The invention provides isolated and at least partially-purified
dicamba-degrading enzymes, isolated DNA molecules coding for
dicamba-degrading enzymes, DNA constructs coding for dicamba-degrading
enzymes, transgenic host cells comprising DNA coding for
dicamba-degrading enzymes, and transgenic plants and plant parts
comprising one or more cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading
enzymes. Expression of the dicamba-degrading enzymes results in the
production of dicamba-degrading organisms, including dicamba-tolerant
plants. The invention further provides a method of controlling weeds in a
field containing the transgenic dicamba-tolerant plants of the invention
and a method of decontaminating a material containing dicamba comprising
applying an effective amount of a transgenic microorganism or
dicamba-degrading enzyme(s) of the invention to the material. Finally,
the invention provides a method of selecting transformed plants and plant
cells based on dicamba tolerance and a method of selecting or screening
transformed host cells, intact organisms and parts of organisms based on
the fluorescence of 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid produced as a result of
dicamba degradation.