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lllllllllllllllllIllllllllllllllIlllllllllIllllIllllllllllllllllllIllllllll U USOO53 10667A Umted States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5,310,667 Eichholtz et a1. [45] Date of Patent: May 10, 1994 [54] GLYPHOSATE-TOLERANT 5-ENOLPYRUVYL-3-PHOSPHOSHIKIMATE OTHER PUBLICATIONS SYNTHASES Botterman et a1. (Aug. 1988) Trends in Genetics 4:219-222. [75] Inventors: David A_ Eichholtz, St Louis; Dassarma et al. (1986) Science 232:1242-1244. Charles S_ Gasser; Ganesh M_ Oxtoby et al. (1989) Euphytiza 40:173-180. Kishore, both of Chesterfield, an of Sezel, Enzyme Kineties, Behavior and Analysis of Rapid Mo_ Equilibrium and Steady State Enzyme System, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1975, p. 15. [73] Assignee: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo. Primary Examiner—Che S. Chereskiin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dennis R. Hoemer, Jr.; [21] Appl. No.: 380,963 RiChard H- Shear [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Jul- 17’ 1989 Glyphosate-tolerant 5-enolpyruvy1-3-phosphoshikimate (EPSP) synthases, DNA encoding glyphosate-tolerant [51] Int. Cl.5 .................... .. C12N 15/01; C12N 15/29; EPSP synthases, plant genes encoding the glyphosate C12N 15/32 tolerant enzymes, plant transformation vectors contain [52] US. Cl. .............................. .. 435/ 172.3; 435/691; ing the genes, transformed plant cells and differentiated 800/205; 935/30; 935/35; 935/64; 536/236; transformed plants containing the plant genes are dis 536/23.7 closed. The glyphosate-tolerant EPSP synthases are [58] Field of Search ................... .. 435/68, 172.3, 69.1; prepared by substituting an alanine residue for a glycine 935/30, 35, 64, 67; 71/86, 113, 121; 530/370, residue in a ?rst conserved sequence found between 350; 800/205; 536/236, 23.7 positions 80 and 120, and either an aspartic acid residue ‘ or asparagine residue for a glycine residue in a second [56] References Cited conserved sequence found between positions 120 and 160 in the mature wild type EPSP synthase. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,769,061 9/1988 Comai ............................ .. 435/1723 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets US. Patent May 10, 1994 Sheet 3 of 8 5,310,667 N001 4132 Cm 3618 Hind3 4612 BamH1 4826 PEPSPS :3 EcoR1 5266 PMON 8135 N001 5353 5353 bp Consensus RBS Xba1 6 Bgl2 23 P-Mbo 16 0ri-327 BamH1 722 Figure 2 US. Patent - May 10, 1994 Sheet 4 of s . 5,310,667 4277 Bgl2 3966 EcoR1 prePEPSPS : 2 PMON ass 9888 bp 2306 EcoH1 2303 Xba1 2292 Bgl2 Figure 3 US. Patent May 10, 1994 Sheet 6 of 8 5,310,667 M@Eamon50EamazonE5 wwzmwmo:wzozmozotin8... ___n wnwmwhm _T._:.__==_85Nu2n!22 :0:.3 __I-—-~-___ - _ __TugA8;A252.a;3: _=:5“,$52 \\\\\\§7/6 __55878.5:52;F8:33:2E n‘29:25+ US. Patent I May 10, 1994 Sheet 7 of 8 5,310,667 9645 Not1 RIGHT R N039 ‘ Nco1 2066 EcoH12071 ‘3-358 PMON 987 11442 hp 8339 Cla1 ACC(3)-lll 8.165 EcoRV preAEPSPS : 215 6624 Sma1 BamH1 4816 6617 BamH1 6061 EcoRV 8'92 4940 5942 Bg|2 EcoHV 5257 5939 Xba1 BamH1 5543 Figure 6 US. Patent May 10, 1994 Sheet 8 of 8 5,310,667 EcoRV 1418 PMON 8631 6366 bp Hind3 1620 ZmADH1S'lnt1 B192 1832 Xba1 2098 4121NO11 NCO1211-5 4117 Sma1 preZmEPSPS : 215 4110 BamH1 3847 EcoR1 Blg2 2331 3510 Nco1 BamH1 2379 Figure 7 5,310,667 1 2 which will maintain a high level of glyphosate tolerance GLYPHOSATE-TOLERANT while lowering the Km values for phosphoenolpyr S-ENOLPYRUVYL-3-PHOSPHOSHIKIMATE uvate. SYNTI-IASES All peptide structures represented in the present spec i?cation and claims are shown in conventional format BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION wherein the amino group at the N-terminus appears to Recent advances in genetic engineering have pro the left and the carboxyl group at the C-terminus at the vided the requisite tools to transform plants to contain right. Likewise, amino acid nomenclature for the natu foreign genes. It is now possible to produce plants rally occurring amino acids found in protein is as fol which have unique characteristics of agronomic impor O lows: alanine (ala;A), asparagine (Asn;N), aspartic acid tance. Certainly, one such advantageous trait is herbi (Asp;D), arginine (Arg;R), cysteine (Cys;C), glutamic cide tolerance. Herbicide-tolerant crop plants could acid (Glu;E), glutamine (Gln;Q), glycine (Gly;G), histi reduce the need for tillage to control weeds, thereby dine (I'IiS;H), isoleucine (Ile;I), leucine (Leu;L), lysine effectively reducing costs to the farmer. (lys;K), methionine (Met;M), phenylalanine (Phe;F), One herbicide which is the subject of much investiga proline (Pro;P), serine (Ser;S), threonine (Thr;T), tryp tion in this regard is N-phosphonomethylglycine. tophan (Trp;W), tyrosine (Tyr;Y) and valine (Val;V). For purposes of the present invention the term “mature EPSP synthase” relates to polypeptide without the N-terminal chloroplast transit peptide. It is now known 20 that the precusor form of the EPSP synthase in plants (with the transit peptide) is expressed and upon delivery to the