Growth enhancement of transgenic poplar plants by overexpression of Arabidopsis thaliana endo-1,4-beta-glucanase (cel1)

• Published in: Molecular breeding Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 321 - 330
• Main Authors: Shani, Z, Dekel, M, Tsabary, G, Goren, R, Shoseyov, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 2004
• Subjects: Arabidopsis thaliana; cel1 gene; Cellulose; complementary DNA; Elongation; endo-1,4-beta-glucanase; Flowering; gene expression; gene overexpression; Hemicellulose; Leaves; Levels; messenger RNA; Molecular biology; mRNA; Pathogens; Plant biology; Plants; Plants (botany); Poplar; Populus tremula; stems; transgenes; Transgenic plants; tree growth
• ISSN: 1380-3743; 1572-9788
• DOI: 10.1023/B:MOLB.0000049213.15952.8a

Poplar (Populus tremula) plants which had been transformed with Arabidopsis thaliana cel1 cDNA and successfully over-expressed the gene, exhibited significant phenotypic alterations which included taller plants, larger leaves, increased stem diameter, wood volume index, dry weight and a higher percentage of cellulose and hemicellulose, compared to the wild-type plants. Transgenic A. thaliana plants over-expressing A. thaliana cel1 exhibited similar levels of cel1 mRNA in the elongation zone of the flowering stem and higher levels in mature leaves when compared with wild-type plants. CEL1 protein levels in the elongation zone of the flowering stem of transgenic plants were similar or slightly higher compared to that of the wild-type plants, whereas mature leaves of transgenic plants contained a higher level of CEL1. These data indicate that in elongating zone of Arabidopsis, CEL1 level is tightly regulated. In contrast to transgenic poplar over-expressing the A. thaliana cel1, no phenotypic difference was found between A. thaliana transgenic and wild-type plants.