POLYNUCLEOTIDES, DNA CONSTRUCTS AND METHODS FOR THE ALTERATION OF PLANT CELLULOSE CONTENT

摘要

Polynucleotide, DNA constructs and methods are disclosed for the modification of cellulose content in plant tissues. Plants are transformed with constructs encoding either an active Anabaena sp. sucrose synthase gene or a soybean nodule sucrose synthase gene, which leads to increased cellulose content when over-expressed under the control of a cambium/xylem preferred promoter. Plant transformants harboring an Anabaena sp. or a soybean nodule sucrose synthase gene demonstrated increased content of cellulose, a trait that is thought to improve woody trees for cellulose extraction during pulping and papermaking.