WO2008110522A1

WO2008110522A1 - Use of nematode chitinase genes to control plant parasitic nematodes

Info

Publication number: WO2008110522A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/052798
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steve Hill; Shawn Motyka
Original assignee: Basf Plant Science Gmbh
Priority date: 2007-03-15
Filing date: 2008-03-10
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Also published as: CN101679995A; BRPI0808389A2; MX2009008601A; CA2679571A1; US20100095404A1; EP2126095A1

Abstract

The invention provides transgenic plants with increased nematode resistance which comprise a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, seeds of such transgenic plants, expression vectors comprising polynucleotides encoding nematode chitinases, and methods for conferring nematode resistance to crop plants.

Description

USE OF NEMATODE CHITINASE GENES TO CONTROL PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.60/894, 987 filed March 15, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the control of nematodes, in particular the control of soybean cyst nematodes. Disclosed herein are methods of producing transgenic plants with increased nematode resistance, expression vectors comprising polynucleotides encoding for functional proteins, and transgenic plants and seeds generated thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nematodes are microscopic wormlike animals that feed on the roots, leaves, and stems of more than 2,000 vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants, causing an estimated $100 billion crop loss worldwide. One common type of nematode is the root-knot nematode (RKN), whose feeding causes the characteristic galls on roots. Other root-feeding nematodes are the cyst- and lesion-types, which tend to be more host specific.

Nematodes are present throughout the United States, but are mostly a problem in warm, humid areas of the South and West, and in sandy soils. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, was first discovered in the United States in North Carolina in 1954. It is the most serious pest of soybean plants. Some areas are so heavily infested by SCN that soybean production is no longer economically possible without control measures. Although soybean is the major economic crop attacked by SCN, SCN parasitizes some fifty hosts in total, including field crops, vegetables, ornamentals, and weeds.

Signs of nematode damage include stunting and yellowing of leaves, and wilting of the plants during hot periods. However, nematodes, including SCN, can cause significant yield loss without obvious above-ground symptoms. In addition, roots infected with SCN are dwarfed or stunted. Nematode infestation can decrease the number of nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots, and may make the roots more susceptible to attacks by other soil-borne plant pathogens.

The nematode life cycle has three major stages: egg, juvenile, and adult. The life cycle varies between species of nematodes. For example, the SCN life cycle can usually be completed in 24 to 30 days under optimum conditions whereas other species can take as long as a year, or longer, to complete the life cycle. When temperature and moisture levels become adequate in the spring, worm-shaped juveniles hatch from eggs in the soil. These juveniles are the only life stage of the nematode that can infect soybean roots.

The life cycle of SCN has been the subject of many studies and therefore can be used as an example for understanding a nematode life cycle. After penetrating the soybean roots, SCN juveniles move through the root until they contact vascular tissue, where they stop and start to feed. The nematode injects secretions that modify certain root cells and transform them into specialized feeding sites. The root cells are morphologically transformed into large multinucleate syncytia (or giant cells in the case of RKN), which are used as a source of nutrients for the nematodes. The actively feeding nematodes thus steal essential nutrients from the plant resulting in yield loss. As the nematodes feed, they swell and eventually female nematodes become so large that they break through the root tissue and are exposed on the surface of the root.

Male SCN nematodes migrate out of the root into the soil and fertilize the lemon-shaped adult females. The males then die, while the females remain attached to the root system and continue to feed. The eggs in the swollen females begin developing, initially in a mass or egg sac outside the body, then later within the body cavity. Eventually the entire body cavity of the adult female is filled with eggs, and the female nematode dies. It is the egg-filled body of the dead female that is referred to as the cyst. Cysts eventually dislodge and are found free in the soil. The walls of the cyst become very tough, providing excellent protection for the approximately 200 to 400 eggs contained within. SCN eggs survive within the cyst until proper hatching conditions occur. Although many of the eggs may hatch within the first year, many also will survive within the cysts for several years.

Nematodes can move through the soil only a few inches per year on its own power. However, nematode infestation can be spread substantial distances in a variety of ways. Anything that can move infested soil is capable of spreading the infestation, including farm machinery, vehicles and tools, wind, water, animals, and farm workers. Seed sized particles of soil often contaminate harvested seed. Consequently, nematode infestation can be spread when contaminated seed from infested fields is planted in non-infested fields. Traditional practices for managing nematode infestation include: maintaining proper soil nutrients and soil pH levels in nematode-infested land; controlling other plant diseases, as well as insect and weed pests; using sanitation practices such as plowing, planting, and cultivating of nematode-infested fields only after working non-infested fields; cleaning equipment thoroughly with high pressure water or steam after working in infested fields; not using seed grown on infested land for planting non-infested fields unless the seed has been properly cleaned; rotating infested fields and alternating host crops with non-host crops; using nematicides; and planting resistant plant varieties.

Chitin is a polymer formed from chains of β-1 ,4 linked residues of N-acetyl glucosamine present in fungi, insects, and nematodes. In many cases, chitin plays a structural role in a variety of tissues. Chitin has been shown to be a component of the eggshells of many nematodes, including the plant parasites Meloidogyne javanica and Globodera rostochiensis, as well as a variety of animal parasites including two Onchocerca species, Ascaris suum and Haemonchus contortus. Other studies have suggested that chitin may also be present in other tissues of some nematodes. Chitin has been detected in the feeding apparatus of the strongyloid nematode Oesophagostomum dentatum. Lectin binding studies have suggested that chitin is also present in the cuticle of A. suum. Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) catalyzes the random hydrolysis of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide 1 ,4-beta-linkages in chitin and chitodextrins.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,554,521 and 5,633,450 disclose transformation of a plasmid encoding chitinase from Serratia marcescens QMB1466 into tobacco and tomato plants to increase resistance to cold damage and sweetness.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,087,810 discloses isolation of a gene encoding chitinase from Zea mays and shuffled variants of said gene, which are purported to slow development of C. elegans in vitro.

Ornatowski, et al. (2004) In vitro Cell. Dev. Biol.— Plant 40, 260-265 discloses transformation of embryonic soybean with a gene encoding Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm) chitinase. Plants expressing the insect chitinase did not manifest enhanced resistance to SCN.

