SEQ ID EST Gene Name Sequence ABA induction Expression PPM NO: ctst1s.pk017.e5- ZM-ABI1 Full Root & Leaf kernel, ear, pedicel, seed, meristem, 167-900 3 and 4 ctst1s.pk008.c19 Length stalk, embryo, husk, leaf, leaf, endosperm, root cgs1c.pk001.p19a:fis ZmABI1_GaspeFlint Full BMS cells leaf, tassel, kernel, root, embryo, 31-72 8 (ZmABI1-GF) Length pericarp p0125.czaaa66r:fis Homologue A of Partial (5') 5 ZmABI1 my.cest1s.pk004.a3 Homologue B of Partial (5') 6 ZmABI1 Ctst1s.pk007.j14a.f:fis Homologue C of Partial (3') 7 ZmABI1 Cie2s.pk005.o3:fis Homologue of 9 ZmABI1-GF ZMABI1-GF Amino acid 10 ZmABI1-MUT Nucleic acid 11 p0005.cbmfd76r.GSS genomic BMS cells kernel, leaf, root, internode, husk, 200-2536 13 stalk, silk, pedicel, embryo

Example 7

Effect of ABI1 Modulation

Constitutive over-expression of the maize dominant mutant described herein (SEQ ID NO: 11) results in leaf firing and loss of vigor consistent with strong ABA insensitivity. This wilty phenotype is similar to the phenotype of ABA-biosynthetic mutants of maize.

In contrast, transgenic plants expressing the same mutant under the control of an early kernel/embryo promoter are healthy and do not display the wilty phenotype.

Transgenic maize plants expressing the maize ABI1-G180D dominant mutation (SEQ ID NO: 11) under the control of either of two early kernel promoters were grown under managed water stress conditions in Woodland, Calif. Results for three transgenic events of each construct are presented in FIG. 1. A mean of yield values in adjacent rows of unrelated transgenic and non-transgenic hybrid maize (control) is included, with standard deviation indicated. Under the drought conditions, yield was higher in the maize expressing the maize ABI1 dominant mutation under the control of either of the two early kernel promoters.

Example 8

Profiling of Gene Expression in Maize Expressing AtABI1 Mutant

Drought-stressed maize seedlings transgenic for RAB17:AtABI1 (G180D) were analyzed for gene expression relative to expression in control seedlings, using the 8-pack profiling system of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.). Presence of the transgene resulted in attenuation of the ABA response. In transgenic plants, expression of drought-induced genes increased under drought stress, but not to the extent seen in control plants. Similarly, in transgenic plants, expression of drought-repressed genes was diminished under drought stress, but not to the extent seen in wild-type plants. Attenuation of the drought response is likewise expected in maize expressing the ZmABI1 mutant.

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.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration 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 LISTINGS

1

1311981DNAArabidopsis thaliana 1catttcctcc ttctttctct cttctatctg tgaacaaggc acattagaac tcttcttttc 60aactttttta ggtgtatata gatgaatcta gaaatagttt tatagttgga aattaattga 120agagagagag atattactac accaatcttt tcaagaggtc ctaacgaatt acccacaatc 180caggaaaccc ttattgaaat tcaattcatt tctttctttc tgtgtttgtg attttcccgg 240gaaatatttt tgggtatatg tctctctgtt tttgctttcc tttttcatag gagtcatgtg 300tttcttcttg tcttcctagc ttcttctaat aaagtccttc tcttgtgaaa atctctcgaa 360ttttcatttt tgttccattg gagctatctt atagatcaca accagagaaa aagatcaaat 420ctttaccgtt aatggaggaa gtatctccgg cgatcgcagg tcctttcagg ccattctccg 480aaacccagat ggatttcacc gggatcagat tgggtaaagg ttactgcaat aaccaatact 540caaatcaaga ttccgagaac ggagatctaa tggtttcgtt accggagact tcatcatgct 600ctgtttctgg gtcacatggt tctgaatcta ggaaagtttt gatttctcgg atcaattctc 660ctaatttaaa catgaaggaa tcagcagctg ctgatatagt cgtcgttgat atctccgccg 720gagatgagat caacggctca gatattacta gcgagaagaa gatgatcagc agaacagaga 780gtaggagttt gtttgaattc aagagtgtgc ctttgtatgg ttttacttcg atttgtggaa 840gaagacctga gatggaagat gctgtttcga ctataccaag attccttcaa tcttcctctg 900gttcgatgtt agatggtcgg tttgatcctc aatccgccgc tcatttcttc ggtgtttacg 960acggccatgg cggttctcag gtagcgaact attgtagaga gaggatgcat ttggctttgg 1020cggaggagat agctaaggag aaaccgatgc tctgcgatgg tgatacgtgg ctggagaagt 1080ggaagaaagc tcttttcaac tcgttcctga gagttgactc ggagattgag tcagttgcgc 1140cggagacggt tgggtcaacg tcggtggttg ccgttgtttt cccgtctcac atcttcgtcg 1200ctaactgcgg tgactctaga gccgttcttt gccgcggcaa aactgcactt ccattatccg 1260ttgaccataa accggataga gaagatgaag ctgcgaggat tgaagccgca ggagggaaag 1320tgattcagtg gaatggagct cgtgttttcg gtgttctcgc catgtcgaga tccattggcg 1380atagatactt gaaaccatcc atcattcctg atccggaagt gacggctgtg aagagagtaa 1440aagaagatga ttgtctgatt ttggcgagtg acggggtttg ggatgtaatg acggatgaag 1500aagcgtgtga gatggcaagg aagcggattc tcttgtggca caagaaaaac gcggtggctg 1560gggatgcatc gttgctcgcg gatgagcgga gaaaggaagg gaaagatcct gcggcgatgt 1620ccgcggctga gtatttgtca aagctggcga tacagagagg aagcaaagac aacataagtg 1680tggtggtggt tgatttgaag cctcggagga aactcaagag caaacccttg aactgaggca 1740gagagggtcc tttttcttaa tttttaaaat gaatatgggt ctctccaaga aaaagtattt 1800actattatta atttgtgctt atttttttaa ctaacaagtt ataaccatat ggagataatg 1860aagcttaatg tgttaagctc ttttgtcttg actacattct aaaaagcccc ttgtattttt 1920cttcccgggc taattgtaat atggttacaa catacattaa gatgtagtat tattgtttaa 1980a 19812434PRTArabidopsis thaliana 2Met Glu Glu Val Ser Pro Ala Ile Ala Gly Pro Phe Arg Pro Phe Ser1 5 10 15Glu Thr Gln Met Asp Phe Thr Gly Ile Arg Leu Gly Lys Gly Tyr Cys 20 25 30Asn Asn Gln Tyr Ser Asn Gln Asp Ser Glu Asn Gly Asp Leu Met Val 35 40 45Ser Leu Pro Glu Thr Ser Ser Cys Ser Val Ser Gly Ser His Gly Ser 50 55 60Glu Ser Arg Lys Val Leu Ile Ser Arg Ile Asn Ser Pro Asn Leu Asn65 70 75 80Met Lys Glu Ser Ala Ala Ala Asp