Modification of plant fibers
AssigneeAdvanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
InventorsMichael Meyrick Burrell, Amanda Pat Cambridge, Martin Jack Maunders, Simon McQueen-Mason
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Abstract
The invention relates to the isolation and characterisation of novel expansin gene sequences from heterologous and homologous tree species and re-introducing such novel genes into trees so as to alter expansin levels. Six novel genes have been identified. Eucalyptus has also been transformed using the cucumber EX29 sequence (GenBank, Accession No. U30382-known as Cs-EXP1) (SEQ. ID. NO: 9). A change in the plant height and internode length was observed compared with control plants.
Claims7
A method of transforming trees to decrease tree height and/or internode length, the method comprising stably incorporating into the plant genome a chimaeric gene comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence in sense orientation, encoding an expansin capable of modifying tree height and/or internode length, said nucleic acid sequence being the expansin sequence cucumber Ex 29 of SEQ ID NO:
- 9, or sequences which hybridize thereto under medium stringency conditions, wherein washing is performed with 2×SSC at 65° C., wherein said nucleic acid sequence encodes an expansin and wherein said nucleic acid sequence decreases tree height and/or internode length in plants transformed therewith;
- and regenerating a tree having an altered genome.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.