Process of increasing plant growth and yield and modifying cellulose production in plants

Abstract

A process of increasing plant growth and yield comprises introducing into the plant a DNA sequence encoding a product which modifies, in the plant, the level of cellulose precursors.

1 . A process of increasing plant growth and yield which comprises introducing into a plant a DNA sequence encoding a product which modifies, in the plant, the level of cellulose precursors.  
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of enzymes, proteins and ribonucleic acid.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the product is a carbohydrate modifying enzyme selected from the group consisting of uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (UDPG-PPase), sucrose synthetase and cellulose synthetase.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the product regulates the expression of a cellulose-dependent enzyme.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the precursor is uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-glucose).  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the plant is a tree.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the DNA sequence comprises the UDPG-PPase gene derived from a bacterium.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the DNA sequence comprises the UDPG-PPase gene derived from  Acetobacter xylinum.    
     
     
         9 . A process of modifying the production of cellulose in a plant which comprises introducing into and expressing in said plant a DNA sequence encoding a product which modifies the level of cellulose precursors in the plant.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of enzymes, proteins and ribonucleic acid.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the product is a carbohydrate modifying enzyme selected from the group consisting of UDPG-PPase, sucrose synthetase and cellulose synthetase.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the precursor is UDP-glucose.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the plant is a tree.  
     
     
         14 . A process of modifying the production of cellulose in a plant which comprises introducing into and expressing in said plant a DNA sequence comprising the UDPG-PPase gene operably linked to an expression effecting DNA sequence and flanked by translational start and stop signals.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the expression effecting DNA sequence is a promoter directing expression of the UDPG-PPase gene primarily in cellulose-producing cells of the plant.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the expression effecting DNA sequence is a promoter selected from the group consisting of one or more of CaMV 35S and 4CL from parsley.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the plant is a tree.  
     
     
         18 . A plant having modified cellulose producing activity as a result of introducing into said plant or parent of said plant a DNA sequence coding for a product which modifies the level of cellulose precursors in the plant.  
     
     
         19 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the product is an enzyme.  
     
     
         20 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the product is a carbohydrate modifying enzyme selected from the group consisting of UDPG-PPase, sucrose synthetase and cellulose synthetase.  
     
     
         21 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the product regulates the expression of a cellulose-dependent enzyme.  
     
     
         22 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the precursor is UDP-glucose.  
     
     
         23 . The plant of  claim 18  being a tree.  
     
     
         24 . The plant of  claim 18  wherein the DNA sequence comprises the UDPG-PPase gene derived from a bacterium.  
     
     
         25 . A DNA expression vector comprising a DNA sequence encoding a bacterial protein which modifies the level of cellulose precursors, said DNA sequence being operably linked to an expression effecting DNA sequence and flanked by translational start and stop sequences.  
     
     
         26 . A genetically modified seed product comprising a DNA sequence encoding a product capable of modifying the level of cellulose precursors in the plant resulting from the seed product.