Ile Val Val Val Asp Ile Ser Ala 85 90 95Gly Asp Glu Ile Asn Gly Ser Asp Ile Thr Ser Glu Lys Lys Met Ile 100 105 110Ser Arg Thr Glu Ser Arg Ser Leu Phe Glu Phe Lys Ser Val Pro Leu 115 120 125Tyr Gly Phe Thr Ser Ile Cys Gly Arg Arg Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala 130 135 140Val Ser Thr Ile Pro Arg Phe Leu Gln Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser Met Leu145 150 155 160Asp Gly Arg Phe Asp Pro Gln Ser Ala Ala His Phe Phe Gly Val Tyr 165 170 175Asp Gly His Gly Gly Ser Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Glu Arg Met 180 185 190His Leu Ala Leu Ala Glu Glu Ile Ala Lys Glu Lys Pro Met Leu Cys 195 200 205Asp Gly Asp Thr Trp Leu Glu Lys Trp Lys Lys Ala Leu Phe Asn Ser 210 215 220Phe Leu Arg Val Asp Ser Glu Ile Glu Ser Val Ala Pro Glu Thr Val225 230 235 240Gly Ser Thr Ser Val Val Ala Val Val Phe Pro Ser His Ile Phe Val 245 250 255Ala Asn Cys Gly Asp Ser Arg Ala Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Thr Ala 260 265 270Leu Pro Leu Ser Val Asp His Lys Pro Asp Arg Glu Asp Glu Ala Ala 275 280 285Arg Ile Glu Ala Ala Gly Gly Lys Val Ile Gln Trp Asn Gly Ala Arg 290 295 300Val Phe Gly Val Leu Ala Met Ser Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu305 310 315 320Lys Pro Ser Ile Ile Pro Asp Pro Glu Val Thr Ala Val Lys Arg Val 325 330 335Lys Glu Asp Asp Cys Leu Ile Leu Ala Ser Asp Gly Val Trp Asp Val 340 345 350Met Thr Asp Glu Glu Ala Cys Glu Met Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu 355 360 365Trp His Lys Lys Asn Ala Val Ala Gly Asp Ala Ser Leu Leu Ala Asp 370 375 380Glu Arg Arg Lys Glu Gly Lys Asp Pro Ala Ala Met Ser Ala Ala Glu385 390 395 400Tyr Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Ile Gln Arg Gly Ser Lys Asp Asn Ile Ser 405 410 415Val Val Val Val Asp Leu Lys Pro Arg Arg Lys Leu Lys Ser Lys Pro 420 425 430Leu Asn32130DNAZea maysCDS(432)...(1886) 3ccgagccaca gcaattaccc agctcagcgg ctgccgaacc ccctccgctt cccggctctc 60caggtcgaga agggcgctgc tcgccacctg cctttctttc tacagttcga cgcactttgg 120tggcggtgcc gctactctcc ttcccgagtt cctaacttcc taactaggag ggcgggcgtt 180gtctgcctgt gtgcttttgg cgattcgggg gcttgggctc ggatctgcgc gtgccttcct 240ccggacccga gcgaggctcg ggcgcgaatt tggggcggat cagcgcagat ctggaggcac 300atgaggagga ggaggcggag gggtagcggg agcgatgcgg tgcttctgcg aagggcttga 360gccgacctgg gaaggtgatt ctggaggagg tggcggtggc tgcggaggcg gagggggagg 420ctggaggagg g atg gaa gac gtc gta gca gtc gtg gcg tca ctc tcc gcg 470 Met Glu Asp Val Val Ala Val Val Ala Ser Leu Ser Ala 1 5 10ccg ccg gcg ccg gcg ttt agc ccc gcc gcg gcg ggg ctc acg ctg atc 518Pro Pro Ala Pro Ala Phe Ser Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Leu Thr Leu Ile 15 20 25gcc gcg gcg gtc gcg gac ccg atc gcc gcg gtg gtc gtc gga gcc atg 566Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Asp Pro Ile Ala Ala Val Val Val Gly Ala Met30 35 40 45gag ggg gtc tcc gtg ccc gtg act gtg ccc ccg gtc agg acg gcg tcc 614Glu Gly Val Ser Val Pro Val Thr Val Pro Pro Val Arg Thr Ala Ser 50 55 60gcg gtg gac gac gac gcg ctg gcg ccg gga gag gaa ggg gga gac gcc 662Ala Val Asp Asp Asp Ala Leu Ala Pro Gly Glu Glu Gly Gly Asp Ala 65 70 75tct ttg gcc ggg agc ccg tgc tcg gtg gtc agc gac tgt agc agc gtg 710Ser Leu Ala Gly Ser Pro Cys Ser Val Val Ser Asp Cys Ser Ser Val 80 85 90gcc agc gct gat ttc gag ggg gtc ggg ctg tgt ttc ttc ggc gcg gca 758Ala Ser Ala Asp Phe Glu Gly Val Gly Leu Cys Phe Phe Gly Ala Ala 95 100 105gca ggc gcg gag ggt ggt ccc atg gtg ttg gag gac tcg acc gcg tct 806Ala Gly Ala Glu Gly Gly Pro Met Val Leu Glu Asp Ser Thr Ala Ser110 115 120 125gca gcc acg gtc gag gcg gag gcc agg gtc gcg gct ggt ggg agg agt 854Ala Ala Thr Val Glu Ala Glu Ala Arg Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Arg Ser 130 135 140gtc ttc gcc gtg gac tgc gtg ccg ctg tgg ggc tac act tcc ata tgc 902Val Phe Ala Val Asp Cys Val Pro Leu Trp Gly Tyr Thr Ser Ile Cys 145 150 155ggc cgc cgt ccg gag atg gag gat gcc gtt gct ata gtg ccg cga ttc 950Gly Arg Arg Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Val Ala Ile Val Pro Arg Phe 160 165 170ttt gac ttg cca ctc tgg ttg ctc acc ggc aat gcg atg gtc gat ggc 998Phe Asp Leu Pro Leu Trp Leu Leu Thr Gly Asn Ala Met Val Asp Gly 175 180 185ctc gat ccc atg acg ttc cgc tta cct gca cat ttc ttt ggt gtc tat 1046Leu Asp Pro Met Thr Phe Arg Leu Pro Ala His Phe Phe Gly Val Tyr190 195 200 205gac gga cac ggt ggt gca cag gta gca aat tac tgt cgg gaa cgc ctc 1094Asp Gly His Gly Gly Ala Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Glu Arg Leu 210 215 220cat gtg gcc cta ctg gag cag ctg agc agg ata gag gag act gcg tgt 1142His Val Ala Leu Leu Glu Gln Leu Ser Arg Ile Glu Glu Thr Ala Cys 225 230 235gca gct aac ttg gga gac atg gag ttc aag aaa cag tgg gaa aag gtc 1190Ala Ala Asn Leu Gly Asp Met Glu Phe Lys Lys Gln Trp Glu Lys Val 240 245 250ttt gtg gat tct tat gct aga gtg gat gac gag gtt ggg gga aac acg 1238Phe Val Asp Ser Tyr Ala Arg Val Asp Asp Glu Val Gly Gly Asn Thr 255 260 265atg agg gga ggt ggt gaa gaa gca ggc aca agt gat gct gct atg aca 1286Met Arg Gly Gly Gly Glu Glu Ala Gly Thr Ser Asp Ala Ala Met Thr270 275 280 285ctc gtg cca gaa cct gtg gca cct gag acg gtg ggt tcg acg gcg gtc 1334Leu Val Pro Glu Pro Val Ala Pro Glu Thr Val Gly Ser Thr Ala Val 290 295 300gtc gct gtc atc tgc tcc tca cat atc att gtc tcc aac tgt gga gat 1382Val Ala Val Ile Cys Ser Ser His Ile Ile Val Ser Asn Cys Gly Asp 305 310 315tca cgg gca gtg ctc tgc cga ggc aag cag cct gtg cct ctg tcg gtg 1430Ser Arg Ala Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Gln Pro Val Pro Leu Ser Val 320 325 330gat cat aaa cct aac agg gag gat gag