chloroplast, the transit peptide is cleaved yielding This herbicide is a non-selective, broad spectrum, post the mature EPSP synthase. All numbering of amino emergence herbicide which is registered for use on acid positions are given with respect to the mature more than fifty crops. This molecule is an acid, which 25 EPSP synthase (without chloroplast transit peptide dissociates in aqueous solution to form phytotoxic an leader). ions. Several anionic forms are known. As used herein, FIG. 1 shows the amino acid sequence for EPSP the term “glyphosate” refers to the acid and its anions. synthase from various plant, and bacterial species. In Glyphosate inhibits the shikimic acid pathway which spection of the sequences and alignment to maximize provides a precursor for the synthesis of aromatic the similarity of sequence reveals regions of conserved amino acids. Speci?cally, glyphosate inhibits the con version of phosphoenolpyruvate and 3-phospho amino acid residues (indicated by the consensus se shikimic acid to S-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimic acid quence) in the regions where the alanine for glycine by inhibiting the enzyme 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phospho substitution and aspartic acid or asparagine for glycine shikimate synthase. 35 substitution are made. Indeed, all monofunctional EPSP It has been shown that glyphosate-tolerant plants can synthase enzymes reported in the literature and in the be produced by inserting into the genome of the plant present speci?cation reveal a glycine at the two posi the capacity to produce a higher level of EPSP syn tions in the conserved regions. Those familiar with the thase. literature will recognize that some organisms, such as The present invention provides a means of enhancing 40 yeast and molds (Aspergillus sp) have a multifunctional the effectiveness of glyphosate-tolerant plants by pro “arom complex” which includes an EPSP synthase ducing variant EPSP synthase enzymes which exhibit a component. The noted amino acids‘ are also conserved lower af?nity for glyphosate while maintaining cata and introduction of the described substitutions in the lytic activity. EPSP synthase component of the multifunctional 45 “arom complex” should also result in the glyphosate BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS tolerant activity. FIG. lA-lB shows the amino acid sequences for Speci?cally, the glycine residue which is replaced by EPSP synthase enzymes from various plant, and bacte the alanine residue in the preparation of the glyphosate rial species. tolerant EPSP synthases of the present invention occurs FIG. 2 represents a map of plasmid pMON8l35. 50 at position 96 in the EPSP synthase of Bordetella pertus FIG. 3 represents a map of plasmid pMON895. sis (Maskell et al., 1988); position 101 in the EPSP syn FIG. 4 represents a map of plasmid pMON915. thase of petunia; position 101 in the EPSP synthase of FIG. 5 represents a restriction map of the T-DNA of tomato; position 101 in the EPSP synthase of Arabidop pTiT37 plasmid of A. tumefaciens A208. sis thaliana; position 101 in the EPSP synthase of Bras FIG. 6 represents a map of intermediate plant trans 55 sica napus; position 104 in the EPSP synthase of Glycine formation vector pMON987. max; position 96 in the EPSP synthase of E. coli K-l2 FIG. 7 represents a map of plasmid pMON8631. (Duncan et al., 1984) and position 96 in the EPSP syn thase of Salmonella typhimurium (Stalker et al., 1985). STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The glycine residue which is replaced by an amino acid The present invention provides novel EPSP synthase residue selected from the group consisting of aspartic enzymes which exhibit increased tolerance to glypho acid and asparagine in the preparation of the glypho sate herbicide while maintaining low Km values for sate-tolerant EPSP synthases of the present invention phosphoenolpyruvate. The subject enzymes of this in occurs at position 137 in the EPSP synthase of Borde vention have an alanine for glycine substitution and an teIla pertussis; position 144 in the EPSP synthase of aspartic acid for glycine substitution as described here 65 petunia; position 144 in the EPSP synthase of tomato; inafter. position 144 in the EPSP synthase of Arabidopsis In another aspect, the present invention provides a thaliana; position 144 in the EPSP synthase of Brassica method for the isolation of amino acid substitutions napus; at position 147 in the EPSP synthase of Glycine 5,310,667 3 4 max; position 137 in the EPSP synthase of E. coli K-12 further comprises a DNA sequence encoding a chloro and position 137 in the EPSP synthase of Salmonella plast transit peptide attached to the N-terminus of the ryphimurium. These examples demonstrate that the ala mature EPSP synthase coding sequence, said transit nine for glycine and aspartic acid for glycine replace peptide being adapted to facilitate the import of the ments can be introduced into the conserved regions of 5 EPSP synthase enzyme into the chloroplast of a plant these other wild-type EPSP synthase enzymes to yield cell.