Thus a need continues to exist to identify safe and effective compositions and methods for controlling plant parasitic nematodes, and for the production of plants having increased resistance to plant parasitic nematodes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have discovered that when polynucleotides that encode a SCN chitinase are expressed as transgenes in soybean roots, the transgenic soybean plant demonstrates increased resistance to SCN. Therefore, in a first embodiment, the invention provides a transgenic plant transformed with an expression vector comprising an isolated polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers increased nematode resistance to the plant.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a seed produced by a transgenic plant transformed with an expression vector comprising a transgene that encodes a nematode chitinase. The seed is true breeding for the nematode chitinase-encoding polynucleotide.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to an expression vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers nematode resistance to a transgenic plant, and wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ; (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5; (d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ; (f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; (g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; and (j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to a method for increasing nematode resistance in a plant, wherein the method comprises the steps of: introducing into the plant an expression vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, and selecting transgenic plants for increased nematode resistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a table showing the SEQ ID NOs of the genes and promoters referenced herein. Figure 2 sets forth the H. glycines chitinase DNA (SEQ ID NO:1 ) and protein (SEQ ID NO:2) sequences. Figure 3 sets forth the Arabidopsis At5g12170 promoter sequence (SEQ ID NO:3). Figure 4 sets forth the Arabidopsis TPP trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase At1 g35910 promoter sequence (SEQ ID NO:4).

Figure 5 shows a partial H. schactii chitinase DNA (SEQ ID NO:5) and protein (SEQ ID NO:6) sequences.

Figure 6 shows an amino acid alignment of the full-length H. glycines chitinase (SEQ ID NO:2) with the partial H. schactii chitinase (SEQ ID NO:6), and a summary of nucleotide homologies in tabular form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention and the examples included herein. It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise noted, the terms used herein are to be understood according to conventional usage by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular form "a", "an", or "the" includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the word "or" means any one member of a particular list and also includes any combination of members of that list.

Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of all of these publications and those references cited within those publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

The term "about" is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the regions of. When the term "about" is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term "about" is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 10 percent, up or down (higher or lower).

As used herein, the word "nucleic acid", "nucleotide", or "polynucleotide" is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA), RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA), natural occurring, mutated, synthetic DNA or RNA molecules, and analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogs. It can be single-stranded or double-stranded. Such nucleic acids or polynucleotides include, but are not limited to, coding sequences of structural genes, anti-sense sequences, and non-coding regulatory sequences that do not encode mRNAs or protein products. A polynucleotide may encode for an agronomically valuable or a phenotypic trait.

As used herein, an "isolated" polynucleotide is substantially free of other cellular materials or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors when chemically synthesized.

The term "gene" is used broadly to refer to any segment of nucleic acid associated with a biological function. Thus, genes include introns and exons as in genomic sequence, or just the coding sequences as in cDNAs and/or the regulatory sequences required for their expression. For example, gene refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses mRNA or functional RNA, or encodes a specific protein, and which includes regulatory sequences.

The terms "polypeptide" and "protein" are used interchangeably herein to refer to a polymer of consecutive amino acid residues.

The term "operably linked" or "functionally linked" as used herein refers to the association of nucleic acid sequences on single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a regulatory DNA is said to be "operably linked to" a DNA that expresses an RNA or encodes a polypeptide if the two DNAs are situated such that the regulatory DNA affects the expression of the coding DNA.

The term "specific expression" as used herein refers to the expression of gene products that is limited to one or a few plant tissues (special limitation) and/or to one or a few plant developmental stages (temporal limitation). It is known that true specificity is rare: promoters seem to be preferably switched on in some tissues, while in other tissues there can be no or only little activity. This phenomenon is known as leaky expression. However, specific expression as defined herein encompasses expression in one or a few plant tissues or specific sites in a plant.

The term "promoter" as used herein refers to a DNA sequence which, when ligated to a nucleotide sequence of interest, is capable of controlling the transcription of the nucleotide sequence of interest into mRNA. A promoter is typically, though not necessarily, located 5' (e.g., upstream) of a nucleotide of interest (e.g., proximal to the transcriptional start site of a structural gene) whose transcription into mRNA it controls, and provides a site for specific binding by RNA polymerase and other transcription factors for initiation of transcription. The term "transcription regulatory element" as used herein refers to a polynucleotide that is capable of regulating the transcription of an operably linked polynucleotide. It includes, but is not limited to, promoters, enhancers, introns, 5' UTRs, and 3' UTRs.

As used herein, the term "vector" refers to a nucleic acid molecule capable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it has been linked. One type of vector is a "plasmid", which refers to a circular double stranded DNA loop into which additional DNA segments can be ligated. In the present specification, "plasmid" and "vector" can be used interchangeably as the plasmid is the most commonly used form of vector. A vector can be a binary vector or a T-DNA that comprises the left border and the right border and may include a gene of interest in between. The term "expression vector" as used herein means a vector capable of directing expression of a particular nucleotide in an appropriate host cell. An expression vector comprises a regulatory nucleic acid element operably linked to a nucleic acid of interest, which is - optionally - operably linked to a termination signal and/or other regulatory element.

The term "homologs" as used herein refers to a gene related to a second gene by descent from a common ancestral DNA sequence. The term "homologs" may apply to the relationship between genes separated by the event of speciation (e.g., orthologs) or to the relationship between genes separated by the event of genetic duplication (e.g., paralogs).

As used herein, the term "orthologs" refers to genes from different species, but that have evolved from a common ancestral gene by speciation. Orthologs retain the same function in the course of evolution. Orthologs encode proteins having the same or similar functions. As used herein, the term "paralogs" refers to genes that are related by duplication within a genome. Paralogs usually have different functions or new functions, but these functions may be related.