tat gca agg att gag gca gag 1478Asp His Lys Pro Asn Arg Glu Asp Glu Tyr Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Glu 335 340 345ggt ggc aag gtc ata caa tgg aac ggt tat cga gtt ttc ggt gtt ctt 1526Gly Gly Lys Val Ile Gln Trp Asn Gly Tyr Arg Val Phe Gly Val Leu350 355 360 365gca atg tcg cga tca att ggt gac aga tat ctg aag cca tgg ata att 1574Ala Met Ser Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu Lys Pro Trp Ile Ile 370 375 380cca gtc cca gag gta aca ata gtt ccg cgg gct aag gat gac gag tgc 1622Pro Val Pro Glu Val Thr Ile Val Pro Arg Ala Lys Asp Asp Glu Cys 385 390 395ctt att ctt gcc agt gac ggc ctc tgg gat gta atg tca aat gaa gag 1670Leu Ile Leu Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Trp Asp Val Met Ser Asn Glu Glu 400 405 410gta tgt gaa atc gct cgc aag cgg ata ctt ctg tgg cac aaa aag aac 1718Val Cys Glu Ile Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu Trp His Lys Lys Asn 415 420 425agc aca agc tca tca tca gcc cca cgg gtt ggt gac tcc gca gac tca 1766Ser Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Ala Pro Arg Val Gly Asp Ser Ala Asp Ser430 435 440 445gcc gct caa gcg gct gct gaa tgc ttg tca aag ctt gct ctt cag aag 1814Ala Ala Gln Ala Ala Ala Glu Cys Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Leu Gln Lys 450 455 460ggg agc aaa gac aac att act gtc gtg gta gtt gat ctg aaa gca cag 1862Gly Ser Lys Asp Asn Ile Thr Val Val Val Val Asp Leu Lys Ala Gln 465 470 475cgc aag ttc aag agc aaa act taa ccgtgacaag cgtagcaaca agttgctaag 1916Arg Lys Phe Lys Ser Lys Thr * 480aacctataga ttcggacagt cccaagttcg gtcattttag ttcgctgctt tagtgcattg 1976cttagcccag ttccttattt ttctcagttc tttttaagcc atgccaaggg ctgtattccc 2036cgtatacggt acagatcgcg aaatccctat cagggatggt ttggtgatat cagggtttat 2096atgttttcct gaccgtggtg actgtcctgt tttc 21304484PRTZea mays 4Met Glu Asp Val Val Ala Val Val Ala Ser Leu Ser Ala Pro Pro Ala1 5 10 15Pro Ala Phe Ser Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Leu Thr Leu Ile Ala Ala Ala 20 25 30Val Ala Asp Pro Ile Ala Ala Val Val Val Gly Ala Met Glu Gly Val 35 40 45Ser Val Pro Val Thr Val Pro Pro Val Arg Thr Ala Ser Ala Val Asp 50 55 60Asp Asp Ala Leu Ala Pro Gly Glu Glu Gly Gly Asp Ala Ser Leu Ala65 70 75 80Gly Ser Pro Cys Ser Val Val Ser Asp Cys Ser Ser Val Ala Ser Ala 85 90 95Asp Phe Glu Gly Val Gly Leu Cys Phe Phe Gly Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala 100 105 110Glu Gly Gly Pro Met Val Leu Glu Asp Ser Thr Ala Ser Ala Ala Thr 115 120 125Val Glu Ala Glu Ala Arg Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Arg Ser Val Phe Ala 130 135 140Val Asp Cys Val Pro Leu Trp Gly Tyr Thr Ser Ile Cys Gly Arg Arg145 150 155 160Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Val Ala Ile Val Pro Arg Phe Phe Asp Leu 165 170 175Pro Leu Trp Leu Leu Thr Gly Asn Ala Met Val Asp Gly Leu Asp Pro 180 185 190Met Thr Phe Arg Leu Pro Ala His Phe Phe Gly Val Tyr Asp Gly His 195 200 205Gly Gly Ala Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Glu Arg Leu His Val Ala 210 215 220Leu Leu Glu Gln Leu Ser Arg Ile Glu Glu Thr Ala Cys Ala Ala Asn225 230 235 240Leu Gly Asp Met Glu Phe Lys Lys Gln Trp Glu Lys Val Phe Val Asp 245 250 255Ser Tyr Ala Arg Val Asp Asp Glu Val Gly Gly Asn Thr Met Arg Gly 260 265 270Gly Gly Glu Glu Ala Gly Thr Ser Asp Ala Ala Met Thr Leu Val Pro 275 280 285Glu Pro Val Ala Pro Glu Thr Val Gly Ser Thr Ala Val Val Ala Val 290 295 300Ile Cys Ser Ser His Ile Ile Val Ser Asn Cys Gly Asp Ser Arg Ala305 310 315 320Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Gln Pro Val Pro Leu Ser Val Asp His Lys 325 330 335Pro Asn Arg Glu Asp Glu Tyr Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Glu Gly Gly Lys 340 345 350Val Ile Gln Trp Asn Gly Tyr Arg Val Phe Gly Val Leu Ala Met Ser 355 360 365Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu Lys Pro Trp Ile Ile Pro Val Pro 370 375 380Glu Val Thr Ile Val Pro Arg Ala Lys Asp Asp Glu Cys Leu Ile Leu385 390 395 400Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Trp Asp Val Met Ser Asn Glu Glu Val Cys Glu 405 410 415Ile Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu Trp His Lys Lys Asn Ser Thr Ser 420 425 430Ser Ser Ser Ala Pro Arg Val Gly Asp Ser Ala Asp Ser Ala Ala Gln 435 440 445Ala Ala Ala Glu Cys Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Leu Gln Lys Gly Ser Lys 450 455 460Asp Asn Ile Thr Val Val Val Val Asp Leu Lys Ala Gln Arg Lys Phe465 470 475 480Lys Ser Lys Thr5941DNAZea mays 5cggacgcgtg ggcggacgcg tgggccggcc actcccggct cccgagccac agcaattacc 60cagctcagcg gctgccgaac cccctccgct tcccggctct ccaggtcgag aagggcgctg 120ctcgccacct gccttccttt ctacagttcg acgcactttg gtggtggtgc cgctactctc 180ctcccgagtt ccttccttcc taactaggag ggcgggcgtt gcctgcctgt gtgcttttgg 240cgattcgggg gcttgggctc ggatctgcgc gtgcctgcct ccggacccga gcgaggctcg 300ggcgcgaatt tggggcggat cagcgcagat ctggaggcac atgaggagga ggaggcggaa 360ggggtagcgg gagcgatgcg gtgcttctgc gaagggcttg agccgacctg ggaaggtgat 420tctggaggag gtggcggtgg ctgcggaggc ggagggggag gctggaggag ggatggaaga 480catcgtagca gtcgtggcgt cactctccgc gccgccggcg ccggcgttta gccccgccgc 540ggcggggctc acgctgatcg ccgcggcggt cgcggacccg atcgccgcgg tggtcgtcgg 600agccatggag ggggtctccg tgcccgtgac tgtgcccccg gtcaggacgg cgtccgcggt 660ggacgacgac gcgctggcgc cgggagagga agggggagac gcctctttgg ccgggagccc 720gtgctcggtg gtcagcgact gcagcagcgt ggccagcgct gatttcgagg gggtcgggct 780gtgtttcttc agcgcggcag caggcgcgga gggtggtccc atggtgttgg aggactcgac 840cgcgtctgcg gccacggtcg aggcggaggc cagggtcgcg gctggtggga ggagtgtctt 900cgccgtggac tgcgtgccgc tgtggggcta cacttccata t 9416878DNAZea mays 6aattacccag tcccagatca