Polynucleotides and polypeptides involved in plant fiber development and methods of using same

Abstract

Isolated polynucleotides are provided. Each of the isolated polynucleotides comprise a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 80% homologous to SEQ ID NOs:130-258 and 536-791, wherein the polypeptide is capable of regulating cotton fiber development. Also provided are methods of using such polynucleotides for improving fiber quality and/or yield of a fiber producing plant, as well as methods of using such polynucleotides for producing plants having increased biomass/vigor/yield.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nucleic acid construct comprising an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791 and an operably linked regulatory sequence capable of regulating an expression of said polynucleotide sequence in a cell, wherein said polypeptide is capable of regulating fiber development, and wherein said regulatory sequence is heterologous to said isolated polynucleotide. 
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791. 
     
     
         3 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791. 
     
     
         4 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 906-909, 911-912, 915-922, 1, 12, 2, 17, 10, 11, 8, 4, 6, 5, 3, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18-129 and 259-535. 
     
     
         5 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said fiber comprises a cotton fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:851, 848, 857, or 854. 
     
     
         7 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is set forth by SEQ ID NO: 851, 848, 857, or 854. 
     
     
         8 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is shorter than 1800 bp. 
     
     
         9 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is a constitutive promoter. 
     
     
         10 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is a tissue-specific promoter. 
     
     
         11 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , wherein said regulatory sequence is an epidermal cell promoter. 
     
     
         12 . A transgenic cell comprising the nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A transgenic plant comprising the nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of generating a transgenic plant, comprising transforming a cell of a plant with the nucleic acid construct of  claim 1 , thereby generating the transgenic plant. 
     
     
         15 . A method of increasing biomass, vigor, yield, abiotic stress tolerance, fiber quality and/or fiber yield of a plant, the method comprising over-expressing within the plant a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791 as compared to a native plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions, thereby increasing the biomass, vigor, yield, abiotic stress tolerance, fiber quality and/or fiber yield of the plant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said over-expressing is effected at a root tip of the plant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said fiber quality comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of fiber length, fiber strength, fiber weight per unit length, maturity ratio, uniformity and micronaire. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 923-926, 928-929, 932-939, 130, 141, 131, 146, 139, 140, 137, 133, 136, 135, 134, 132, 138, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147-258 and 536-791.