Provided are constructs and methods for expressing a transgene in plant cells and/or plant tissues using Zea mays metallothionein-like gene regulatory elements.
1. A nucleic acid vector comprising a promoter operably linked to
i) a polylinker sequence;
ii) a transgene or
iii) a combination of i) and ii),
wherein said promoter comprises SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
2. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 wherein said promoter is less than 3 kb in length.
3. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 wherein said promoter comprises SEQ ID NO: 1.
4. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 wherein said promoter comprises SEQ ID NO: 2.
5. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 wherein said promoter consists of SEQ ID NO: 1.
6. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 wherein said promoter consists of SEQ ID NO: 2.
7. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 further comprising a sequence encoding a selectable maker.
8. The nucleic acid vector of claim 7 wherein said promoter is operably linked to a transgene.
9. The nucleic acid vector of claim 8 wherein the transgene encodes a selectable marker or a gene product conferring insecticidal resistance, herbicide tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency, water use efficiency, or nutritional quality.
10. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 further comprising a 3′ untranslated sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4,
wherein the 3′ untranslated sequence is operably linked to said polylinker or said transgene.
11. The nucleic acid vector of claim 10 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 3.
12. The nucleic acid vector of claim 10 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 4.
13. The nucleic acid vector of claim 1 further comprising a 5′ untranslated sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein the 5′ untranslated sequence is inserted between, and operably linked to, said promoter sequence and said polylinker or said transgene.
14. The nucleic acid vector of claim 13 wherein said 5′ untranslated sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 5.
15. A plant comprising a promoter sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the promoter is operably linked to a transgene.
16. The plant of claim 15 wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of maize, wheat, rice, sorghum, oats, rye, bananas, sugar cane, soybean, cotton, sunflower, and canola.
17. The plant of claim 15 wherein said plant is Zea mays.
18. The plant of claim 15 wherein the transgene is inserted into the genome of said plant.
19. The plant of claim 15 wherein said promoter sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 1.
20. The plant of claim 15 wherein said promoter sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 2.
21. The plant of claim 15 wherein said promoter sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 1.
22. The plant of claim 15 wherein said promoter sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 2.
23. The plant of claim 15 further comprising a 5′ untranslated sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein the 5′ untranslated sequence is inserted between, and operably linked to, said promoter and said transgene.
24. The plant of claim 23 further comprising a 3′ untranslated sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4,
wherein the 3′ untranslated sequence is operably linked to said transgene.
25. The plant of claim 24 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 3.
26. The plant of claim 24 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 4.
27. The plant of claim 24 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 3.
28. The plant of claim 24 wherein said 3′ untranslated sequence consists of SEQ ID NO: 4.