acgttaccca acggctgcca aatctccctc cgcttcccgg 60ctccccaggt cgagccgtcg agggcgctgc ttgccactgc cttggtcgct actgtacgac 120gcactttggt ggtggtgccg ctactctgct ccccgagttc catccttcct cacgaggagg 180gcgggcgttg ccgttgcctg cccgtgtgct ttggcgattc gggggcttgg gctcggatct 240gcgtgtgcct gcctccggac ccgcccgagg ctcggggcgc ctgatttggg gccgggttag 300gcagatctgg agggcacatg agaataaggc ggcggcggag gggtagcggg agctatgcgg 360tgcttctgcg aaggacttga gccggcctgg gaaggtgatc ctggaggagg ttgcggcggc 420tgcaacggcg gagggaaggc tggaggatgt cgtagcggtc gtggcgccgc tcgcggctcc 480gcctgcgccg acgtttagcc ccgctgcggc ggagctcacg ctgatcgccg cggcggtcgt 540gggagccatg gagggggtct ccgtgccccc ggtcaggacg gcctccgcgg cggacgacga 600cgcgctggcg ccggaagggg aagggggaga cgcgtctctg gccgggagcc cgtgctcggt 660ggccagcgac tgcagcagcg tggccagcgc tgacttcgag ggggtcggga tgggtttctt 720cggcgcggca gcgggcgcgg agggtggcct tggccccatg gtgttcgagg actcggccgc 780gtccgcggcc acggtcgagg cggaggccag ggtcgcagct ggtgggagga gtgtcttcgc 840cgtggactgc gtgccgctgt ggggctacac cactatat 87871299DNAZea

mays 7gccggagatg gaggatgccg ttgctatagt gccgcgattc tttgacgtgc cactctggat 60gctcaccggc aatgcggtgg tcgatgggct cgatcccatg acgttccgat tacctgcaca 120tttctttggt gtctatgacg gacatggtgg tgcacaggta gcaaattact gtcgggaacg 180cctccatggg gccctactgg agcagctgag caggatagag cagaccgtgt gcgcagctaa 240cttgggagac atggaattca agaaacagtg ggaaaaggcc tttgtggatt ctttcgctag 300agtggatgac gatgttgggg gcaagacgat cagggaagat ggtggcgaag cacgcataag 360tgacgctgct atgatgcttg tgcccgaacc tgtggcacct gagaccgtgg gttcaacggc 420ggtcgtcgcc gtcatctgct cctcgcatat cattgtctcc aattgtggag attcacgggc 480ggtgctctgc cgtggcaagc agcccgtgcc tctgtcggtg gatcataaac ctaacaggga 540agatgagtat gcaaggattg aggcagaggg tggtaaggtc atacaatgga atggttatcg 600agtttttggt gttcttgcaa tgtcgcgatc aattggtgac agatatctga agccatggat 660aattccagtc ccggaggtaa caatagttcc gcgggctaag gatgatgagt gccttattct 720tgctagcgac ggcctttggg acgtaatctc aaatgaagag gtatgtgaag ttgctcgcaa 780gcggatactt ctgtggcaca aaaagaatgg cacaagctca tcatcagccc cacgggttgg 840tgattccgca gacgcagctg ctcaagcggc tgccgaatgc ttgtcaaagc ttgctcttca 900gaaggggagc aaagacaaca tcactgtcgt tgtagttgac ctgaaagcac agcgtaagtt 960caagagcaaa acctaaccat gatgacttaa tggacaatta tagcgacaag ttgctaggaa 1020cctatagatt tggagaatcc aaatttggtc agtttagtcg ctgccttagt acattactta 1080gcctagttct ttttaagcaa tttgggctgc caaaggtttg tattcctgta tatggtacaa 1140attgtaaaat ccgtgccagg gtttatgttt cctgaccgtg gcgacggtcc tgttttcact 1200cttctttctt cattgccctg tattcttttt gtctgcattc ttttttgtca agcttggcgt 1260ccaagtatct gtcaatgtat tttttttacc aaaaaaaaa 129983023DNAZea mays 8tggagttgag ggagctcctg aacggctacg ccaacgcggt ggccacccgc gcggccaccg 60gtgccgctgg ggcgacagca gagaagttga aagagctgat ggggaactcc gagcccgagg 120cgctgatggc gggcttccaa cccgaagacg tgctgccgga cgcaccggcg aggttcgtga 180gatgggtgac gggcctcaat aagaagctcg aagacttggt ggagtcgtgg gacaagttcc 240tgtccgatat agtggccgca cacaaggaga aggggggtgg cgacgcagag gaggatgagg 300acttcttgga tgtcttgctt cggctgcggg aagaaggcgc agatgggctc gagctcacag 360acgatcgcat caaagctacc gtcaaggaca tgatagcggc tgcaactgaa acatcgtccc 420aaacgctgga atggaccatg gccgaactca ttgccaaccc gcgggtgatg agcaagctcc 480aaggcgagat agcgcgagtc gtcagcgccg ctcctcgtcc cgcacgaatc aacaacgccc 540gcggttgtgc agggctacga gatcccggcc aagacggctc tcttcgtcaa cgtgtgggcc 600atcgggcggg accctgctgt gtgggacgca ccggacgagt tccgcccaga gcggttcgtg 660ggcggcagtc cctcggtgga cttcagaggt accgactacc agctcatccc gttcggcgcc 720ggccggagga tctgccccgg catcaacttc gcgctgccgg tcttggagct cgcgcttgtc 780agccttctgc accacttcga atgggagctc cccgccggcg tgggaaaggc ggacctcgac 840gtgggcgagg cgccggggat gacgacgccg cggcggattc cgctcgtcct tgtccccaag 900tgcaggacgc tcgttcagcc agcactgcag tagcgcgagg aatttcatgt gtctccatgc 960agtggcggaa ccagaaatat ttaagagctt gggtaaaaaa taatacttat actgtaaata 1020tgtagctttg tctaattttt accagtgttt aactatattt tactacttgt tgtatgtgta 1080taagttcact agcaataatg gaggagccta tcctcttgcc cccaaaaaaa aaaaaaaggg 1140cggccgccct tttttttttt tttttttttt tttttttttt tttttttttt tttttagcac 1200agatacagtg ctcaattagg tagttcaggg gtggcagttt ctattgtacc tttacctgtt 1260aataacagaa acaatgcccc aaacccaatc agtgaactac ttgttggaat ctacatatgt 1320atgttatttc taagatttgg accctagaat cgaccacctt acctagccag cccagtctcc 1380aaccagatta catctgtgta tgaatctgta ccctgatcaa acgtggcagc ctatatggtt 1440gtgggaaaga aaaagaaaaa aaggctaaac aggagcattt tctcaacctt tctagcgtct 1500attgttactg tccaagtctt accgaatccg tggttatgtt ctgctcttga actttctatg 1560tgacttgagg tcgactacaa tgacggtaat gttgtccttg ctccccttct ggagggccag 1620cttcgacaaa tattcagcag ctgcttgagc tgcttcatct gccgaatcac cgcttctttg 1680ggctgacgct gagacgtcgc cgttcttctt gtgccacagc agtatgcgct tgcgagcagc 1740atcacatacc tcctcgtttg acattacatc ccacaggcca tcgcttgcaa gaattaggca 1800ctcatcatcc tttgcacggg cgacaattgt gacctcaggg actgggatta tatatggctt 1860caggtacctg tccccaattg accgggacat ggcaagaaca ccgagaactc ggtatccgtt 1920ccagttgatg accttgcccc cctgggcctc gatcctcgca tactcatctt ccctgtttgg 1980tttatggtcc acggacagcg gcaggggctg cttgccccgg cagagcaccg ccctcgagtc 2040gccgcagttg gcaacgatga catgcgatga gcagacgagc gcaaccaccg ctgttgaccc 2100cactgtgtct ggagccacag gcttggttcc ggtcgccgcg tctcctccca cctctgcatc 2160aacacggctg aagcagtcca caaagacctt ctcccagtgc tcgtgagtac tagggtcaag 2220gccactcaag tcagcgtcgg acacggcctg ctctgccctg gtgagcccct cggccagtac 2280ctcgtgcatt ctgtcccggc agtagttggc gacctgaagg ccgccgtggc cgtcgtagac 2340ggcgaagaag tgcgcgggga ggcggaagga tgcccggtcg aggccgtcga cgggcgcgtc 2400gccggcgagc atccagagcg ggacgtggaa gaaggttggg agcacgcggg cggcgtcctc 2460catctcgggc cgtcggccgc acacggagtg gagtccccag cgcggcacgc agtcgagcgc 2520gaagacgctc ctggcggccc tgggcccgga ggcggggagc gagctggcgg aggcggaggc 2580ggaggcgggg gagacgaggt