Description:
Cellulose
is a complex carbohydrate that serves as the basic structural component of plant
cell walls. It accounts for roughly one-third of all vegetal matter, making it
the most common organic compound on earth. Due to its ubiquitous nature,
cellulose and its derivatives are key resources for the agriculture, forestry,
textile, and paper industries. For these industries that rely on plant biomass,
profitability is directly related to the quantity and quality of cellulose
harvested from crops. However, until now, there have been no known methods of
genetically controlling the quantity or quality of cellulose synthesized in
plant species through direct regulation.
Description
Michigan
State University’s technology is a group of transgenic plant compositions having
increased cellulose content and methods of directly regulating cellulose
biosynthesis through genetic control. The invention includes a set of five
transcription factors that directly activate the expression of cellulose
synthases, thus increasing the production of cellulose. The technology may
provide a strategy to increase the amount and quality of cellulose in
plants.
Benefits
* Higher cellulose
content: Increased cellulose production would enable
cellulose-dependent industries to meet increasing demand with decreasing
production area.
*
Higher quality of cellulose content: By altering the
balance of cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses, plant materials can be
optimized for applications. For example, this can result in easier conversion to
biofuels or more efficient pulping for paper products.
*
Increased control: This
technology provides transcription factors that directly regulate the synthesis
of cellulose and are, therefore, expected to have fewer negative side effects
when over-expressed.
Applications
The
technology can be applied to various crop plants, including:
*
Agriculture: miscanthus,
switchgrass, and maize (corn)
*
Forestry: poplar and loblolly
pine
