Poly ADP-ribose polymerase sequences and their uses

1. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of performing PCR at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of, SEQ ID No.: 3 or SEQ ID No.: 5.

2. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of performing PCR at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, or the sequence of SEQ ID No: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724.

3. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of performing a PCR at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the following nucleotide sequences: SEQ ID No.: 13 and SEQ ID No.: 14; SEQ ID No.: 15 and SEQ ID No.: 16; SEQ ID No.: 17 and SEQ ID No.: 18; or SEQ ID No.: 19 and SEQ ID No.: 20.

4. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of hybridizing said gene or cDNA to a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID No.: 5 or SEQ ID No.: 10.

5. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of hybridizing said gene or cDNA to a probe comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence of, SEQ ID No.: 3 or SEQ ID No.: 5.

6. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of hybridizing said gene or cDNA to a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1 from nucleotide position 113 to 1189, the sequence of SEQ ID No.: 3 from nucleotide position 107 to 583, the sequence of SEQ ID No.: 5 from nucleotide sequence position 131 to 542, or the sequence of SEQ ID No.: 10 from nucleotide position 81 to 1180.

7. A method for identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from a plant comprising the step of hybridizing said gene or cDNA to a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, or the sequence of SEQ ID No: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724.

8. A method for obtaining a cell of a plant with high vigor, when compared to a control plant cell, comprising the steps of:

i) identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprising:

a. performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID NO.: 5 or SEQ ID No.: 10;

b. performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 from nucleotide position 2558 to 2704, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 from nucleotide position 2559 to 2705;

c. performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the following nucleotide sequences: SEQ ID No.: 13 and SEQ ID No.: 14; SEQ ID No.: 15 and SEQ ID No.: 16; SEQ ID No.: 17 and SEQ ID No.: 18; or SEQ ID No.: 19 and SEQ ID No.: 20;

d. performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID No.: 5, or SEQ ID No.: 10;

e. performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID No.: 5, or SEQ ID No.: 10;

f. performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1 from nucleotide position 113 to 1189, the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3 from nucleotide position 107 to 583, the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5 from nucleotide position 131 to 542, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 10 from nucleotide position 81 to 1180; or

g. performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 from nucleotide position 2558 to 2704, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 from nucleotide position 2559 to 2705; and

ii) introducing a chimeric gene to said cell to yield a transgenic cell, wherein said chimeric gene comprises the following operably linked DNA regions:

a. a plant-expressible promoter;

b. a DNA region, which when transcribed yields an RNA molecule, capable of reducing the expression of said endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA; and

c. a DNA region involved in transcription termination and polyadenylation wherein said RNA molecule for introduction into said cell of said plant comprises

i) a sense nucleotide sequence comprising at least 100 consecutive nucleotides from said endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA of said plant; and

ii) an antisense nucleotide sequence comprising at least 100 consecutive nucleotides from the complement of said sense nucleotide sequence;

said sense and said antisense nucleotide sequence being capable of combining into a double stranded RNA region; and

wherein said vigor of said cell of said plant can be measured by measuring the capacity of explants of said plant to reduce 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazoliumchloride.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID NO.: 5 or SEQ ID No.: 10.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the nucleotide sequences comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 from nucleotide position 2558 to 2704, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 from nucleotide position 2559 to 2705.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing PCR on genomic or cDNA from said plant at an annealing temperature of at least 45° C. using a primer pair selected from the following nucleotide sequences: SEQ ID No.: 13 and SEQ ID No.: 14; SEQ ID No.: 15 and SEQ ID No.: 16; SEQ ID No.: 17 and SEQ ID No.: 18; or SEQ ID No.: 19 and SEQ ID No.: 20.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID No.: 5, or SEQ ID No.: 10.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No.: 1, SEQ ID No.: 3, SEQ ID No.: 5, or SEQ ID No.: 10.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 1 from nucleotide position 113 to 1189, the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 3 from nucleotide position 107 to 583, the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 5 from nucleotide position 131 to 542, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 10 from nucleotide position 81 to 1180.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an endogenous PARP encoding gene or cDNA from said plant comprises performing a hybridization reaction on genomic or cDNA from said plant using a probe comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 from nucleotide position 2558 to 2704, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 from nucleotide position 1595 to 1747, the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 from nucleotide position 1575 to 1724, or the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 from nucleotide position 2559 to 2705.