cgtcgagcac gagcgtggag gcgaggtcgg cgaagccctc 2640gaagtcggcg gtggcgacgc tgctgcagtc ggagcaggga ctcccgggcg cggactcggg 2700ctccggcggt ggcatcccgg ccccggcggc agcaggagcg gagtcgtcta tgaagtcagc 2760gacggcggcg aagagtgcga gggcccccgg ggcgaggtcc tccatgggct cggtcacggc 2820agggagccat tggcagtagt ggcctcgcgt cggggggtca tgggcatggc cgcatgggca 2880tgggggtgcg tggcgggggc tcgcaggcag atctgaaaag ggtgggagag ggacgggacg 2940ggctggatgg gatcgaatcc aggagtaggt gaggggagat cagggtgtca cgggcggtgc 3000cctggctgca acggaagccg cct 302391684DNAZea mays 9cggacgcgtg ggcgcgaggc cactactgcc aatggctccc tgccgtgacc gagcccatgg 60aggacctcgc cccgggggcc ctcgcgctct tcgccgccgt cgctgacttc atagacgact 120ccgctcccgc tgccgccggg gccgggatgc caccgccgga gcccgagtcc gcgcccggga 180gtccctgctc cgactgcagc agcgtcgcca ccgccgactt cgagggcttc gccgacctcg 240cctccacgct cgtgctcgac gacctcgtct cccccgcctc cgcctccgcc tccgccagct 300cgctccccgc ctccgggccc agggccgcca ggagcgtctt cgcgctcgac tgcgtgccgc 360gctggggact ccactccgtg tgcggccgac ggcccgagat ggaggacgcc gcccgcgtgc 420tcccaacctt cttccacgtc ccgctctgga tgctcgccgg cgacgcgccc gtcgacggcc 480tcgaccgggc atccttccgc ctccccgcgc acttcttcgc cgtctacgac ggccacggcg 540gccttcaggt cgccaactac tgccgggaca gaatgcacga ggtactggcc gaggggctca 600ccagggcaga gcaggccgtg tccgacgctg acttgagtgg ccttgaccct agtactcacg 660agcactggga gaaggtcttt gtggactgct tcagccgtgt tgatgcagag gtgggaggag 720acgcggcgac cggaaccaag cctgtggctc cagacacagt ggggtcaaca gcggtggttg 780cgctcgtctg ctcatcgcat gtcatcgttg ccaactgcgg cgactcgagg gcggtgctct 840gccggggcaa gcagcccctg ccgctgtccg tggaccataa accaaacagg gaagatgagt 900atgcgaggat cgaggcccag gggggcaagg tcatcaactg gaacggctac cgagttctcg 960gtgttcttgc catgtcccgg tcaattgggg acaggtacct gaagccatat ataatcccag 1020tccctgaggt cacaattgtc gcccgtgcaa aggatgatga gtgcctaatt cttgcaagcg 1080atggcctgtg ggatgtaatg tcaaacgagg aggtatgtga tgctgctcgc aagcgcatac 1140tgctgtggca caagaagaac ggcgacgact cagcgtcagc ccaaagaagc ggtgattcgg 1200cagatgaagc agctcaagca gctgctgaat atttgtcgaa gctggccctc cagaagggga 1260gcaaggacaa cattaccgtc attgtagtcg acctcaagtc acatagaaag ttcaagagca 1320gaacataacc acggattcgg taagacttgg acagtaacaa tagacgctag gaaggttgag 1380aaaatgctcc tgtttaccct ttttttttct ttttctttcc cacaaccata taggctgcca 1440cgtttgatca gggtacagat tcatacacag atgtaatctg gttggagact gggctggcta 1500ggtaaggtgg tcgattctag ggtccaaatc ttagaaataa catacatatg tagattccaa 1560caagtagttc actgattggg tttggggcat tgtttctgtt attaacaggt aaaggtacaa 1620tagaaactgc cacccctgaa ctaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1680aaaa 168410423PRTZea mays 10Met Glu Asp Leu Ala Pro Gly Ala Leu Ala Leu Phe Ala Ala Val Ala1 5 10 15Asp Phe Ile Asp Asp Ser Ala Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala Gly Met Pro 20 25 30Pro Pro Glu Pro Glu Ser Ala Pro Gly Ser Pro Cys Ser Asp Cys Ser 35 40 45Ser Val Ala Thr Ala Asp Phe Glu Gly Phe Ala Asp Leu Ala Ser Thr 50 55 60Leu Val Leu Asp Asp Leu Val Ser Pro Ala Ser Ala Ser Ala Ser Ala65 70 75 80Ser Ser Leu Pro Ala Ser Gly Pro Arg Ala Ala Arg Ser Val Phe Ala 85 90 95Leu Asp Cys Val Pro Arg Trp Gly Leu His Ser Val Cys Gly Arg Arg 100 105 110Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Ala Arg Val Leu Pro Thr Phe Phe His Val 115 120 125Pro Leu Trp Met Leu Ala Gly Asp Ala Pro Val Asp Gly Leu Asp Arg 130 135 140Ala Ser Phe Arg Leu Pro Ala His Phe Phe Ala Val Tyr Asp Gly His145 150 155 160Gly Gly Leu Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Asp Arg Met His Glu Val 165 170 175Leu Ala Glu Gly Leu Thr Arg Ala Glu Gln Ala Val Ser Asp Ala Asp 180 185 190Leu Ser Gly Leu Asp Pro Ser Thr His Glu His Trp Glu Lys Val Phe 195 200 205Val Asp Cys Phe Ser Arg Val Asp Ala Glu Val Gly Gly Asp Ala Ala 210 215 220Thr Gly Thr Lys Pro Val Ala Pro Asp Thr Val Gly Ser Thr Ala Val225 230 235 240Val Ala Leu Val Cys Ser Ser His Val Ile Val Ala Asn Cys Gly Asp 245 250 255Ser Arg Ala Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Gln Pro Leu Pro Leu Ser Val 260 265 270Asp His Lys Pro Asn Arg Glu Asp Glu Tyr Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Gln 275 280 285Gly Gly Lys Val Ile Asn Trp Asn Gly Tyr Arg Val Leu Gly Val Leu 290 295 300Ala Met Ser Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu Lys Pro Tyr Ile Ile305 310 315 320Pro Val Pro Glu Val Thr Ile Val Ala Arg Ala Lys Asp Asp Glu Cys 325 330 335Leu Ile Leu Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Trp Asp Val Met Ser Asn Glu Glu 340 345 350Val Cys Asp Ala Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu Trp His Lys Lys Asn 355 360 365Gly Asp Val Ser Ala Ser Ala Gln Arg Ser Gly Asp Ser Ala Asp Glu 370 375 380Ala Ala Gln Ala Ala Ala Glu Tyr Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Leu Gln Lys385 390 395 400Gly Ser Lys Asp Asn Ile Thr Val Ile Val Val Asp Leu Lys Ser His 405 410 415Arg Lys Phe Lys Ser Arg Thr 420111407DNAZea maysCDS(1)...(1407)mutation(577)...