Inhibition resistant 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase and plant materials containing it

Abstract: Enhanced resistance to glyphosate, an inhibitor of the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis pathway, is imparted to a glyphosate sensitive host. A mutated aro A gene is employed which expresses 5-enolpyruvyl-3-­ phosphoshikimate synthetase (EC: 2.5.1.19) (ES-3-P synthetase). Methods are provided for obtaining the aro A mutation which provides the enzyme resistant to inhibition by glyphosate, means for introducing the struc­ tural gene into a sensitive host, as well as providing a method of producing the enzyme. The E . coli strain C600(pPMG1) has been de­ posited at the A.T.C.C. on Dec. 14, 1982 and been given A.T.C.C. accession no. 39256.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention Hybrid DNA technology provides new opportunities for preparing a wide variety of novel compounds having enhanced or unique properties. Cellular life is dependent upon the ability to perform enzyme reactions which provide energy for the cell and produce components essential to the cell's viability. Where a number of cells coexist in relative proximity, it has been frequently of interest to be able to select for one group of cells as against the other group of cells. This mode of selection has found extensive use in hybrid DNA technology in selecting for transformants and transductants. For the most part, antibiotic resistance has been employed as a marker which is introduced into the cell in conjunction with one or more other structural genes of interest. There are numerous other situations, where one is interested in selecting for cells, where a group of cells is undesired. Coming within such categories are such diverse situations as oncogenesis, where one wishes to selectively destroy tumor cells, in the use of herbicides, where one wishes to select for a crop plant as against a weed, and in therapy against pathogens, where one wishes to destroy an invading microorganism while having minimal effect on the host. The opportunity to introduce DNA in a form where it can express enhanced resistance to a biocidal agent permits one to use enhanced amounts of the biocidal reagent while protecting the host against any detrimental effect from the biocide or biostat. In those situations, where protection is afforded by producing an enzyme which is insensitive to the biocide or can destroy the biocide, the mutated gene affords a new product which can have a wide variety of useful properties. Enzymes can be used as labels, particularly in diagnostic assays, for the production of products, in assaying for substrates and inhibitors, purification, and the like. The ability to modify an enzyme's specificity can allow for the catalysis of reactions otherwise not available to the enzyme, enhanced activity of the enzyme, or enhanced selectivity of the enzyme. Brief Description of the Prior Art Hollander and Amrheim, Plant Physiol . (1980) 66:823-829; Amrheim et al ., ibid . (1980) 66:830-834 and Steinruecken and Amrheim, Biochem . Biophys . Res . Comm . (1980) 94:1207-1212, report the biochemical characterisation of a target site for glyphosate. This site was identified as a step of the shikimic acid pathway present in plants and bacteria in providing the precursor to aromatic amino acids. Summary of the Invention and Description of Specific Embodiments In accordance with the subject invention, DNA sequences are provided having a structural gene encoding a mutant form of the 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase enzyme (EC 2.5.1.19) (hereinafter referred to as "ES-3-P synthetase") the DNA having mutation in the aro locus which confers increased glyphosate resistance on the synthetase expressed by the gene compared with the wild type. The mutant enzyme catalyzes the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate and 5-phosphoshikimic acid to 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimic acid, in the shikimic acid metabolic pathway. The fact that the structural gene expresses an enzyme which is strongly resistant to glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine), means that the enzyme is active in the presence of significant amounts of glyphosate and can impart glyphosate resistance to a glyphosate sensitive cell in which the structural gene can be expressed. The synthetase may be a mutated prokaryotic synthetase. DNA constructs are provided which include an above DNA sequence and a replication system capable of replication in a cellular host. The replication system may be recognized by a prokaryotic host. The constructs are for expression of the mutant glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase, which constructs may be introduced into a variety of hosts in a variety of ways and depending upon the nature of the construct and the host, may be present as an episomal element or integrated into the host chromosome. The present invention also provides plant material which comprises a DNA sequence as above under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in