Increasing cell wall deposition and biomass density in plants
Modulating in planta expression of a gene encoding WALLDOF, a transcription factor involved in plant cell wall biogenesis, results in increased cell wall deposition and higher plant biomass density.
1. A method for increasing at least one of cell wall deposition and cellulose content, comprising:
effecting overexpression of a walldof DNA sequence in a transgenic plant transformed with a construct comprised of a walldof DNA sequence, and operably linked thereto, a promoter that is active in plant cells;
wherein said walldof DNA sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 and sequences encoding a transcription factor having at least 90% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said transcription factor increases cell wall deposition and/or increases cellulose content in a plant cell.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said transgenic plant is the product of a process comprising:
(a) providing regenerable plant material that is transformed with a construct comprised of the walldof DNA sequence and, operably linked thereto, a promoter that is active in plant cells; and then
(b) subjecting said material or plants regenerated from said material to a selection for which at least one selection criterion is increased cell wall deposition or increased cellulose content, relative to a non-transformed state.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said promoter is a xylem-preferred promoter.
4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said promoter is a constitutive promoter.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said walldof sequence encodes the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said walldof sequence is the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 1.
7. A construct comprised of:
a walldof DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 and sequences encoding a transcription factor having at least 90% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said transcription factor increases cell wall deposition and/or increases cellulose content;
and, operably linked thereto, a heterologous promoter that is active in plant cells.
8. A transgenic plant cell comprising the construct of claim 7 .
9. A transgenic plant comprising the construct of claim 7 , wherein said plant expresses said walldof DNA sequence, such that said plant is characterized by increased biomass density, relative to a non-transformed state.
10. A method for increasing cellulose content, comprising:
effecting overexpression of a walldof DNA sequence in a transgenic plant transformed with a construct comprised of a walldof DNA sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 and sequences encoding a transcription factor having at least 90% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said transcription factor increases cellulose content in a plant cell.
11. A processed plant product comprising a detectable amount of the construct of claim 7 .
12. The processed plant product of claim 11 , wherein said product comprises a feed, a meal, a flour, and extract, a pulp, or a homogenate wherein said feed, meal, flour, extract, pulp, or homogenate is obtained from at least one plant part.
13. The processed plant product of claim 12 , wherein said plant part is a stem, a leaf, a root, a flower, cambium, wood, a tuber, or a seed.