(579)G to D mutation at aa 193 corresponds to aa 209 of wt 11atg gaa gac gtc gta gca gtc gtg gcg tca ctc tcc gcg ccg ccg gcg 48Met Glu Asp Val Val Ala Val Val Ala Ser Leu Ser Ala Pro Pro Ala1 5 10 15ccg gcg ttt agc ccc gcc gcg gtg gtc gtc gga gcc atg gag ggg gtc 96Pro Ala Phe Ser Pro Ala Ala Val Val Val Gly Ala Met Glu Gly Val 20 25 30tcc gtg ccc gtg act gtg ccc ccg gtc agg acg gcg tcc gcg gtg gac 144Ser Val Pro Val Thr Val Pro Pro Val Arg Thr Ala Ser Ala Val Asp 35 40 45gac gac gcg ctg gcg ccg gga gag gaa ggg gga gac gcc tct ttg gcc 192Asp Asp Ala Leu Ala Pro Gly Glu Glu Gly Gly Asp Ala Ser Leu Ala 50 55 60ggg agc ccg tgc tcg gtg gtc agc gac tgt agc agc gtg gcc agc gct 240Gly Ser Pro Cys Ser Val Val Ser Asp Cys Ser Ser Val Ala Ser Ala65 70 75 80gat ttc gag ggg gtc ggg ctg tgt ttc ttc ggc gcg gca gca ggc gcg 288Asp Phe Glu Gly Val Gly Leu Cys Phe Phe Gly Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala 85 90 95gag ggt ggt ccc atg gtg ttg gag gac tcg acc gcg tct gca gcc acg 336Glu Gly Gly Pro Met Val Leu Glu Asp Ser Thr Ala Ser Ala Ala Thr 100 105 110gtc gag gcg gag gcc agg gtc gcg gct ggt ggg agg agt gtc ttc gcc 384Val Glu Ala Glu Ala Arg Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Arg Ser Val Phe Ala 115 120 125gtg gac tgc gtg ccg ctg tgg ggc tac act tcc ata tgc ggc cgc cgt 432Val Asp Cys Val Pro Leu Trp Gly Tyr Thr Ser Ile Cys Gly Arg Arg 130 135 140ccg gag atg gag gat gcc gtt gct ata gtg ccg cga ttc ttt gac ttg 480Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Val Ala Ile Val Pro Arg Phe Phe Asp Leu145 150 155 160cca ctc tgg ttg ctc acc ggc aat gcg atg gtc gat ggc ctc gat ccc 528Pro Leu Trp Leu Leu Thr Gly Asn Ala Met Val Asp Gly Leu Asp Pro 165 170 175atg acg ttc cgc tta cct gca cat ttc ttt ggt gtc tat gac gga cac 576Met Thr Phe Arg Leu Pro Ala His Phe Phe Gly Val Tyr Asp Gly His 180 185 190gat ggt gca cag gta gca aat tac tgt cgg gaa cgc ctc cat gtg gcc 624Asp Gly Ala Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Glu Arg Leu His Val Ala 195 200 205cta ctg gag cag ctg agc agg ata gag gag act gcg tgt gca gct aac 672Leu Leu Glu Gln Leu Ser Arg Ile Glu Glu Thr Ala Cys Ala Ala Asn 210 215 220ttg gga gac atg gag ttc aag aaa cag tgg gaa aag gtc ttt gtg gat 720Leu Gly Asp Met Glu Phe Lys Lys Gln Trp Glu Lys Val Phe Val Asp225 230 235 240tct tat gct aga gtg gat gac gag gtt ggg gga aac acg atg agg gga 768Ser Tyr Ala Arg Val Asp Asp Glu Val Gly Gly Asn Thr Met Arg Gly 245 250 255ggt ggt gaa gaa gca ggc aca agt gat gct gct atg aca ctc gtg cca 816Gly Gly Glu Glu Ala Gly Thr Ser Asp Ala Ala Met Thr Leu Val Pro 260 265 270gaa cct gtg gca cct gag acg gtg ggt tcg acg gcg gtc gtc gct gtc 864Glu Pro Val Ala Pro Glu Thr Val Gly Ser Thr Ala Val Val Ala Val 275 280 285atc tgc tcc tca cat atc att gtc tcc aac tgt gga gat tca cgg gca 912Ile Cys Ser Ser His Ile Ile Val Ser Asn Cys Gly Asp Ser Arg Ala 290 295 300gtg ctc tgc cga ggc aag cag cct gtg cct ctg tcg gtg gat cat aaa 960Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Gln Pro Val Pro Leu Ser Val Asp His Lys305 310 315 320cct aac agg gag gat gag tat gca agg att gag gca gag ggt ggc aag 1008Pro Asn Arg Glu Asp Glu Tyr Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Glu Gly Gly Lys 325 330 335gtc ata caa tgg aac ggt tat cga gtt ttc ggt gtt ctt gca atg tcg 1056Val Ile Gln Trp Asn Gly Tyr Arg Val Phe Gly Val Leu Ala Met Ser 340 345 350cga tca att ggt gac aga tat ctg aag cca tgg ata att cca gtc cca 1104Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu Lys Pro Trp Ile Ile Pro Val Pro 355 360 365gag gta aca ata gtt ccg cgg gct aag gat gac gag tgc ctt att ctt 1152Glu Val Thr Ile Val Pro Arg Ala Lys Asp Asp Glu Cys Leu Ile Leu 370 375 380gcc agt gac ggc ctc tgg gat gta atg tca aat gaa gag gta tgt gaa 1200Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Trp Asp Val Met Ser Asn Glu Glu Val Cys Glu385 390 395 400atc gct cgc aag cgg ata ctt ctg tgg cac aaa aag aac agc aca agc 1248Ile Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu Trp His Lys Lys Asn Ser Thr Ser 405 410 415tca tca tca gcc cca cgg gtt ggt gac tcc gca gac tca gcc gct caa 1296Ser Ser Ser Ala Pro Arg Val Gly Asp Ser Ala Asp Ser Ala Ala Gln 420 425 430gcg gct gct gaa tgc ttg tca aag ctt gct ctt cag aag ggg agc aaa 1344Ala Ala Ala Glu Cys Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Leu Gln Lys Gly Ser Lys 435 440 445gac aac att act gtc gtg gta gtt gat ctg aaa gca cag cgc aag ttc 1392Asp Asn Ile Thr Val Val Val Val Asp Leu Lys Ala Gln Arg Lys Phe 450 455 460aag agc aaa act taa 1407Lys Ser Lys Thr *46512468PRTZea mays 12Met Glu Asp Val Val Ala Val Val Ala Ser Leu Ser Ala Pro Pro Ala1 5 10 15Pro Ala Phe Ser Pro Ala Ala Val Val Val Gly Ala Met Glu Gly Val 20 25 30Ser Val Pro Val Thr Val Pro Pro Val Arg Thr Ala Ser Ala Val Asp 35 40 45Asp Asp Ala Leu Ala Pro Gly Glu Glu Gly Gly Asp Ala Ser Leu Ala 50 55 60Gly Ser Pro Cys Ser Val Val Ser Asp Cys Ser Ser Val Ala Ser Ala65 70 75 80Asp Phe Glu Gly Val Gly Leu Cys Phe Phe Gly Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala 85 90 95Glu Gly Gly Pro Met Val Leu Glu Asp Ser Thr Ala Ser Ala Ala Thr 100 105 110Val Glu Ala Glu Ala Arg Val Ala Ala Gly Gly Arg Ser Val Phe Ala 115 120 125Val Asp Cys Val Pro Leu Trp Gly Tyr Thr Ser Ile Cys Gly Arg Arg 130 135 140Pro Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Val Ala Ile Val Pro Arg Phe Phe Asp Leu145 150 155 160Pro Leu Trp Leu Leu Thr Gly Asn Ala Met Val Asp Gly Leu Asp Pro 165 170 175Met Thr Phe Arg Leu Pro Ala His Phe Phe Gly Val Tyr Asp Gly His 180 185 190Asp Gly Ala Gln Val Ala Asn Tyr Cys Arg Glu Arg Leu His Val Ala 195 200 205Leu Leu Glu Gln Leu Ser Arg Ile Glu Glu Thr Ala Cys Ala Ala Asn 210 215 220Leu Gly Asp Met Glu Phe Lys Lys Gln Trp Glu Lys Val Phe Val Asp225 230 235 240Ser Tyr Ala Arg Val Asp Asp Glu Val Gly Gly Asn Thr Met Arg Gly 245 250 255Gly Gly Glu Glu Ala Gly Thr

