Maize cellulose synthases and uses thereof

An isolated nucleic acid comprising a member selected from the group consisting of:

• (a) a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity, as determined by the GAP algorithm under default parameters, to a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
• 1 and 5;
• (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
• 2 and 6;
• (c) a polynucleotide amplified from a Zea mays nucleic acid library using primers which selectively hybridize, under stringent hybridization conditions, to loci within a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
• 1 and 5;
• (d) a polynucleotide which selectively hybridizes, under stringent hybridization conditions and a wash in 0.1×X SSC at 65° C., to a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
• 1 and 5;
• (e) a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:
• 1 and 5;
• (f) a polynucleotide which is complementary to a polynucleotide of (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e);
• and
• (g) a polynucleotide comprising at least 25 contiguous nucleotides from a polynucleotide of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f).