Plants with modified lignin content and methods for production thereof
AssigneeThe Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
InventorsQiao Zhao, Fang Chen, Richard A. Dixon
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Abstract
The invention provides methods for decreasing lignin content and for increasing the level of fermentable carbohydrates in plants by down-regulation of the NST transcription factor. Nucleic acid constructs for down-regulation of NST are described. Transgenic plants are provided that comprise reduced lignin content. Plants described herein may be used, for example, as improved biofuel feedstock and as highly digestible forage crops. Methods for processing plant tissue and for producing ethanol by utilizing such plants are also provided.
Claims22
A transgenic switchgrass plant comprising a DNA molecule that is transcribed to an antisense RNA, interfering RNA, or miRNA comprising a unique sequence complementary to a sufficient length of contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:3 such that the switchgrass plant exhibits reduced lignin content compared to a wild-type plant.
A nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:
- a nucleic acid comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
- 3;
- or a full complement thereof (a) or (b),
- wherein the nucleic acid sequence is operably linked to a heterologous promoter sequence, and wherein expression of the nucleic acid sequence in a plant cell increases the lignin content of said plant cell.
A nucleic acid sequence comprising a unique sequence transcribed to an antisense RNA, interfering RNA, or miRNA of sufficient length that exhibits at least 96% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
- 3 or a complement thereof, wherein expression of the nucleic acid molecule in a plant cell reduces the lignin content of said plant cell compared to a plant cell not expressing the nucleic acid molecule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.