Ser Asp Ala Ala Met Thr Leu Val Pro 260 265 270Glu Pro Val Ala Pro Glu Thr Val Gly Ser Thr Ala Val Val Ala Val 275 280 285Ile Cys Ser Ser His Ile Ile Val Ser Asn Cys Gly Asp Ser Arg Ala 290 295 300Val Leu Cys Arg Gly Lys Gln Pro Val Pro Leu Ser Val Asp His Lys305 310 315 320Pro Asn Arg Glu Asp Glu Tyr Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Glu Gly Gly Lys 325 330 335Val Ile Gln Trp Asn Gly Tyr Arg Val Phe Gly Val Leu Ala Met Ser 340 345 350Arg Ser Ile Gly Asp Arg Tyr Leu Lys Pro Trp Ile Ile Pro Val Pro 355 360 365Glu Val Thr Ile Val Pro Arg Ala Lys Asp Asp Glu Cys Leu Ile Leu 370 375 380Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Trp Asp Val Met Ser Asn Glu Glu Val Cys Glu385 390 395 400Ile Ala Arg Lys Arg Ile Leu Leu Trp His Lys Lys Asn Ser Thr Ser 405 410 415Ser Ser Ser Ala Pro Arg Val Gly Asp Ser Ala Asp Ser Ala Ala Gln 420 425 430Ala Ala Ala Glu Cys Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Leu Gln Lys Gly Ser Lys 435 440 445Asp Asn Ile Thr Val Val Val Val Asp Leu Lys Ala Gln Arg Lys Phe 450 455 460Lys Ser Lys Thr465138861DNAZea maysexon(3216)...(3677)exon(3775)...(4083)exon(4200)...(4310)exon(4388)..- .(4744)5'UTR(3027)...(3215)promoter(1)...(2986) 13atgctgggga acttgggatc taacctgcaa ggtgactcaa cttaaggctt gttcggttag 60ctcttaatcc atgtggattg agtgagattg ggtgggttta aatccaaagc aagttaaatt 120tcttcataat tttttcgaat cccgtccaat gcatagataa agggattaac cgaacaaggc 180ctgatggaga tatagaaaga cctctgatgg gactaatgct cttgacaatc ccaatttcag 240caggacattt gctttctcgt ttttttttct tctcaaagtg tatgcaaaaa ctcaatacta 300tcaaatccat tttgagttca aagcacgagc aagggaggct ttgatccttg acaatactcg 360tcactcaggt atggaaggag agaaacaaca tgttatatag ttaagcagac tgaatccaca 420aactatagcg ttatgcacaa cattaaatac agtatgaggc aggcttttga tcacaacgga 480agcaaaacag ctttctcgtc tctttcatct tgattgaact gagattttta ttttactttt 540aaggctgagg tcttgagctt cattgttgtt tagttttgtt ctatgcttca gttgtgcctg 600tacagtaccc atctatattt aactttctta tttttaatat cgtgggcagc tctgtccgtc 660tcgtttgaga aatagatgat ccacataaaa attgaaattt ggtgcttaat gtgctctttt 720ttctttcttt ctttctcttt tgtaccatat tctttctttg ttttgttttt ctctgtcttt 780tcctcctggg tttagtcctc acgttttgca ttagaatttc tctctaataa tttaatgttc 840aagtgtggat atctactttt gctttatagc atcctcgtaa acacataatg ctatcttaaa 900atagcggtgt cgtggttttg gaaaccgaga gacaatatat tcgtgctatc ttaaaataga 960aatttcttgg aaaaatggga tttccaaatt agctcttaga attgagaaac tgattgagat 1020aaagacatgc caatatgtgg agaatgagaa aagaggttgg gtagcactca gcgagatgtt 1080tgctcatacg tttggttcca gttgtccatc agaaatgaag gcacaagcat aagggcggtg 1140ttttcctcta tggatcggaa actaaacaga gttcctagta gagaaagcaa gaggtaaggc 1200agtcctgcat cgtcagttcg ccactgatag tgattttcaa gggcgtcagc catgttcttt 1260tcaggccaaa attcttctcc agcgttcgtc ccctttgtcc acacgtcacg ccgttgccgc 1320atgatggcag ttgtttcttt caagcagagt ggcatcgatt gcatgtagga gtatactgta 1380tacatgcatg acggagtagg tgtgtttttt agttctctgc gtgcaagcct gaaagagcga 1440ggaaacgttt accacgccag agacgccacc aagaaattga cttgtacgac ttgcaaacgg 1500gcatcataaa caggtaacgc gctacgacat atactcgcat acgtggtgca tctacacaac 1560agtcccgcac ccgataatga aatgagagta attttatcga cgcgcattga gagcttattt 1620ggatactcta ttattcatcc aaatacacat gagttaaaga caattgaggc gtaaattaaa 1680ctaatttata tataatctat ctcaaaccat atgtatcgtg gtgaataata gactcttcaa 1740acatagccgg ctgatctgat ttcacccgct ttcattgtca tgcttgccat atcatagcaa 1800atccgaagcg agcacgaaaa gaatggcgat cactgtggtt gcagccctta cacaggctgc 1860tttaccactt cactgacaga ccgcaggtac tacctgctgc agcgaccact ctattaccag 1920tacgtacctg gtagtacgta catgcgccga gctactgtgt acggttacca accaaaatga 1980cgcgtgttcg cggcgccgtg gaagtgcgcg ccggcccgag tttcccccat accgaaccga 2040gccgacgagc ggtgactcag catgcaccag ctgcccccca ttcggcgcct gcccgcatgc 2100agtgcaccgg gccaccgccg ctcggcactg gcaggcacca gcaagcccgc aacgtgcggc 2160acaccgcaca ccggactgtc agccgcggcc ggccgcgccc cctgcatctt gcagcggcag 2220ttctctcatc tctgcacggc gtggctccta tctgcgtgcg cctcgctttt tcccaggttc 2280acctcccctc gcccccatcg tggccacgcc agcgcccaac caccgctcgc cggcccgcct 2340ccccccacgc aagccctgta cacgtgtcca ccggtaccgc gaccgaccac cttcccactg 2400attgcgaccg ccccaaccac gtgtcccttc tccatcacta cacccgttcc ctcgtgctcc 2460cgccctgaga ctctctttct cgctggcagg tgggcgacgc ttcagccagt ccccacatgt 2520catcgaatcc tgaacaaaga gcggtaggga agagtacgta ctactgtgga gtccggatat 2580ttttctgggc agcccgagag acagaaccca tgtggtgggg accgcaatag taggcatcaa 2640taaatcagct gccgaggcgg actgccccac ccaccccagg agcgccacgt gtgtgcagca 2700cagggattag gcgataaaca caccatcaaa cttcctcgtg ggcccgcacc tcgcccgcct 2760cggtggccga tgcacaccac gtgtcgatcg cgctgagcaa gataccggca cgcgtccgga 2820tcctgccggg acggacggcc ccggtgcgcc ggaccaggag cacgtcgcaa cagctgtacg 2880tgtcgaggcg ctgcccgtga cggcgacggc ccccctgccc ggctgcccct gcccgcctcg 2940cctcgcctct cttgtactgc ccccacgaag cattcgtgct cgtttcgcct cgcgcccgcg 3000ctgctgtcct gctgctgcta ttttgccatt gcatccattt ccgggggacg gagtggagga 3060ggagggcgtc gcctgcgttg cttcgcgtgg gaagcgtagc gtgcttcgtt taggcctctc 3120gccaatatcc gagggttaat ctagagaggc ctttggcttt gccagacgcg cctgtacgcg 3180cctttctggg aggcagccgc ttgctctcgc ctccaatggc cgagatctgc tgcgaagaag 3240ccaagtccac gccggcgacc gccgtggctg cggcttcagt ctccgccacg gccgctgcgg 3300ccgccgccgt ggcagtggcc tcctcggcgt tagagaggag gcgacgcagg ttggagatga 3360ggaggttccg cgtcgcgggc gatcccgagg cgccggtcgc ggaggacgtc cgcgccgcca 3420agcggcagag gctggcgcgc acgctgtcca gcacctgccc cgacgcgggc tcaggctcgg 3480gctcggactc cgacaggcct gccctaccgg agcggttgcc caggtacggg gtcacctccg 3540tctgcggccg acgccgcgag atggaggaca cggtctccgt taggccggac tttgtgcccg 3600gcaccagcaa acagcacttc ttcggcgtct tcgacggcca cggctgctcc cacgtacgcc 3660atactcgtac acgacgcgcg cgcatctagg agtttaaatc ccttttgcgg agttctgtat 3720gctgatcgca gtttcgcgct tttgctgtag gtagcaacca tgtgccagaa catgatgcac 3780gaggtggtcg cggacgagca caggaaggca gattgttctg gcgaagagac ggcgtggaag 3840gccgtgatgg agaggagctt cgcgcgactg gacgagcagg ccgccagctg ggcgaccagc 3900cgcagccgcg acgagccctc ctgcaggtgc gagcagcaga agcccttgcg ttgcgatcac 3960gtggggtcca ccgccgtggt cgccgtcgtc agccccaccc acgttgtcgt cgccaacgcc 4020ggcgactccc gcgccgtcct atcccgcgcc ggcgtccccg ttccgctgtc cgtcgaccac 4080aaggtctgta tactcgtgca tcacggggct gagggcgctg