title: Enhancement of growth and cellulose accumulation by overexpression of xyloglucanase in poplar.
abstract: Because the loosening of xyloglucan in the cell wall promotes plant growth (Takeda et al. (2002) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99, 9055-9060; Park et al. (2003) Plant J. 33, 1099-1106), we expressed Aspergillus xyloglucanase constitutively in Populus alba. The expression increased the length of stem even in the presence of sucrose. Increased stem growth was accompanied by a decrease in Young's elastic modulus in the growth zone but an increased elasticity in mature tissue. The increased internode length corresponded to an increase in cellulose content as well as specific gravity, showing that the removal of xyloglucan might cause an increase in cellulose density in the secondary xylem.
authors.affiliation: Wood Research Institute, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Yong Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kei'ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Yuzo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: Ikuho
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sameshima
authors.forename: Motoh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013046:Specific Gravity; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014197:Trees / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C072818:xyloglucan endo(1-4)-beta-D-glucanase