the plant material. The DNA sequence may be heterologous to the plant material. The plant material may consist essentially of a plant cell or plant. The present invention also provides a method for improving crop growth which comprises applying to a field containing a plant crop comprising plants which are glyphosate resistant due to having an expressable DNA sequence as above, a sufficient amount of glyphosate to control weed growth without significantly affecting growth of the plant crop. The present invention also provides a method for selecting cells transformed with a DNA sequence as above which comprises growing cells in a medium comprising glyphosate to selectively kill cells which have not been transformed with the DNA sequence. The host may be mutagenized in a variety of ways, either physically or chemically, and mutants selected by their glyphosate resistance. In addition, mutants may be further selected by cotransduction with aro A, so as to change an aro A auxotroph to prototrophy. The mutagenized glyphosate resistant hosts are mutagenized a second time and selected at a higher level of glyphosate resistance, as well as the ability to cotransduce to change an aro A - host to aro A + . The resultant glyphosate resistant hosts are then used to produce a genomic bank, where the intact structural gene may be obtained on fragments of 25Kb or less. Initially, the genomic bank must be introduced into an appropriate host, so that glyphosate resistance may be selected and the genomic fragment excised from the episomal element for further genetic manipulation to provide for a fragment less than about 5.5Kb containing the intact structural gene for ES-3-P synthetase. Once the fragment has been isolated, the fragment or portions of the fragment may then be used as probes for selecting for structural genes providing for mutant glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase. The structural genes of interest will be on fragments of less than about 5Kb, preferably less than about 2Kb and will include at least a portion of the aro A structural gene, usually the entire aro A structural gene. The fragment will be able to complement a wide variety of aro A mutations, transferring prototrophy to aro A auxotrophs. The DNA sequence may come from either prokaryotes or eukaryotes. Illustrative prokaryotes and eukaryotes include bacteria such as Salmonella and Escherichia , fungi, such as Aspergillus and yeast, plants, algae, such as green and blue-green algae, etc., particularly cells which are glyphosate sensitive. The DNA sequence containing the structural gene expressing the mutant glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase may be joined to a wide variety of other DNA sequences for introduction into an appropriate host cell. The companion sequence will depend upon the nature of the host, the manner of introduction of the DNA sequence into the host, and whether episomal maintenance or integration is desired. For prokaryotic hosts, a wide variety of vectors exist which may be used for introduction of the DNA sequence into a prokaryotic host. DNA sequences include a wide variety of plasmids, such as pBR322, pACYC184, pMB9, pRK290, etc .; cosmids, such as pVK100, or by transduction, using a virus, e.g. P22, etc . For eukaryotic hosts, a wide variety of techniques may be employed for DNA introduction into the host, such as transformation with Ca ++ -precipitated bare DNA, a plasmid or a minichromosome, which DNA can be replicated and the structural gene expressed in the host, or introduction into the host as the structural gene and flanking regions by direct insertion, e.g. micropipette, whereby the DNA may be integrated into the host genome. Alternatively, episomal elements may be employed, such as tumor inducing plasmids, e.g., Ti, Ri or fragments thereof or viruses , e.g., CaMV, TMV or fragments thereof, which are not lethal to the host, and where the structural gene is present in such episomal elements in a manner allowing for expression of the structural gene. Particularly of interest are fragments having the replication function and lacking other functions such as oncogenesis, virulence, etc. The first stage of the subject invention is the development of a DNA sequence which is capable of expressing mutant glyphosate resistant protein which is capable of fulfilling the function of ES-3-P synthetase. An appropriate host is employed which is glyphosate sensitive, can be grown in vitro , and has the capability of expressing the mutant ES-3-P synthetase structural gene to provide the desired enzyme. It is not necessary that the host which is ultimately to be provided with glyphosate resistance be the same as the host which is mutagenized. As already indicated, the glyphosate resistance may be provided as a result of having a stable episomal element or by a recombination event resulting in integration of the mutant structural gene coding for the glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase. Either prokaryotic or eukaryotic hosts may be employed for the