The term "sequence identity" or "identity" in the context of two nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences makes reference to the residues in the two sequences that are the same when aligned for maximum correspondence over a specified comparison window, for example, either the entire sequence as in a global alignment or the region of similarity in a local alignment. When percentage of sequence identity is used in reference to proteins it is recognized that residue positions that are not identical often differ by conservative amino acid substitutions, where amino acid residues are substituted for other amino acid residues with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity) and therefore do not change the functional properties of the molecule. When sequences differ in conservative substitutions, the percent sequence identity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Sequences that differ by such conservative substitutions are said to have "sequence similarity" or "similarity". Means for making this adjustment are well known to those of skilled in the art.

Typically this involves scoring a conservative substitution as a partial rather than a full mismatch, thereby increasing the percentage of sequence similarity.

As used herein, "percentage of sequence identity" or "sequence identity percentage" means the value determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, either globally or locally, wherein the portion of the sequence in the comparison window may comprise gaps for optimal alignment of the two sequences. In principle, the percentage is calculated by determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity. "Percentage of sequence similarity" for protein sequences can be calculated using the same principle, wherein the conservative substitution is calculated as a partial rather than a complete mismatch. Thus, for example, where an identical amino acid is given a score of 1 and a non-conservative substitution is given a score of zero, a conservative substitution is given a score between zero and 1. The scoring of conservative substitutions can be obtained from amino acid matrices known in the art, for example, BLOSUM or PAM matrices.

Methods of alignment of sequences for comparison are well known in the art. The determination of percent identity or percent similarity (for proteins) between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. Preferred, non-limiting examples of such mathematical algorithms are, the algorithm of Myers and Miller (Optimal alignments in linear space, Bioinformatics, 4(1):1 1-17, 1988), the Needleman-Wunsch global alignment (J MoI Biol. 48(3):443-53, 1970), the Smith-Waterman local alignment (Journal of Molecular Biology,

147:195-197, 1981 ), the search-for-similarity-method of Pearson and Lipman (PNAS, 85(8): 2444-2448, 1988), the algorithm of Karlin and Altschul (Altschul et al, J. MoI. Biol., 215(3):403- 410, 1990; PNAS, 90:5873-5877,1993). Computer implementations of these mathematical algorithms can be used for comparison of sequences to determine sequence identity or to identify homologs.

"Hybridization" can be used to indicate the level of similarity or identity between two nucleic acid molecules, and also to detect the presence of the same or similar nucleic acid molecule in Southern or Northern analyses. A preferred, non-limiting example of stringent conditions are hybridization in 6X sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 45⁰C, followed by one or more washes in 0.2X SSC, 0.1 % SDS at 50-65⁰C. As used herein, the term "hybridizes under stringent conditions" is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences at least about 60% similar or identical to each other typically remain hybridized to each other.

The term "conserved region" or "conserved domain as used herein refers to a region in heterologous polynucleotide of polypeptide sequences where there is a relatively high degree of sequence identity between the distinct sequences. The "conserved region" can be identified, for example, from a multiple sequence alignment using any of the algorithms known to those of skill in biotechnology.

The term "cell" or "plant cell" as used herein refers to single cell, and also includes a population of cells. The population may be a pure population comprising one cell type. Likewise, the population may comprise more than one cell type. A plant cell within the meaning of the invention may be isolated (e.g., in suspension culture) or comprised in a plant tissue, plant organ or plant at any developmental stage.

The term "tissue" with respect to a plant (or "plant tissue") means arrangement of multiple plant cells, including differentiated and undifferentiated tissues of plants. Plant tissues may constitute part of a plant organ (e.g., the epidermis of a plant leaf) but may also constitute tumor tissues (e.g., callus tissue) and various types of cells in culture (e.g., single cells, protoplasts, embryos, calli, protocorm-like bodies, etc.). Plant tissues may be in planta, in organ culture, tissue culture, or cell culture.

The term "organ" with respect to a plant (or "plant organ") means parts of a plant and may include, but not limited to, for example roots, fruits, shoots, stems, leaves, hypocotyls, cotyledons, anthers, sepals, petals, pollen, seeds, etc.

The term "plant" as used herein can, depending on context, be understood to refer to whole plants, plant cells, plant organs, plant seeds, and progeny of same. The word "plant" also refers to any plant, particularly, to seed plants, and may include, but not limited to, crop plants. Plant parts include, but are not limited to, stems, roots, shoots, fruits, ovules, stamens, leaves, embryos, meristematic regions, callus tissue, gametophytes, sporophytes, pollen, microspores, hypocotyls, cotyledons, anthers, sepals, petals, pollen, seeds and the like. The class of plants that can be used in the method of the invention is generally as broad as the class of higher and lower plants amenable to transformation techniques, including angiosperms (monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants), gymnosperms, ferns, horsetails, psilophytes, bryophytes, and multicellular algae. The term "transgenic" as used herein is intended to refer to cells and/or plants which contain a transgene, or whose genome has been altered by the introduction of a transgene, or that have incorporated exogenous genes or polynucleotides. Transgenic cells, tissues, organs and plants may be produced by several methods including the introduction of a "transgene" comprising polynucleotide (usually DNA) into a target cell or integration of the transgene into a chromosome of a target cell by way of human intervention, such as by the methods described herein.

The term "true breeding" as used herein refers to a variety of plant for a particular trait if it is genetically homozygous for that trait to the extent that, when the true-breeding variety is self- pollinated, a significant amount of independent segregation of the trait among the progeny is not observed.

The term "wild type" as used herein refers to a plant cell, seed, plant component, plant tissue, plant organ, or whole plant that has not been genetically modified or treated in an experimental sense.

The term "control plant" as used herein refers to a plant cell, an explant, seed, plant component, plant tissue, plant organ, or whole plant used to compare against transgenic or genetically modified plant for the purpose of identifying an enhanced phenotype or a desirable trait in the transgenic or genetically modified plant. A "control plant" may in some cases be a transgenic plant line that comprises an empty vector or marker gene, but does not contain the recombinant polynucleotide of interest that is present in the transgenic or genetically modified plant being evaluated. A control plant may be a plant of the same line or variety as the transgenic or genetically modified plant being tested, or it may be another line or variety, such as a plant known to have a specific phenotype, characteristic, or known genotype. A suitable control plant would include a genetically unaltered or non-transgenic plant of the parental line used to generate a transgenic plant herein.

