Ubiquitin promoter-based vectors for high-level expression of selectable and/or screenable marker genes in monocotyledonous plants

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Abstract
A set of plasmids has been constructed utilizing the promoter, 5′ untranslated exon, and first intron of the maize ubiquitin (Ubi-1) gene to drive expression of protein coding sequences of choice. Plasmids containing chimaeric genes for ubiquitin-luciferase (Ubi-Luc), ubiquitin-β-glucuronidase (Ubi-GUS), and ubiquitin-phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (Ubi-bar) have been generated, as well as a construct containing chimaeric genes for bothUbi-GUS andUbi-bar in a single plasmid. Another construct was generated to allow cloning of protein coding sequences of choice onBam HI andBam HI-compatible restriction fragments downstream of theUbi-1 gene fragment. Because theUbi-1 promotor has been shown to be highly active in monocots, these constructs may be useful for generating high-level gene expression of selectable markers to facilitate efficient transformation of monocots, to drive expression of reference reporter genes in studies of gene expression, and to provide expression of biotechnologically important protein products in transgenic plants.