mutagenesis, the host being chosen based on its glyphosate resistance, ease of selection, efficiency of growth, and utility of the mutagenized structural gene for use in the ultimate host. Conveniently, mutagenesis may be achieved by a wide variety of conventional techniques, either physical or chemical. Chemical mutagenic agents include ethyl methanesulfonate, diazo reagents, e.g. N-nitroso, N-methyl glycine, psoralens, etc. Physical mutagenic agents include ultraviolet light, X-rays, etc . Since the parent cell is glyphosate sensitive, selection can be carried out by selecting for glyphosate resistance. Glyphosate resistance may be as a result of a number of different types of changes in the cell and in order to ensure that the mutagen provides an enzyme which is glyphosate resistant, it is necessary to establish that the mutation has occurred in the aro A gene. This can be achieved by employing cotransduction to an aro A auxotroph and selecting for glyphosate resistance and aro A + . Cotransduction can be achieved with a wide variety of viruses (including phage) which are capable of transferring DNA from the genome of the host to another host in which the virus is temperate. In this manner, one can transduce a second host, employ an appropriate lysate, and select for the transduced host with glyphosate resistance, as well as aro A prototrophy. The resulting modified cells may now be mutagenized again or as many additional times as desired, repeating the transfers and selecting for continuously enhanced glyphosate resistance. Desirably, a host should be capable of multiplying in the presence of at least about 0.5mg/ml of glyphosate, preferably in the presence of about 1mg/ml glyphosate and even more preferred in the presence of at least 1.5mg/ml glyphosate in a nutrient medium without the presence of aromatic amino acid in the nutrient medium. When the desired level of glyphosate resistance has been achieved, the mutagenized aro A locus may be isolated and cloned. Depending upon the choice of restriction enzyme, either partial or complete digestion will be employed. Alternatively, one could initially isolate the gene from a genomic library by subcloning employing aro A complementation. The gene could then be mutagenized as described above or by in vitro mutagenesis, changing one or more codons. The mutagenized gene may then be excised and gene fragments isolated. The resulting fragments may then be cloned employing an appropriate cloning vector. Cloning can be carried out in an appropriate unicellular microorganism, e.g. a bacterium such as E . coli . Desirably, one may use a cosmid, where partial or complete digestion provides fragments having about the desired size. For example, the cosmid pVK100 may be partially digested with Bgl II and may be ligated to the fragments resulting from a Sau3A digestion of the genome of a glyphosate resistant cell. Packaging will insure that only fragments of the desired size will be packaged and transduced into the host organism. The host organism may be selected for glyphosate resistance and/or aro A + . The recipient strains may be modified to provide for appropriate genetic traits which allow for selection of transductants. In microorganisms, the transductants may be used for conjugation to other microorganisms, using a mobilizing plasmid as required. Various techniques may then be used for reducing the size of the fragment containing the structural gene for the glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase. For example, the cosmid vector may be isolated, cleaved with a variety of restriction endonucleases, e.g. Bgl II, Hin dIII, et cetera , and the resulting fragments cloned in an appropriate vector, conveniently the cosmid vector previously used. A fragment of less than about 5.5Kb, usually less than about 5Kb, conveniently less than 2Kb, can be cloned and provide for aro A complementation and the glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase. The DNA sequence encoding for the mutant glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase may be used in a variety of ways. The DNA sequence may be used as a probe for isolation of wild type or mutated ES-3-P synthetase. Alternatively, the DNA sequence may be used for integration by recombination into a host to provide for the production by the host of glyphosate resistance. With plant cells, the structural gene may be introduced into a plant cell nucleus by micropipette injection for integration by recombination into the host genome. Alternatively, temperate viruses may be employed into which the structural gene may be introduced for introduction into a plant host. Where the structural gene has been obtained from a source having regulatory signals which are not recognized by the plant host, it may be necessary to introduce the appropriate regulatory signals for expression. Where a virus or plasmid, e.g. tumor inducing plasmid, is employed and has been mapped, a restriction site can be chosen which is downstream from a promoter into which the structural gene may be inserted at the appropriate