The term "resistant to nematode infection" or "a plant having nematode resistance" as used herein refers to the ability of a plant to avoid infection by nematodes, to kill nematodes or to hamper, reduce or stop the development, growth or multiplication of nematodes. This might be achieved by an active process, e.g. by producing a substance detrimental to the nematode, or by a passive process, like having a reduced nutritional value for the nematode or not developing structures induced by the nematode feeding site like syncytial or giant cells. The level of nematode resistance of a plant can be determined in various ways, e.g. by counting the nematodes being able to establish parasitism on that plant, or measuring development times of nematodes, proportion of male and female nematodes or the number of cysts or nematode eggs produced. A plant with increased resistance to nematode infection is a plant, which is more resistant to nematode infection in comparison to another plant having a similar or preferably a identical genotype while lacking the gene or genes conferring increased resistance to nematodes, e.g., a control or wild type plant.

The terms "feeding site", "syncytia" or "syncytia site" are used interchangeably and refer herein to the feeding site formed in plant roots after nematode infestation. The site is used as a source of nutrients for the nematodes. Syncytia are the feeding sites for cyst nematodes and giant cells are the feeding sites of root knot nematodes.

"Chitinase " as used herein refers to any chitin-degrading protein derived from a plant parasitic nematode that confers or increases resistance to said nematode when transformed into susceptible plants. The H. glycines chitinase set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 corresponds to Genbank accession # AF468679. The H. schactii chitinase fragment set forth in SEQ ID NO:6 corresponds to Genbank accession # CD750591. The alignment of Figure 6 shows that the H. glycines chitinase and the H. schactii chitinase fragment share significant sequence identity and similarity across amino acids 1 to 189, indicating that the chitinase gene is conserved among nematode species. Additional nematode chitinases suitable for use in the present invention may be identified on the basis of global or local sequence identity to the H. glycines chitinase set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 and/or the H. schactii chitinase fragment set forth in SEQ ID NO:6, using techniques known to those of skill in biotechnology.

In a first embodiment, the invention provides a transgenic plant transformed with an expression vector comprising an isolated polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers increased nematode resistance to the plant. Preferably, the nematode chitinase polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ; (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5; (d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ; (f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; (g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; and (j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

In accordance with the invention, the nematode chitinase polynucleotide encodes an enzymatically active chitinase and is at least about 50-60%, or at least about 60-70%, or at least about 70-80%, 80-85%, 85-90%, 90-95%, or at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical or similar to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to a nematode chitinase gene comprising the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5. Further in accordance with the invention, the nematode chitinase polynucleotide encodes a functional nematode chitinase polypeptide which is at least about 50-60%, or at least about 60-70%, or at least about 70-80%, 80-85%, 85-90%, 90-95%, or at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more identical or similar to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or to a nematode chitinase comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:6. Allelic variants of the nematode chitinase polynucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1 and nematode chitinase genes comprising the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5, of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, or nematode chitinases comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:6 may also be employed in the transgenic plants and methods of the invention. As used herein, the term "allelic variant" refers to a polynucleotide containing polymorphisms that lead to changes in the amino acid sequences of a protein encoded by the nucleotide and that exist within a natural population ( e.g., a plant species or variety). Such natural allelic variations can typically result in 1-5% variance in a polynucleotide encoding a protein, or 1-5% variance in the encoded protein.

Alternatively, isolated nematode chitinase polynucleotides suitable for use in the invention may hybridize under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 , the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5, any polynucleotide that encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, or any polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:6, so long as the polynucleotide encodes a functional chitinase.

The present invention also provides transgenic seed comprising the nematode chitinase polynucleotides described above, parts from the transgenic plant, and progeny plants from the transgenic plant, including hybrids and inbreds. The invention also provides a method of plant breeding, e.g., to prepare a crossed fertile transgenic plant. The method comprises crossing a fertile transgenic plant comprising a particular expression vector of the invention with itself or with a second plant, e.g., one lacking the particular expression vector, to prepare the seed of a crossed fertile transgenic plant comprising the particular expression vector. The seed is then planted to obtain a crossed fertile transgenic plant The crossed fertile transgenic plant may have the particular expression vector inherited through a female parent or through a male parent. The second plant may be an inbred plant. The crossed fertile transgenic may be a hybrid. Also included within the present invention are seeds of any of these crossed fertile transgenic plants.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to an expression vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers nematode resistance to a transgenic plant, and wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polynucleotide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ; (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (c) a polynucleotide comprising the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5; (d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ; (f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; (g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; and (j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2

In accordance with the invention, the promoter may be capable of regulating constitutive expression of an operably linked polynucleotide. A "constitutive promoter" refers to a promoter that is able to express the open reading frame or the regulatory element that it controls in all or nearly all of the plant tissues during all or nearly all developmental stages of the plant.

Constitutive promoters include, but not limited to, the 35S CaMV promoter from plant viruses (Franck et al., 1980 Cell 21 :285-294), the Nos promoter, the ubiquitin promoter (Christensen et al Plant MoI. Biol. 12:619-632 (1992) and 18:581-8(1991 )), the MAS promoter (Velten et al, EMBO J. 3:2723-30 (1984)), the maize H3 histone promoter (Lepetit et al, MoI Gen. Genet 231 :276-85(1992)), the ALS promoter (WO96/30530), the 19S CaMV promoter (US 5,352,605), the super-promoter (US 5,955,646), the figwort mosaic virus promoter (US 6,051 ,753), the rice actin promoter (US 5,641 ,876), and the Rubisco small subunit promoter (US 4,962,028). Alternatively, the promoter is a regulated promoter. A "regulated promoter" refers to a promoter that directs gene expression not constitutively, but in a temporally and/or spatially manner, and includes both tissue-specific and inducible promoters. Different promoters may direct the expression of a gene or regulatory element in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental conditions.

