Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Peptide containing doai
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-02
2003-09-23
Low, Christopher S. F. (Department: 1653)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Peptide containing doai
C514S012200, C530S350000, C536S023700, C435S847000, C435S874000, C435S910000, C424S093500, C424S093400, C800S298000, C800S307000, C800S314000, C800S317100, C800S323100, C800S317400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06624139
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to imparting stress resistance to plants with a hypersensitive response elicitor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Under both natural and agricultural conditions, plants are exposed to various forms of environmental stress. Stress is mainly measured with respect to growth (i.e. biomass accumulation) or with respect to the primary assimilation processes (i.e. carbon dioxide and mineral intake). Soil water deficits, suboptimal and supraoptimal temperatures, salinity, and poor aeration of soils may each cause some growth restrictions during the growing season, so that the yield of plants at the end of the season expresses only a small fraction of their genetic potential. Indeed, it is estimated that in the United States the yield of field-grown crops is only 22% of genetic potential. The same physicochemical factors can become extreme in some habitats, such as deserts or marshes, and only specially adapted vegetation can complete its life cycle in the unusually hostile conditions. In less extreme environments, individual plants can become acclimated to changes in water potential, temperature, salinity, and oxygen deficiency so that their fitness for those environments improves. Some species are better able to adapt than others, and various anatomical, structural, and biochemical mechanisms account for acclimation.
Under riatural and agriculture conditions, plants must constantly endure stress. Some environmental factors can become stressful in a very short period of time (e.g., high or low temperature) or may take long periods of time to stress plants (e.g., soil water content or mineral nutrients). Generally, environmental stress effecting plants can be in the form of climate related stress, air pollution stress, chemical stress, and nutritional stress. Examples of climate related stress include drought, water, frost, cold temperature, high temperature, excessive light, and insufficient light. Air pollution stress can be in the form of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, NO
x
, hydrocarbons, ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and acidic rain. Chemical stress can result from application of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and heavy metals. Nutritional stress can be caused by fertilizers, micronutrients, and macronutrients.
For most plants, water is essential for growth. Some plants are able to preserve some water in the soil for later use, while others complete their life cycles during a wet season before the onset of any drought. Other plants are able to aggressively consume water to save themselves while causing water deprivation for other plants in that location. Plants lacking any of these capabilities are severely hampered by the absence of water.
Chilling injury occurs in sensitive species at temperatures that are too low for normal growth but not sufficiently low to form ice. Such injury typically occurs in species of tropical or subtropical origin. When chilling occurs, discoloration or lesions appear on leaves giving them a water-soaked appearance. If roots are chilled, the plants may wilt. On the other hand, freezing temperatures and the accompanying formation of ice crystals in plants can be lethal if ice crystals extend into protoplasts or remain for long periods.
Stress is also caused by the other temperature extremes with few plants being able to survive high temperatures. When higher plant cells or tissues are dehydrated or are not growing, they can survive higher temperatures than cells which are hydrated, vegetative, and growing. Tissues which are actively growing can rarely survive at temperatures above 45° C.
High salt concentrations are another form of environmental stress which can afflict plants. In natural conditions, such high concentrations of salt are found close to seashores and estuaries. Farther inland, natural salt may seep from geological deposits adjoining agricultural areas. In addition, salt can accumulate in irrigation water when pure water is evaporated or transpired from soil. About ⅓ of all irrigated farmland is effected by high salt concentrations. High salt content not only injures plants but degrades soil structure by decreasing porosity and water permeability.
Air pollution in the form of ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, NO
x
, and hydrocarbons can very adversely effect plant growth by creating smog and environmental warming.
The present invention is directed to overcoming various forms of environmental stress and imparting resistance in plants to such stress.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide to impart stress resistance to plants. In one embodiment of the present invention, the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is applied to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance. Alternatively, stress resistance is imparted by providing a transgenic plant or plant seed transformed with a DNA molecule which encodes for a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide and growing the transgenic plant or plants produced from the transgenic plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance.
Stress encompasses any environmental factor having an adverse effect on plant physiology and development. Examples of such environmental stress include climate-related stress (e.g., drought, water, frost, cold temperature, high temperature, excessive light, and insufficient light), air polllution stress (e.g., carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, NO
x
, hydrocarbons, ozone, ultraviolet radiation, acidic rain), chemical (e.g., insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, heavy metals), and nutritional stress (e.g., fertilizer, micronutrients, macronutrients). Applicants have found that use of hypersensitive response elicitors in accordance with the present invention impart resistance to plants against such forms of environmental stress.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of a hypersensitive response licitor protein or polypeptide to impart stress resistance to plants. In one embodiment of the present invention, the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is applied to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance. Alternatively, the stress resistance is imparted by providing a transgenic plant or plant seed transformed with a DNA molecule which encodes for a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide and growing the transgenic plant or plants produced from the transgenic plant seeds under conditions effective to impart stress resistance.
The hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptides or proteins according to the present invention are derived from hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptides or proteins of a wide variety of fungal and bacterial pathogens. Such polypeptides or proteins are able to elicit local necrosis in plant tissue contacted by the elicitor. Examples of suitable bacterial sources of polypeptide or protein elicitors include Erwinia, Pseudomonas, and Xanthamonas species (e.g., the following bacteria:
Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia chrysanthemi, Erwinia stewartii, Erwinia carotovora, Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas solancearum, Xanthomonas campestris
, and mixtures thereof). In addition to hypersensitive response elicitors from these Gram negative bacteria, it is possible to use elicitors from Gram positive bacteria. One example is
Clavibacter michiganensis
subsp. sepedonicus.
An example of a fungal source of a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide is Phytophthora. Suitable species of Phytophthora include
Phytophthora parasitica, Phytophthora cryptogea, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora megasperma
, and
Phytophthora citrophthora.
The hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein from
Erwinia chrysanthemi
has an amino acid sequence corresponding to SEQ. ID. No. 1 as follows:
Met Gln Ile Thr Ile Lys Ala His Ile Gly Gly Asp L
Schading Richard L.
Wei Zhong-Min
Eden Bioscience Corporation
Kam Chih-Min
Low Christopher S. F.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
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