distance from the promoter. Where the DNA sequences have not been sequenced, one can chew back for various times with a exonuclease, such as Bal31 or restrict. Methods for introducing viruses and plasmids into plants are amply described in the literature. (Matzke and Chilton, J. of Molecular and Applied Genetics (1981) 1:39-49.) By modifying plants with mutant glyphosate resistant ES-3-P synthetase, one can use glyphosate as a herbicide with a wide variety of crops at concentrations which ensures the substantially complete or complete removal of weeds, while leaving the crop relatively unaffected. In this manner, substantial economies can be achieved in that fertilizers may be more efficiently utilized, and the detrimental effects resulting from the presence of weeds avoided. The glyphosate resistant mutated ES-3-P synthetase will have a K d which is at least about 10 fold greater than the wild type enzyme from the host. The specific activity at 28°C at concentrations of from about 1-10 times K m for 3-phosphoshikimic acid will be at least about twice for the mutated synthetase as compared to the enzyme from the original strain. At a concentration of 10x Km of 3-phosphoshikimate and 5x10 -5 M glyphosphate, the inhibition of the mutated synthetase will be less than half, preferably less than a quarter of the inhibition of the synthetase from the original strain. The following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS AND METHODS Media and Bacterial Strains The bacterial strains used are listed in Table 1. Bacterial Strains Designation Pertinent genotype/phenotype Origin/reference S. typhimurium TA831 aro A+ his F645 Ames A1 aro A1 A124 aro A124 A148 aro A148 STK1 aro A+ P22TTA831xA1, this work CTF3 aro A+, Pmg r P22TA831/EMSxA1, this work CT7 aro A+, Pmg r P22CTF3/EMSxA1, this work E. coli HB101 rec A, hsdr R B. Bachmann WA802 hsd R2, hsd A+ B. Bachmann SK472 ser B22, zjj-202:Tn10 S. Kushner AB2829 aro A hsd R+ B. Bachmann AB1321 aro A hsd R+ B. Bachmann JF568 aro A hsd R+ B. Bachmann LCK8 hsd R2, zjj-202::Tn10 P1SK472xWA802, this work LC1 aro A hsd R2, zjj-202::Tn10 P1LCK8xJF568, this work LC2 aro A hsd R2, zjj-202::Tn10 P1LCK8xAB1321, this work LC3 aro A hsd R2, zjj-202::Tn10 P11LK8xAB2829, this work NS428 NS433 Selection and Testing for Glyphosate Resistance Glyphosate was added to M9 medium after autoclaving. For selection experiments, a commercial solution of glyphosate was used. Resistant mutants were isolated by plating bacterial suspensions in M9 broth or on M9 solid medium supplemented with varying amounts of glyphosate. The level of resistance achieved by the mutants was scored by three types of tests: a spot test, consisting of toothpicking a small colony from a non-selective to a selective medium; a streak test, consisting of streaking cells on a selective plate to obtain single colonies; and growth curves, to determine the kinetics of growth in liquid medium supplemented with glyphosate. DNA Transformation and Transduction of Packaged Cosmid DNA DNA transformation was performed according to Mandel and Higa, J. Mol. Biol. (1970) 53:159-162. Competent cells were stored at -70°C in 15% glycerol. Cells for transduction of packaged cosmid DNA were grown to late log phase in 1ml of LB broth supplemented with 0.4% maltose. Cells were pelleted and resuspended in 0.1ml of 10mM MgSO 4 to which was added 20-100µl of a packaged cosmid suspension. Phage particles were allowed to absorb to cells for 20 min. at 37°C. Transductants were allowed to express for one hour at 37°C with aeration in 2ml of LB broth and subsequently plated on selective medium. Using either type of packaging extract, 2x10 5 cosmids/µg of insert DNA were routinely obtained. Biotec preparations were rated at 10 8 phages/µg of ligated native lambda DNA while the subject extracts were rated at 10 7 . Enzyme Preparation and Assay for ES-3-P Synthetase S . typhimurium strains CT7 and STK1 were grown with aeration for 24 hours at 37°C in M9 broth. Cells were harvested by centrifugation at 4°C, washed twice with M9 salts, resuspended in 0.01 M Tris-HCl (pH8.2) and sheared with a French press at 20,000 psi. The homogenate was centrifuged at 16,000g for 40min and the supernatant treated with 2% protamine sulfate (1.0ml of 2% protamine sulfate for every 35mg of protein). The precipitate was removed by centrifugation at 18,000xg for 35min, resuspended and used for enzyme assays. Activity of the enzyme was determined by measuring the rate of release of inorganic phosphate (Heinonen and Lahti, Anal. Biochem. (1981) 113:313-317). A typical assay mixture contained 150µmole maleic acid buffer (pH5.6), 2.88µmole phosphoenolpyruvate, 4.08µmole 3-phosphoshikimate and the enzyme fraction in a total volume of 1.5ml. The reaction was started by addition of the enzyme after pre-incubation of the assay mixture at 37°C for 5min. Aliquots were taken at timed intervals and mixed immediately with the reagents for phosphate analysis. The low pH of the reagent (1.25 N H 2 SO 4 ) terminated enzyme activity. RESULTS Isolation of Glyphosate Resistant Mutants Mapping