Woody plants having improved growth characteristics and method for making the same

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a novel and extensive analytical platform for selecting genes with a possible commercial phenotype from a large group of candidate genes identified using tools in bioinformatics, data from EST sequencing and DNA array. An aspect of the invention provides a method of producing a transgenic plant having an increased growth compared to its wild type. The method comprises altering in the plant the level of a gene product of at least one gene specifically expressed during different phases of wood formation. Further aspects of the invention provide a plant cell or plant progeny of a transgenic plant comprising a recombinant polynucleotide according to the invention. Other aspects pertain a DNA construct comprising a nucleotide sequence of the invention and a plant cell or plant progeny comprising the DNA construct.

1 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . A method of producing a transgenic tree having an increased growth compared to its wild type when grown under identical conditions comprising suppressing expression in the plant the level of the gene product specifically expressed during wood formation phases encoded by
 a) the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 1-14, 16, 17, 50, 51, 54-58, and 60 or;   b) a nucleotide sequence being at least 70% identical to the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 1-14, 16, 17, 50, 51, 54-58, and 60;   wherein the expression is suppressed by RNA interference.   
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein said expression is suppressed by providing a recombinant DNA construct comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 c) the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 1-14, 16, 17, 50, 51, 54-58, and 60;   d) a complementary nucleotide sequence of the nucleotide sequence of c);   e) a sub-sequence or fragment of a nucleotide sequence of c) or d);   f) a nucleic acid sequence being at least 70% identical to any one of the sequences in c), d) and e); and   g) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a nucleotide sequence of c), d) or e).   
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos: 18-35, 37, 38, 48, 49, and 51-60, or a complementary nucleotide sequence thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the nucleotide sequence of a) is selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID Nos: 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 17, 56, 57 and 58. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the sub-sequence or fragment in c) comprises at least 15 nucleotides. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising a conservatively substituted variant of a polypeptide of a). 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises a silent substitution in a nucleotide sequence. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the sub-sequence or fragment has at least 65% sequence identity to a conserved domain of a nucleotide sequence as described in claim  1  a). 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the sub-sequence or fragment in c) comprises the sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 18-35, 37, 38, 48, 49, and 51-60. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 53 , wherein the recombinant DNA construct further comprises a promoter selected from the group consisting of a constitutive promoter, an inducible promoter, and a tissue specific promoter, wherein the promoter is operably linked to said nucleotide sequence. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 53 , wherein the recombinant DNA construct further comprises a strong constitutive promoter in front of a transcribed cassette comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID Nos: 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 17, 56, 57 and 58, followed by a plant functional intron, and followed by the nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID Nos: 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 17, 56, 57 and 58 in reverse orientation. 
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 53 , further comprising the step of transforming regenerable cells of a plant with said recombinant DNA construct and regenerating a transgenic plant from said regenerable cell. 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein the transgenic plant is a perennial plant. 
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 64 , wherein the perennial plant is a woody plant. 
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the woody plant is a hardwood plant. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 66 , wherein the hardwood plant is selected from the group consisting of acacia, eucalyptus, hornbeam, beech, mahogany, walnut, oak, ash, willow, hickory, birch, chestnut, poplar, alder, maple, sycamore, ginkgo, a palm tree and sweet gum. 
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 66 , wherein the hardwood plant is a plant of the Salicaceae family, including variants thereof. 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the woody plant is a conifer. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 69 , wherein the conifer is selected from the group consisting of cypress, Douglas fir, fir, sequoia, hemlock, cedar, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce and yew. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the woody plant is a fruit bearing plant. 
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the fruit bearing plant is selected from the group consisting of apple, plum, pear, banana, orange, kiwi, lemon, cherry, grapevine and fig. 
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the woody plant is selected from the group consisting of cotton, bamboo and rubber plants.