Manipulation of cellulose and/or &bgr;-1,4-Glucan

US6495740B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The Austrailian National University · AU

Inventors

• Antonio Arioli · Weston Creek, AU
• Richard E. Williamson · Gungahlin, AU
• Andreas Betzner · Belconnen, AU
• Liangcai Peng · Billiluna, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 23, 1998
• Grant date: Dec 17, 2002
• Expiry date: Dec 23, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02A40/146
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates generally to isolated genes which encode polypeptides involved in cellulose biosynthesis in plants and transgenic plants expressing same in sense or antisense orientation, or as ribozymes, co-suppression or gene-targeting molecules. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a nucleic acid molecule isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, wheat, barley, maize, Brassica ssp., Gossypium hirsutum ssp. and Eucalyptus ssp. which encode an enzyme which is important in cellulose biosynthesis, in particular the cellulose synthase enzyme and homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof and uses of same in the production of transgenic plants expressing altered cellulose biosynthetic properties.