in the aroA Locus S . typhimurium strain TA831 did not form colonies on solid M9 medium containing more than 200µg/ml of glyphosate. For initial selection the concentration of 350µg/ml for screening glyphosate resistant mutants was chosen. Spontaneous mutants appeared at a frequency of 5x10 -8 per cell plated. In none of ten independent mutants tested did glyphosate resistance cotransduce with aro A. To improve the chances of finding aro A mutants chemical mutagenesis was employed, as well as an enrichment step in which glyphosate resistant mutants mapping in aro A were selected on 35.0µg/ml glyphosate by cotransduction. After mutagenesis of S . typhimurium strain TA831 with ethyl methanesulfonate, the frequency of glyphosate resistant mutants was 1x10 -4 per cell plated. Two groups of 10,000 mutants originating from independent mutagenesis experiments were used to prepare a mixed lysate of P22. This was then used to transduce S . typhimurium strain A1. Cells were plated on M9 medium and M9 plus glyphosate. The number of colonies appearing on glyphosate plates was one hundredth of those appearing on M9 alone. None (<10 -3 ) appeared when a phage lysate from unmutagenized strain TA831 was used. Ten glyphosate resistant mutants were tested and all cotransduced with aro A. These results suggest that about 1% of all mutations conferring glyphosate resistance mapped close to, or in, aro A. One of the mutants was chosen for further characterization and was designated strain CTF3. By a spot test it was resistant to 350µg/ml of glyphosate. A second cycle of mutagenesis was carried out on strain CTF3 to obtain a higher level of resistance to glyphosate. Ten cultures were treated with ethyl methanesulfonate, and plated on 1mg/ml of glyphosate. Resistant colonies appeared with a frequency of 10 -6 per cell plated. Ten thousand mutants were again pooled for each mutagenesis group and lysates prepared from each pool used to transduce strain A1. Transductants were selected on M9 and M9-supplemented with 1mg/ml glyphosate. Selection for aro A+ gave 10 -5 transductants per cell plated. Selection for aro A+, glyphosate resistant cells gave a transduction frequency of 10 -8 . In fifteen of twenty transductants tested glyphosate resistance cotransduced with aro A. From these results it was deduced that approximately 1x10 -3 mutations obtained in the mutagenesis of strain CTF3 mapped close, or in, the aro A locus. The phenotype expressed by these mutants is designated Pmg r . No significant difference in resistance levels was detected among fifteen separate mutants. All formed colonies in 48 hours when streaked on M9 medium containing 2mg/ml of glyphosate. Mutant CT7 was chosen for further characterization. Pmg r in this strain cotransduced 97-99% of the time with aro A1, aro A126 and aro A248. Mechanisms of Glyphosate Resistance Resistance to glyphosate mediated by a mutation(s) at the aro A locus could result from altered regulation leading to overproduction of 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase or to a structural alteration of the enzyme. To distinguish between these two hypotheses in vitro enzyme preparations were assayed from Salmonella strains STK1 and CT7 which are the wild type and mutant strain respectively. 5-Enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase activities from wild type and glyphosate resistant mutants differed by Km for 3-phosphoshikimate, K d for glyphosate, and at high concentration of 3-phosphoshikimate, by specific activity. These results are summarized in Table 2. Specific activity 3-P-shikimate, conc. M K m 3-P-shikimate K d glyphosate Source 3.4x10- 4 3.4x10 -3 STK 1 0.7x10 -6 1.7x10 6 3.4x10 -4 2.2x10 -5 CT7 1.1x10 -6 3.7x10 -6 2.8x10 -3 1.9x10 -4 The above assays were performed on enzyme preparations obtained from cells grown in minimal medium. To determine whether the enzyme of the glyphosate resistance mutant was differentially regulated during glyphosate induced stress, STK1, the wild type, and CT7 the mutant, were grown in minimal medium supplemented, respectively, with 70µg/ml and 1000µg/ml of glyphosate. These conditions give approximately 20-30% growth inhibition. The specific activity of preparations from cells grown in the presence of glyphosate was 10% higher than that found in preparations from cells grown without glyphosate. This increase in activity was exhibited both by STK1 and CT7 ruling out that in the glyphosate resistant mutant, the enzyme would be overproduced in response to glyphosate. The growth kinetics of both S . typhimurium and E . coli strains with wild type and mutant aro A locus were investigated. In minimal medium strains of either genus harboring the aro A -Pmg r allele only exhibited a 15% lower growth rate than the isogenic line harboring either the wild type allele, or both wild type and Pmg r alleles. At 100µg/ml glyphosate, wild type E . coli showed 40% inhibition of growth rate. At one mg/ml glyphosate, no growth was observed. The aro A E . coli strain LC3 harboring pPMG1 (to be described subsequently) was not significantly