A "tissue-specific promoter" refers to a regulated promoter that is not expressed in all plant cells but only in one or more cell types in specific organs (such as leaves or seeds), specific tissues (such as embryo or cotyledon), or specific cell types (such as leaf parenchyma or seed storage cells, or nematode feeding sites). These also include promoters that are temporally regulated, such as in early or late embryogenesis, during fruit ripening in developing seeds or fruit, in fully differentiated leaf, or at the onset of sequence. Suitable promoters include the napin-gene promoter from rapeseed (US 5,608,152), the USP-promoter from Vicia faba (Baeumlein et al., 1991 MoI Gen Genet. 225(3):459-67), the oleosin-promoter from Arabidopsis (WO 98/45461), the phaseolin-promoter from Phaseolus vulgaris (US 5,504,200), the Bce4-promoter from Brassica (WO 91/13980) or the legumin B4 promoter (LeB4; Baeumlein et al., 1992 Plant Journal, 2(2):233-9) as well as promoters conferring seed specific expression in monocot plants like maize, barley, wheat, rye, rice, etc. Suitable promoters to note are the Ipt2 or Ipt1-gene promoter from barley (WO 95/15389 and WO 95/23230) or those described in WO 99/16890 (promoters from the barley hordein-gene, rice glutelin gene, rice oryzin gene, rice prolamin gene, wheat gliadin gene, wheat glutelin gene, maize zein gene, oat glutelin gene, Sorghum kasirin-gene and rye secalin gene). Promoters suitable for preferential expression in plant root tissues include, for example, the promoter derived from corn nicotianamine synthase gene (US 20030131377) and rice RCC3 promoter (US 11/075,113). Suitable promoter for preferential expression in plant green tissues include the promoters from genes such as maize aldolase gene FDA (US 20040216189), aldolase and pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) (Taniguchi et. al., Plant Cell Physiol. 41 (1 ):42-48, 2000).

"Inducible promoters" refer to those regulated promoters that can be turned on in one or more cell types by an external stimulus, for example, a chemical, light, hormone, stress, or a pathogen such as nematodes. Chemically inducible promoters are especially suitable if gene expression is wanted to occur in a time specific manner. Examples of such promoters are a salicylic acid inducible promoter (WO 95/19443), a tetracycline inducible promoter (Gatz et al., 1992 Plant J. 2:397-404), the light-inducible promoter from the small subunit of Ribulose-1 ,5- bis-phosphate carboxylase (ssRUBISCO), and an ethanol inducible promoter (WO 93/21334). Also, suitable promoters responding to biotic or abiotic stress conditions are those such as the pathogen inducible PRP1-gene promoter (Ward et al., 1993 Plant. MoI. Biol. 22:361-366), the heat inducible hsp80-promoter from tomato (US 5187267), cold inducible alpha-amylase promoter from potato (WO 96/12814), the drought-inducible promoter of maize (Busk et. al., Plant J. 1 1 :1285-1295, 1997), the cold, drought, and high salt inducible promoter from potato (Kirch, Plant MoI. Biol. 33:897-909, 1997) or the RD29A promoter from Arabidopsis

(Yamaguchi-Shinozalei et. al. MoI. Gen. Genet. 236:331-340, 1993), many cold inducible promoters such as cor15a promoter from Arabidopsis (Genbank Accession No U01377), blt101 and blt4.8 from barley (Genbank Accession Nos AJ310994 and U63993), wcs120 from wheat (Genbank Accession No AF031235), mlip15 from corn (Genbank Accession No D26563), bn1 15 from Brassica (Genbank Accession No U01377), and the wound-inducible pinll-promoter (European Patent No. 375091 ).

In a preferred embodiment, the nematode chitinase gene is operably linked to a root-specific, feeding site-specific, e.g. in syncytia or giant cell specific or pathogen inducible promoter. More preferably, the nematode chitinase gene is operably linked to a nematode-inducible promoter.

The invention is also embodied in a method for increasing nematode resistance in a plant, wherein the method comprises the steps of introducing the expression vector described above into the plant and selecting the resulting population of transformed plants for transgenic plants that demonstrate increased nematode resistance. The nematode resistance selection step may be performed using an in vitro assay such as the hairy root assay, the assay described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,786, and the like. A preferred assay for selecting transgenic plants having increased nematode resistance is set forth in Example 3 below.

A variety of methods for introducing polynucleotides into the genome of plants and for the regeneration of plants from plant tissues or plant cells are known in, for example, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida), chapter 6/7, pp. 71- 119 (1993); White FF (1993) Vectors for Gene Transfer in Higher Plants; Transgenic Plants, vol. 1 , Engineering and Utilization, Ed.: Kung and Wu R, Academic Press, 15-38; Jenes B et al. (1993) Techniques for Gene Transfer; Transgenic Plants, vol. 1 , Engineering and Utilization, Ed.: Kung and R. Wu, Academic Press, pp. 128-143; Potrykus (1991) Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Molec Biol 42:205-225; Halford NG, Shewry PR (2000) Br Med Bull 56(1 ):62-73.

Transformation methods may include direct and indirect methods of transformation. Suitable direct methods include polyethylene glycol induced DNA uptake, liposome-mediated transformation (US 4,536,475), biolistic methods using the gene gun ("particle bombardment", Fromm ME et al. (1990) Bio/Technology. 8(9):833-9; Gordon-Kamm et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2:603), electroporation, incubation of dry embryos in DNA-comprising solution, and microinjection. In the case of these direct transformation methods, the plasmid used need not meet any particular requirements. Simple plasmids, such as those of the pUC series, pBR322, M13mp series, pACYC184 and the like can be used. If intact plants are to be regenerated from the transformed cells, an additional selectable marker gene is preferably located on the plasmid. The direct transformation techniques are equally suitable for dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants.