cgcctcctcc cctgtcccct 4140ccccgcgtct tcgtcgcctg tccgtgagcc tgacgtgctc aacttcctga ttcgttcagc 4200ctgaccggcc tgacgagctg gcgcgcatca aggcggcggg cggccgcgtc atttactggg 4260acggtgctcg tgttctcggc gtcctcgcca tgtctcgagc cataggtgag ctgggctcat 4320tcggggtcgt tttgggtcca ctcgttggac ttgaactgac gggtttatgc gcgcgcgtgc 4380aggcgacgga tacctgaagc cgttcgtgtc gtcggagccg gaggtaacgg tgacggagcg 4440caccgacgac gacgagtgcc tgatcctggc cagcgacggc ctgtgggacg tcgtgaccaa 4500cgagatggcg tgcgaggtcg tccgcgcgtg cttccacagc aacggtccgc cggcgccggc 4560cgctcgggcg aacggcgcgg ccctccgggc agccgagaac ggatccgcgg ccgccaaggg 4620cgtgagcgtg gaggattccg acaaggcgtg ctccgacgcg gccatgctgc tggcgaagct 4680ggcgctggcc cggcggagcg ccgataatgt tagcgtggtc gtcgtggatc tccgccgggg 4740gatatgattt gccttccttc ctttttagcc ctcttggaat ccaagctaat ttctcccccg 4800ttttcttcca tacttttagg ttctgttttg gtttagtatt aatactgtag tagttaccaa 4860ccagacgctt ttcttctctc aaacgaggaa ttaaaagcca gtcggaccaa ggaaatagaa 4920catcgaattg cacacagatg cacaaggtag tggtaatcgt taatcatagc tttttttggc 4980cgtcgattaa cgcgctaaaa agtgctgatt ccattctttg actgaagtag attaacgggg 5040cgattggtgt agaaattggc gctaagacca cgtttagcgg gagcagattg cgattggttg 5100gcccaggcag gcggtaggat tcggagacgg attaacaaag gcacggcaag atgctgatct 5160atctgtgggg tgtgggcccg tcgtctatcg agtgaaggga aatgctccga agttctcgtt 5220tacggaaatg agaaacgggc atctttccac aggggcggcc tgggcctgaa tgatgcgacg 5280acccacgatc aatggttacc tttcgcccgc ggcgtcgtgc gtgggcggcg aggcgacaga 5340gcatttgcct ttgtccgact gtccgttggg cgatcgaccg gtcgggtcag gcgctgttga 5400agccattatc gaggcctgcg ccgcgccttt tggtactcct ctggagtctg gagtgctacg 5460gcggggcgcg ccgctcgcac atggcgcggc tggttgacag gagctgggtg ttccggggtg 5520tcggagaccc cgtagcgtag cacggtgcca tggtcggcga gtgactgtgt tcaattattg 5580gttgatgccc gtatccgtta cgcgtcctcc cgcaccgtgc cggcgggccg catgccaagc 5640tcccacgaat atcggcggtt gccgttggcg caggggcaag gcgagccgcc ggggagggag 5700ttatggagac gcaaacgcaa cagcccctct ctccggtagt tcggtcgtcc cacgaagtgc 5760cgggcacgtc tgggctgggc cggcgagccg gctgtagaat tgacacaaca gcgagcgcgt 5820ccccgtcgga gatctagcaa gggaagatat cccatgatat gtgcggctat gggctatcgg 5880tctactccat ctcgaaggaa ctgtgacggg aaagagagga gagccatcga ctatcgtgct 5940atcgaaaagc ggcggacctt gaacgctcct ggcgttgctg catgctcttt tgcagcatgc 6000catccgagcg tccgctcccg tccacatcca atcctttagg acgcgtttaa aaaacaaagt 6060aaattttata gtttttaggc aatattctgg tttataaaaa tactgtagta tttttgtacc 6120ataaaatgtt ttactgtatt cttttaaaaa aacattttca aacccagcat ttccagggta 6180atttcgttcc atattttagt cttcactttt gtaattagtt ttataactag actatattta 6240atactcatta ttgaaattca aatatccgac aacgtaggag gcgaaccttg agccgatgca 6300tccgagttgg tagggcgacg tggtccaatg gtgaggagtt caactgcgga gaataggttt 6360ggtcatttgg cagcgcgttg aagcagcctc ctcgatgtgt gggggacagg gggagtgacg 6420atccgacgac gaagaagctt gtgtcacgcc taccttgata tgcaggaaaa gagagaaaaa 6480agagcacgcc aggtcgagct atctcgctgc gccggaaagg ggggaaaaat gagcatgcgg 6540tgtgaagaaa acaacgccaa accgttttta gagtgtcgat cgatttgaca aatctagaaa 6600gcaaatgagg ttgaatagca agttactaaa tttaataagt ttatttggag aactattgaa 6660gaagcatttt tttcatttct aaatttaaaa tttaggtaat tatttagaaa accattgaaa 6720ttgctctaga ctttaattag gaaagcaaac accggaaaag tctgacagct caaaagaaga 6780gaggtagggc tcgagggaaa atggctatgg acgaaaacga gaaaatattg aatattagat 6840gtacatatag attaggggta cttatattag catgactgtt gaattttgtg gccccgacta 6900tagatggcaa tggatacccg aaatctaaat acccaacggg ctttatccga tatgaaggtg 6960ggtacgagat gatttctcta cccacgggta tgttaataag caagaatttc tatctgttgg 7020gtagacgggt atgggttggt attacccata cctgtctacc tataggtaaa atatactcgt 7080atcaatgcct tggccatgga ggacctaatc atcaaagtct ccacagtaac ctacatacca 7140tgaaggacat gaccatacac cataccaggt gtatgcctac gtatgacgga gggtgatgca 7200gggttcatga cgaaagacaa gactgcatcg cgcacggcct cgcacacata ccatgagtct 7260acctcgtggg acccatcagg cgtcagtaca aggacatcag catcgaactc gctataggga 7320cctgtatacc agacgaaaag aaccagtacg tcatgccggg gatacagctg cacacgacct 7380atggatgatg tcagagggac tacgtcaact gatcacactc ttagcagtag gaagcaagta 7440gcaagtctac tctgtaaggt cctacccttg agctataaat ggataggccc cttccttctt 7500tccacacacg caccaactgt aataacagtc ctcaagcaat actacgatca acattgcaat 7560gaactagggc gaaagcctga accagtataa ctctctatct caaacccttt gctcgaagcc 7620ctggtggttc accattcgga gtgagtccgc gctagcatcc cttgtcgaac acaaattcta 7680ttgtcctctg gtttccgaaa ccaaaacagg ttgcatggac gcttgcacgt cccctagaag 7740tttccgatga aaaccttctc catactggcg cacccctgga tgcatccttc ttgcaggtac 7800tcgggccaag cttgagccga ctccactaga tagatgggaa ggtattgtat gatcatcatg 7860tcgtcccttg ctcctctcat gtaggaagcg aggcggtaca ccttgagcta aacagatggt 7920ttttttggtc ttgtcatatt ttgtgatgtt ggttagagac cgaaactgtc aggaaaactc 7980tatggtgtgg atggcctatc caaataccca agccccaagt gagccttcct gcttttgtgg 8040ttgttgccat gttggggctt aggcctcgag ctagcttgac ctgctcttgg gcgaggtgac 8100tcgtgttgag gattacacgc atgtcgtgta cccttcccaa gtgttatcac accagggcac 8160atgacatcta gggttgttgg gtcacttctt tgtaggcccg gtcttgggga tgggcattga 8220taacctttgt tcgctggctg actccattta ggtagaggcg gctgaaaggg aaatagacgt 8280aaaccatttt tctatattga ttttggtgct agatggccat cacaaccttt cgaactaact 8340agtttttcta cgctttgatt cacagattca taagtccaat aattcagttc caaagtgaga 8400aacaactcaa aaccaagaaa aaaggggtaa tacttggaat agattatcta gtagtagttc 8460tacactttgg ataagttcta aattccccta ggaacctttt tgacctatct agaagggttg 8520gaaagctcag attcaacgaa acacactttt ggagctagtt tgagctaaag caagcactat 8580gagtaagaca aattgcgctc tccaaattct gtgacttaaa ctagttggat agtctctaga 8640tatgtttgta taagtaataa gaacattctt aagcgcagcc aaatcaaatt agataaaaaa 8700atagacaagt ttgccaaatt tggtttgagt ctgaaagcac tggatcggtc tagtggctca 8760tcgggcctct tacgtaggga aggttcagac ttgtccttgg cggcagtcag accaaaccag 8820tctagtgacg catcggactg cttacgcaga gaggattaaa a 8861