inhibited at 2000µg/ml of glyphosate. Cloning of the aroA and aroA Pmg r Locus Chromosomal DNA from strain CT7 was partially digested with the restriction endonuclease Sau3A. pVK100, a low copy number, 23Kb cosmid vector (Knauf and Nester, Plasmid (1982) 8:45-54), was partially digested wth Bgl II to avoid excision of the cos site which is on a Bgl II fragment. Equal amounts of vector and insert DNA were mixed, ligated, and packaged in lambda capsids as described in Methods. Analysis of random transductants from the bank revealed that 60% of them harbored cosmid DNA of the expected size (45 Kb), consisting of the vector pVK100 and an average chromosomal insert of 20-25Kb. To isolate the aro A- Pmg r gene E . coli aro A mutants were complemented. Due to the presence of Salmonella DNA the bank did not transduce hsd R+ strains of E . coli . Three E . coli strains were constructed which were both aro A and hsd R. For this purpose strain SK472 in which zjj202::Tn10 is linked to hsd R+ was used. By transducing zjj202::Tn10 in strain WA802 and selecting for tetracycline resistant, serine auxotrophic, restriction deficient recombinants, zjj202::Tn10 was linked to the hsd R2 allele. This was introduced into three different aro A mutants by selection for Tn10. The three new strains derived from JF568, AB1321 and AB2829 were, respectively, designated LC1, LC2 and LC3. LC3 was chosen for further experiments since it had the lowest aro A+ reversion rate. After transduction of the Salmonella CT7 DNA bank into strain LC3, 500 kanamycin resistant transductants were screened for growth on minimal medium. Two aro A+ clones were found. When tested for glyphosate resistance they were found to be as resistant as strain CT7. Plasmid DNA was isolated from these clones and both harbored a 45Kb cosmid which by preliminary restriction endonuclease analysis were found to be similar. One of the two plasmids (pPMG1) was chosen for further characterization. When introduced by transformation into the appropriate E . coli strains, pPMG1 complemented all aro A mutations tested (see Table 1); in addition, it conferred glyphosate resistance to all strains into which it was introduced, either aro A or aro A+. By conjugation, using pRK2013 (Ditta et al ., PNAS USA (1980) 77:7347-7351) as a mobilizing factor, pPMG1 was introduced into S . typhimurium strains A1, A124 and A148 where it conferred an aro A+ Pmg r phenotype. Enzymatic characterization of aro A+ E . coli transformants confirmed the phenotypic response, since ES-3-P synthetase activity in these strains was indistinguishable from that in strain CT7. It was concluded that the aro A-Pmg r gene was cloned. The wild type aro A allele was also cloned using a similar protocol. Two cosmids were isolated from a bank of STK1 DNA. They carried a common region of approximately 10Kb and were designated pAROA1 and pAROA2. To subclone the aro A-Pmg r gene, plasmid pPMG1 was digested with the restriction endonuclease Bgl II. Three insert fragments were found that were 10, 9.6 and 1.6Kb in size, respectively. Plasmid pPMG1 was digested to completion with Bgl II, ligated in vitro and the DNA transformed into strain LC2 selecting for aro A complementation. Clones were screened and plasmids containing the 10Kb Bgl II fragment in both orientations relative to the vector pVK100 were identified. Plasmids pPMG5 and pPMG6 complemented aro A E . coli strains and conferred high levels of glyphosate resistance. Further subcloning was accomplished by digesting plasmid pPMG5 with Bgl II and Hin dIII and ligating in vitro . Strain LC2 was transformed and colonies which were aro A+ and kanamycin sensitive were selected. Analysis of plasmids contained in these clones showed a 5.5Kb Bgl II/ Hin dIII Salmonella DNA segment that complements aro A E . coli strains and confers high levels of glyphosate resistance (approx. 2mg/ml). This plasmid was designated pPMGII. An electrophoresis gel indicated that plasmids pPMG1, pPMG5 and pPMGII as well as pAROA1 (a plasmid containing the wild type Salmonella aro A+ allele) all contain the 5.5Kb Bgl II/ Hin dIII DNA segment. The E. Coli strain C600 with the plasmid pPMG1 incorporated has been deposited at the American Type Culture Collection on 14th December 1982 and has the ATCC accession no. 39256. In accordance with the subject invention, herbicidal resistance can be imparted to a sensitive host to provide for enhanced protection of the cells of the host. In addition, mutant enzymes can be produced which can find utility in a wide variety of situations involving enzymes as labels, for the measurement of various compounds, as well as for the production of products, where the enzyme may be free of inhibition from contaminants which inhibit or interfere with the enzyme catalyzed reaction. In addition, DNA sequences are provided which can be used for probing both wild type and mutated genes expressing ES-3-P synthetase. Furthermore, a method is provided demonstrating a technique for mutating an enzyme in order to modify a selectable property and obtaining genes expressing such an enzyme.