Transformation can also be carried out by bacterial infection by means of Agrobacterium (for example EP 0 1 16 718), viral infection by means of viral vectors (EP 0 067 553; US 4,407,956; WO 95/34668; WO 93/03161 ) or by means of pollen (EP 0 270 356; WO 85/01856; US 4,684,611 ). Agrobacterium based transformation techniques (especially for dicotyledonous plants) are well known in the art. The Agrobacterium strain (e.g., Agrobacterium tumefaciens or Agrobacterium rhizogenes) comprises a plasmid (Ti or Ri plasmid) and a T-DNA element which is transferred to the plant following infection with Agrobacterium. The T-DNA (transferred DNA) is integrated into the genome of the plant cell. The T-DNA may be localized on the Ri- or Ti- plasmid or is separately comprised in a so-called binary vector. Methods for the Agrobacterium- mediated transformation are described, for example, in Horsch RB et al. (1985) Science 225:1229f. The Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is best suited to dicotyledonous plants but has also been adopted to monocotyledonous plants. The transformation of plants by

Agrobacteria is described in, for example, White FF, Vectors for Gene Transfer in Higher Plants, Transgenic Plants, Vol. 1 , Engineering and Utilization, edited by S. D. Kung and R. Wu, Academic Press, 1993, pp. 15 - 38; Jenes B et al. Techniques for Gene Transfer, Transgenic Plants, Vol. 1 , Engineering and Utilization, edited by S. D. Kung and R. Wu, Academic Press, 1993, pp. 128-143; Potrykus (1991) Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Molec Biol 42:205- 225.

Transformation may result in transient or stable transformation and expression. Although a nucleotide sequence of the present invention can be inserted into any plant and plant cell falling within these broad classes, it is particularly useful in crop plant cells.

The nucleotides of the present invention can be directly transformed into the plastid genome. Plastid expression, in which genes are inserted by homologous recombination into the several thousand copies of the circular plastid genome present in each plant cell, takes advantage of the enormous copy number advantage over nuclear-expressed genes to permit high expression levels. In one embodiment, the nucleotides are inserted into a plastid targeting vector and transformed into the plastid genome of a desired plant host. Plants homoplasmic for plastid genomes containing the nucleotide sequences are obtained, and are preferentially capable of high expression of the nucleotides.

Plastid transformation technology is for example extensively described in U.S. Pat. NOs. 5,451 ,513, 5,545,817, 5,545,818, and 5,877,462 in WO 95/16783 and WO 97/32977, and in McBride et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91 , 7301-7305, all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The basic technique for plastid transformation involves introducing regions of cloned plastid DNA flanking a selectable marker together with the nucleotide sequence into a suitable target tissue, e.g., using biolistic or protoplast transformation (e.g., calcium chloride or PEG mediated transformation). The 1 to 1.5 kb flanking regions, termed targeting sequences, facilitate homologous recombination with the plastid genome and thus allow the replacement or modification of specific regions of the plastome. Initially, point mutations in the chloroplast 16S rRNA and rps12 genes conferring resistance to spectinomycin and/or streptomycin are utilized as selectable markers for transformation (Svab et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 8526-8530; Staub et al. (1992) Plant Cell 4, 39-45). The presence of cloning sites between these markers allows creation of a plastid targeting vector for introduction of foreign genes (Staub et al. (1993) EMBO J. 12, 601-606). Substantial increases in transformation frequency are obtained by replacement of the recessive rRNA or r-protein antibiotic resistance genes with a dominant selectable marker, the bacterial aadA gene encoding the spectinomycin-detoxifying enzyme aminoglycoside-3'-adenyltransferase (Svab et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sc. USA 90, 913-917). Other selectable markers useful for plastid transformation are known in the art and encompassed within the scope of the invention.

The plant or transgenic plant may be any plant, such like, but not limited to trees, cut flowers, ornamentals, vegetables or crop plants. The plant may be from a genus selected from the group consisting of Medicago, Lycopersicon, Brassica, Cucumis, Solanum, Juglans, Gossypium, Malus, Vitis, Antirrhinum, Populus, Fragaria, Arabidopsis, Picea, Capsicum, Chenopodium, Dendranthema, Pharbitis, Pinus, Pisum, Oryza, Zea, Triticum, Triticale, Secale, Lolium, Hordeum, Glycine, Pseudotsuga, Kalanchoe, Beta, Helianthus, Nicotiana, Cucurbita, Rosa, Fragaria, Lotus, Medicago, Onobrychis, trifolium, Trigonella, Vigna, Citrus, Linum, Geranium, Manihot, Daucus, Raphanus, Sinapis, Atropa, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Nicotiana, Petunia, Digitalis, Majorana, Ciahorium, Lactuca, Bromus, Asparagus, Antirrhinum, Heterocallis, Nemesis, Pelargonium, Panicum, Pennisetum, Ranunculus, Senecio, Salpiglossis, Browaalia, Phaseolus, Avena, and Allium, or the plant may be selected from the group consisting of cereals including wheat, barley, sorghum, rye, triticale, maize, rice, sugarcane, and trees including apple, pear, quince, plum, cherry, peach, nectarine, apricot, papaya, mango, poplar, pine, sequoia, cedar, and oak. The term "plant" as used herein can be dicotyledonous crop plants, such as pea, alfalfa, soybean, carrot, celery, tomato, potato, cotton, tobacco, pepper, oilseed rape, beet, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce and Arabidopsis thaliana.,. In one embodiment the plant is a monocotyledonous plant or a dicotyledonous plant.

Preferably the plant is a crop plant. Crop plants are all plants, used in agriculture. Accordingly in one embodiment the plant is a monocotyledonous plant, preferably a plant of the family Poaceae, Musaceae, Liliaceae or Bromeliaceae, preferably of the family Poaceae. Accordingly, in yet another embodiment the plant is a Poaceae plant of the genus Zea, Triticum, Oryza, Hordeum, Secale, Avena, Saccharum, Sorghum, Pennisetum, Setaria, Panicum, Eleusine, Miscanthus, Brachypodium, Festuca or Lolium. When the plant is of the genus Zea, the preferred species is Z. mays. When the plant is of the genus Triticum, the preferred species is T. aestivum, T. speltae or T. durum. When the plant is of the genus Oryza, the preferred species is O. sativa. When the plant is of the genus Hordeum, the preferred species is H. vulgare. When the plant is of the genus Secale, the preferred species S. cereale. When the plant is of the genus Avena, the preferred species is A. sativa. When the plant is of the genus Saccarum, the preferred species is S. officinarum. When the plant is of the genus Sorghum, the preferred species is S. vulgare, S. bicolor or S. sudanense. When the plant is of the genus Pennisetum, the preferred species is P. glaucum. When the plant is of the genus Setaria, the preferred species is S. italica. When the plant is of the genus Panicum, the preferred species is P. miliaceum or P. virgatum. When the plant is of the genus Eleusine, the preferred species is E. coracana. When the plant is of the genus Miscanthus, the preferred species is M. sinensis. When the plant is a plant of the genus Festuca, the preferred species is F. arundinaria, F. rubra or F. pratensis. When the plant is of the genus Lolium, the preferred species is L. perenne or L. multiflorum. Alternatively, the plant may be Triticosecale.

