Transgenic plants containing ligninase and cellulase which degrade lignin and cellulose to fermentable sugars
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University
InventorsMasomeh B. Sticklen, Bruce E. Dale, Shahina B. Magbool
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Abstract
The present invention provides transgenic plants which after harvest degrade the lignin and cellulose therein to fermentable sugars which can further be fermented to ethanol or other products. In particular, the transgenic plants comprise ligninase and cellulase genes from microbes operably linked to a DNA encoding a signal peptide which targets the fusion polypeptide produced therefrom to an organelle of the plant, in particular the chloroplasts. When the transgenic plants are harvested, the plants are ground to release the ligninase and cellulase which then degrade the lignin and cellulose of the transgenic plants to produce the fermentable sugars.
Claims13
A transgenic plant which degrades lignins when the transgenic plant is ground to produce a plant material comprising:
- at least one DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
- 13 encoding a ligninase which is ckg5 which is operably linked to a nucleotide seguence encoding a signal peptide wherein the signal peptide directs the ligninase to an organelle of the transgenic plant wherein the transgenic plant degrades the lignins when ground to produce the plant material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.