Claims: Claims for the following Contracting States : BE, CH, DE, FR, GB, IT, LI, LU, NL, SE A DNA sequence having a structural gene encoding a mutant form of a 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase (EC 2.5.1.19), the DNA having mutation in the aro locus which confers increased glyphosate resistance on the synthetase expressed by the gene compared with the wild type. A DNA sequence according to Claim 1 wherein said synthetase is a mutated prokaryotic synthetase. A DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence according to claim 1 or claim 2 and a replication system capable of replication in a cellular host. A DNA construct according to claim 3 wherein said replication system is recognised by a prokaryotic host. A plant material which comprises a DNA sequence according to claim 1 under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in said plant material. Plant material according to claim 5 wherein said DNA sequence is heterologous to said plant material. Plant material according to claim 5 or claim 6 which consists essentially of a plant cell or plant. A plant material according to claim 7 which is a plant cell. A method for improving crop growth which comprises: applying to a field containing a plant crop comprising plants which are glyphosate resistant due to having an expressable DNA sequence according to claim 1 a sufficient amount of glyphosate to control weed growth without significantly affecting growth of the plant crop. A method according to claim 9 wherein said DNA sequence is derived from a prokaryotic gene. A method for selecting cells transformed with a DNA sequence according to claim 1 which comprises growing cells in a medium comprising glyphosate to selectively kill cells which have not been transformed with a said DNA sequence. A plant material not being a plant variety which comprises a DNA sequence according to claim 1 under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in said plant material. Plant material according to claim 12 wherein said DNA sequence is heterologous to said plant material. Plant material according to claim 12 or claim 13 which consists essentially of a plant cell or plant. Claims for the following Contracting State : AT A method which comprises the preparation of a DNA sequence having a structural gene encoding a mutant form of a 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase (EC 2.5.1.19), the DNA having mutation in the aro locus which confers increased glyphosate resistance on the synthetase expressed by the gene compared with the wild type. A method according to claim 1 wherein said synthetase is a mutated prokaryotic synthetase. A method which comprises the preparation of a DNA construct comprising a DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 and a replication system capable of replication in a cellular host. A method according to claim 3 wherein said replication system is recognised by a prokaryotic host. A method which comprises the preparation of plant material which comprises a DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in said plant material. A method according to claim 5 wherein said DNA sequence is heterologous to said plant material. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein said plant material consists essentially of a plant cell or plant. A method according to claim 7 wherein said plant material is a plant cell. A plant cell which comprises a DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in said plant cell. A plant cell according to claim 9 wherein said DNA sequence is heterologous to said plant material. A plant cell according to claim 9 or claim 10 which is not of a plant variety. A method for improving crop growth which comprises: applying to a field containing a plant crop comprising plants which are glyphosate resistant due to having an expressable DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 a sufficient amount of glyphosate to control weed growth without significantly affecting growth of the plant crop. A method according to claim 12 wherein said DNA sequence is derived from a prokaryotic gene. A method for selecting cells transformed with a DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 which comprises growing cells in a medium comprising glyphosate to selectively kill cells which have not been transformed with a said DNA sequence. A method which comprises the preparation of plant material not being a plant variety which comprises a DNA sequence as defined in claim 1 under the control of regulatory signals for expression which are functional in said plant material. A method according to claim 15 wherein said DNA sequence is heterologous to said plant material. A method according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein said plant material consists essentially of a plant cell or plant.

Inventors: COMAI LUCA, COMAI, LUCA
Applicants: CALGENE INC, CALGENE, INC.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: C12N15
IPC codes: G01N33, C12N9, C12Q1, C12N15