Alternatively, in one embodiment the plant is a dicotyledonous plant, preferably a plant of the family Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Linacea, Euphorbiaceae, Convolvulaceae Rosaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Theaceae, Rubiaceae, Sterculiaceae or Citrus. In one embodiment the plant is a plant of the family Fabaceae, Solanaceae or Brassicaceae. Accordingly, in one embodiment the plant is of the family

Fabaceae, preferably of the genus Glycine, Pisum, Arachis, Cicer, Vicia, Phaseolus, Lupinus, Medicago or Lens. Preferred species of the family Fabaceae are M. truncatula, M, sativa, G. max, P. sativum, A. hypogea, C. arietinum, V. faba, P. vulgaris, Lupinus albus, Lupinus luteus, Lupinus angustifolius or Lens culinaris. More preferred are the species G. max, A. hypogea and M. sativa. Most preferred is the species G. max. When the plant is of the family Solanaceae, the preferred genus is Solanum, Lycopersicon, Nicotiana or Capsicum. Preferred species of the family Solanaceae are S. tuberosum, L. esculentum, N. tabaccum or C. chinense. More preferred is S. tuberosum. Accordingly, in one embodiment the plant is of the family

Brassicaceae, preferably of the genus Brassica or Raphanus. Preferred species of the family Brassicaceae are the species B. napus, B. oleracea, B. juncea or B. rapa. More preferred is the species B. napus. When the plant is of the family Chenopodiaceae, the preferred genus is Beta and the preferred species is the species B. vulgaris. When the plant is of the family Asteraceae, the preferred genus is Helianthus and the preferred species is H. annuus. When the plant is of the family Malvaceae, the preferred genus is Gossypium or Abelmoschus. When the genus is Gossypium, the preferred species is G. hirsutum or G. barbadense and the most preferred species is G. hirsutum. A preferred species of the genus Abelmoschus is the species A. esculentus. When the plant is of the family Linacea, the preferred genus is Linum and the preferred species is L. usitatissimum. When the plant is of the family Euphorbiaceae, the preferred genus is Manihot, Jatropa or Rhizinus and the preferred species are M. esculenta, J. curcas or R. comunis. When the plant is of the family Convolvulaceae, the preferred genus is lpomea and the preferred species is I. batatas. When the plant is of the family Rosaceae, the preferred genus is Rosa, Malus, Pyrus, Prunus, Rubus, Ribes, Vaccinium or Fragaria and the preferred species is the hybrid Fragaria x ananassa. When the plant is of the family Cucurbitaceae, the preferred genus is Cucumis, Citrullus or Cucurbita and the preferred species is Cucumis sativus, Citrullus lanatus or Cucurbita pepo. When the plant is of the family Theaceae, the preferred genus is Camellia and the preferred species is C. sinensis. When the plant is of the family Rubiaceae, the preferred genus is Coffea and the preferred species is C. arabica or C. canephora. When the plant is of the family Sterculiaceae, the preferred genus is Theobroma and the preferred species is T. cacao. When the plant is of the genus Citrus, the preferred species is C. sinensis, C. limon, C. reticulata, C. maxima and hybrids of Citrus species, or the like. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plant is a soybean, a potato or a corn plant.

The transgenic plants of the invention may be used in a method of controlling infestation of a crop by a plant parasitic nematode, which comprises the step of growing said crop from seeds comprising the expression vector of the invention, wherein the expression vector is stably integrated into the genomes of the seeds.

The present invention may be used to reduce crop destruction by plant parasitic nematodes or to confer nematode resistance to a plant. The nematode may be any plant parasitic nematode, in particular nematodes of the families Longidoridae, Trichodoridae, Aphelenchoidida, Anguinidae, Belonolaimidae, Criconematidae, Heterodidae, Hoplolaimidae, Meloidogynidae, Paratylenchidae, Pratylenchidae, Tylenchulidae, Tylenchidae, or the like. Preferably, the parasitic nematodes belong to nematode families inducing giant or syncytial cells. Nematodes inducing giant or syncytial cells are found in the families Longidoridae, Trichodoridae, Heterodidae, Meloidogynidae, Pratylenchidae or Tylenchulidae. In particular in the families Heterodidae and Meloidogynidae.

Accordingly, parasitic nematodes targeted by the present invention belong to one or more genus selected from the group of Naccobus, Cactodera, Dolichodera, Globodera, Heterodera, Punctodera, Longidorus or Meloidogyne. In a preferred embodiment the parasitic nematodes belong to one or more genus selected from the group of Naccobus, Cactodera, Dolichodera, Globodera, Heterodera, Punctodera or Meloidogyne. In a more preferred embodiment the parasitic nematodes belong to one or more genus selected from the group of Globodera, Heterodera, or Meloidogyne. In an even more preferred embodiment the parasitic nematodes belong to one or both genus selected from the group of Globodera or Heterodera. In another embodiment the parasitic nematodes belong to the genus Meloidogyne.

When the parasitic nematodes are of the genus Globodera, the species are preferably from the group consisting of G. achilleae, G. artemisiae, G. hypolysi, G. mexicana, G. millefolii, G. mali, G. pallida, G. rostochiensis, G. tabacum, and G. virginiae. In another preferred embodiment the parasitic Globodera nematodes includes at least one of the species G. pallida, G. tabacum, or G. rostochiensis. When the parasitic nematodes are of the genus Heterodera, the species may be preferably from the group consisting of H. avenae, H. carotae, H. ciceri, H. cruciferae, H. delvii, H. elachista, H. filipjevi, H. gambiensis, H. glycines, H. goettingiana, H. graduni, H. humuli, H. hordecalis, H. latipons, H. major, H. medicaginis, H. oryzicola, H. pakistanensis, H. rosii, H. sacchari, H. schachtii, H. sorghi, H. trifolii, H. urticae, H. vigni and H. zeae. In another preferred embodiment the parasitic Heterodera nematodes include at least one of the species H. glycines, H. avenae, H. cajani, H. gottingiana, H. trifolii, H. zeae or H. schachtii. In a more preferred embodiment the parasitic nematodes includes at least one of the species H. glycines or H. schachtii. In a most preferred embodiment the parasitic nematode is the species H. glycines.

When the parasitic nematodes are of the genus Meloidogyne, the parasitic nematode may be selected from the group consisting of M. acronea, M. arabica, M. arenaria, M. artiellia, M. brevicauda, M. camelliae, M. chitwoodi, M. cofeicola, M. esigua, M. graminicola, M. hapla, M. incognita, M. indica, M. inornata, M. javanica, M. lini, M. mali, M. microcephala, M. microtyla, M. naasi, M. salasi and M. thamesi. In a preferred embodiment the parasitic nematodes includes at least one of the species M. javanica, M. incognita, M. hapla, M. arenaria or M. chitwoodi. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skilled in the art that variations may be applied to the composition, methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Example 1 : Cloning of a chitinase encoding gene from Hederodera glycines

The chitinase gene used to transform soybean was generated via de novo synthesis and cloned into base vectors containing the promoters described below. The DNA sequence for the H. glycines chitinase was obtained from Genbank accession # AF468679.

Example 2: Vector construction for transformation

To evaluate the function of the cloned chitinase encoding gene, a gene fragment corresponding to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 was cloned downstream of a promoter to create the expression vectors as described in Table 1. The syncytia preferred promoters included Arabidopsis pAt5g12170 promoter SEQ ID NO:3 (US provisional application 60/899,693 and PCT/EP2008/051329), Arabidopsis TPP trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase promoter SEQ ID NO:4 (pAt1 g35910) (US provisional application 60/874,375 and PCT/EP2007/063761 ). The constitutive Super-promoter (U. S.5, 955, 646) was also placed in operative association with the nematode chitinase polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1. The plant selection marker in the vectors was a mutated acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHAS) gene from A. thaliana that conferred tolerance to the herbicide ARSENAL (imazapyr, BASF Corporation, Florham Park, NJ). The mutated selectable marker AHAS gene was driven by the Arabidopsis AHAS promoter.

Table 1. expression vector comprising SEQ ID NO:1

Vector Composition of the expression cassette (promoter::chitinase encoding gene)

RCB678 Super promoter::SEQ ID NO:1

RCB686 pAt5g12170::SEQ ID NO:1

RCB690 pAt1g35910::SEQ ID NO:1

EXAMPLE 3: PREPARATION OF TRANSGENIC ROOTS AND NEMATODE BIOASSAY

A proprietary rooted explant assay was employed to test for nematode resistance. This assay can be found in commonly owned co-pending application USSN 12/001 ,234, hereby incorporated by reference, and by the description that follows. Clean soybean seeds from soybean cultivar were surface sterilized and germinated seven days before Agrobacterium inoculation. Excised cotyledons were used for transformation. After the explants were cut off the seedlings, the cut end was immediately dipped onto the thick A. rhizogenes colonies containing the different vector constructs described above. The explants were placed onto 1 % agar in Petri dishes for co-cultivation for 6 days. After transformation and co-cultivation, soybean explants were transferred to a root induction medium with a selection agent

Two to three weeks after root induction, elongated roots were removed and root explants were transferred to an appropriate selection medium. Transgenic roots proliferated well within one week in the medium and were subcultured. The main root tips were removed to induce secondary root growth.

One to five days after subculturing, the roots were inoculated with surface sterilized nematode juveniles in multi-well plates for either gene of interest or promoter construct assay. Soybean cultivar Williams 82 control vector and Jack control vector roots were used as controls. The root cultures of each line were inoculated with surface-decontaminated race 3 of SCN second stage juveniles (J2).

Several independent root lines were generated from each binary vector transformation and the lines were used for bioassay. Four weeks after nematode inoculation, the cysts in each well were counted. Bioassay results for constructs RCB678, RCB686, and RCB690 show a statistically significant reduction (p-value <0.05) in cyst count over multiple transgenic lines and a general trend of reduced cyst count in the majority of transgenic lines tested.

Claims

1. A transgenic plant transformed with an expression vector comprising an isolated polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers increased nematode resistance to the plant.

2. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ; (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID

NO:2;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5;

(d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ; (f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID

NO:5; (g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID

NO:5; and (j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

3. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide has the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1.

4. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide encodes the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2.

5. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1.

6. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2.

7. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5.

8. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide encodes the nematode chitinase comprising the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6.

9. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5.

10. The transgenic plant of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide encodes the nematode chitinase comprising the amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6.

1 1. The plant of claim 1 , wherein the plant is a monocot.

12. The plant of claim 1 , wherein the plant is a dicot.

13. The plant of claim 12, wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of pea, alfalfa, soybean, carrot, celery, tomato, potato, cotton, tobacco, pepper, oilseed rape, beet, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce and Arabidopsis thaliana.

14. The plant of claim 13, wherein the plant is soybean.

15. A seed which is true breeding for a transgene comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase.

16. The seed of claim 15, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:

NO:2; (c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5; (d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6;

(e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ; (f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; (g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6;

(i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; and

(j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.

17. An expression vector comprising a promoter operably linked to an isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ;

(b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5; (d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ

ID NO:6;

(e) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 ;

(f) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID

NO:5;

(g) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and has at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2;

(h) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the polypeptide having the sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6; (i) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1 or to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:5; and

(j) a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase and hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; wherein expression of the polynucleotide confers increased nematode resistance to a transgenic plant.

18. A method or increasing nematode resistance in a plant, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) introducing into the plant an expression vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide that encodes a nematode chitinase, and b) selecting transgenic plants for increased nematode resistance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:1 ;

(b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:2; (c) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:5;

(d) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO:6;